Brakes...Help!

[Rikki]

Hi folks

I've just been cleaning my calipers, put rubber grease on the pistons etc. When I was pushing them back in, one of them popped out - not completely but enough for a few drips of fluid to leak out.

What consequences might this have? Not sure if any air got in the caliper or not.

Any advice?

[darrsi]

When you say popped out, did it go past the seal?

[Paulfzs]

bleed the brakes dont risk it !


20 minutes of messing around is better than weeks of being deaded because your brakes stopped working and you hit a roaming cow

[darrsi]

bleed the brakes dont risk it !


20 minutes of messing around is better than weeks of being deaded because your brakes stopped working and you hit a roaming cow

Pesky Roman cows.

[Rikki]

Think it must have edged past the seal (or at least part of it - was at a slight angle when it happened) in order for the bit of fluid to leak out. It slipped straight back in though & was only out of place for a fraction of a second.

Would bleeding remove any potential bubbles in the caliper? I think I read about a technique on here where you remove the master cylinder cover, tie the brake lever back & leave it for a few hours for bubbles to migrate to the top of the system. Or it could have been a dream, I'm not 100% sure. Anyone else heard of this?

[Paulfzs]

bleed the brakes dont risk it !


20 minutes of messing around is better than weeks of being deaded because your brakes stopped working and you hit a roaming cow

Pesky Roman cows.

 

[HarryHornby]

If it's the rear caliper on a 600 I wouldn't bother, they're shite and ain't gonna stop you hitting a cow from any culture, bled or unbled!     (Says he who's going to be giving his 600 rear caliper some maintenance love this weekend)

[darrsi]

Think it must have edged past the seal (or at least part of it - was at a slight angle when it happened) in order for the bit of fluid to leak out. It slipped straight back in though & was only out of place for a fraction of a second.

Would bleeding remove any potential bubbles in the caliper? I think I read about a technique on here where you remove the master cylinder cover, tie the brake lever back & leave it for a few hours for bubbles to migrate to the top of the system. Or it could have been a dream, I'm not 100% sure. Anyone else heard of this?

Yep you heard right, I normally do that trick after my brakes have been bled, it tends to sharpen them up that little bit more, so definitely worth a go. Best to leave it over night though.
If you loosen the MC lid make sure the bike won't get touched and I normally stick loads of rag around it in case of any accidental spillage.
I've been known to leave something on my seat to remind me as well, I'm not a morning person!

[Jules-C]

If the brake feels normal and not spongy you haven't let enough air in to be a problem.  But bleeding it won't do any harm either way.

[Rikki]

If it's the rear caliper on a 600 I wouldn't bother, they're shite and ain't gonna stop you hitting a cow from any culture, bled or unbled!     (Says he who's going to be giving his 600 rear caliper some maintenance love this weekend)

I hear what you say about the rear caliper. Just spent a couple of hours on that one alone. Pushed the pistons out & cleaned them. Would they go back in? Hell no. Used a G-clamp to apply pressure. Broke the G-clamp! Used a bigger G-clamp. Faffed about for a l-o-n-g time & finally got them in far enough to get it back on again.

Haven't been for a test ride yet - will do this over the weekend & report back with the results. Right now though it's time for the pub!

Cheers all!

[darrsi]

If it's the rear caliper on a 600 I wouldn't bother, they're shite and ain't gonna stop you hitting a cow from any culture, bled or unbled!     (Says he who's going to be giving his 600 rear caliper some maintenance love this weekend)

I hear what you say about the rear caliper. Just spent a couple of hours on that one alone. Pushed the pistons out & cleaned them. Would they go back in? Hell no. Used a G-clamp to apply pressure. Broke the G-clamp! Used a bigger G-clamp. Faffed about for a l-o-n-g time & finally got them in far enough to get it back on again.

Haven't been for a test ride yet - will do this over the weekend & report back with the results. Right now though it's time for the pub!

Cheers all!

Shouldn't be that tough to push back in at all.

[Paulfzs]

my original rear took tones of pressure to get back in, my fzs thou caliper i can do with my fingers