is this rear caliper salvageable?

[Bretty]

My rear brake seizes every winter, but frees up with use. I should have serviced it ages ago, but finally took it off today.

One piston moves with force, the other is stuck. I could probably free things up with penetrating oil, a soak and a clean but am I wasting my time?

Is it a case of "new seals, it'll be fine" or "bin it and get a new one"?

I would obviously prefer to fix it on the cheap, but is it a false economy?

Cheers,

Brett

[celticdog]

I would obviously prefer to fix it on the cheap, but is it a false economy?

Cheers,

Brett

I'd have a go at fixing it, if you don't have any luck then you can always source a new one.


Nice little renovation project . . . Can you get access to a bead/shot blaster? I think it'd come up lovely   

[Bretty]

I hate to say it, but my bike lives on the street in London. So my whole ethos is, it must function safely (engine, brakes, tyres) but look like junk in order to not draw attention to itself and/or get stolen.

So I'm not fussed what it looks like, but will it work?

I'm going to go and reattach it to the brake lines to see if I can force the pistons out for inspection...

[Gnasher]

From what you've posted it needs some TLC just a rebuild should do the trick.

[Deefer666]

It depends, I have had a few lately that as you clean them up the corrosion has eaten away at the
lip that holds the dust seal inon the inside piston. I would say that you need to get the pistons out, clean it up and then check the caliper body. If its all still good then rebuild it.

[Paulfzs]

£60: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-FZS-600-Fazer-1998-2003-rear-brake-caliper-seal-repair-kit-pistons-/181539177349


Or £55 for the thou caliper: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/03-2003-YAMAHA-FZS1000-FZS1-FZS-1-FZ-1-CALIPER-REAR-BRAKE-6767-/351610724966?hash=item51dda1e266:g:wcgAAOSwSdZWeeo0

[sinto]

You can also split it to have a better look at it and makes working with it easier.
There's a post or two about it in here somewhere, I know as I done it and so did joebloggs

[Bretty]

Well I couldn't push the pistons out, as there is now air in the brake line. I probably should have bled it and persevered, but instead have split the caliper.
The outer seals look knackered for sure, and pistons are pretty corroded on the inside. I have no idea how to get the pistons out now, but for the cost of new pistons and seals I might as well hunt for a half decent secondhand caliper....

[sinto]

I have no idea how to get the pistons out now,

If you've got an air compressor, join your two bits of calipers together again and blow them out
Make sure they're connected or you'll do more than "blow the bloody doors off"

[sinto]

Make sure they're connected or you'll do more than "blow the bloody doors off"

Mind you that could make ano interesting thread

[His Dudeness]

I'd reattach the caliper, bleed it and clamp the piston that's moving and then pump the stuck one out a bit, then clamp it and pump the moving one out a bit and keep alternating the clamp until both pistons are out. You have to pump them out evenly or one will get stuck. Then as deefer says clean and inspect the seal recess and decide if new seals will work. I'd buy Yamaha seals, after market seals can be a bit hit and miss.

[unfazed]

The problem with these calipers is that the small drain holes at the bottom get blocked and all the salt and crap from the roads get stuck inside the caliper. It soaks past the dust seal and corrodes the seal housing (as Deefer66 already stated).
The reason Fzs1000 option works well is: the pistons are the same diameter no need to change the master cylinder (both fzs1000 and 600 rear master cylinders are identical) and there is no well to hold the road crap because the pads are inserted from the under side of the caliper.

I would cut your losses and get a fzs1000 replacement. Judging by the level of corrosion on your caliper and the fact one piston is stuck, the seal seat damage may already be a factor.

[red98]

I'd reattach the caliper, bleed it and clamp the piston that's moving and then pump the stuck one out a bit, then clamp it and pump the moving one out a bit and keep alternating the clamp until both pistons are out. You have to pump them out evenly or one will get stuck. Then as deefer says clean and inspect the seal recess and decide if new seals will work. I'd buy Yamaha seals, after market seals can be a bit hit and miss.

    well said dude....I have a couple of rear calipers with sheered nipples...if you replace I would be interested in your old one....or.....the other way round ?

[Deefer666]

I have no idea how to get the pistons out now,

If you've got an air compressor, join your two bits of calipers together again and blow them out
Make sure they're connected or you'll do more than "blow the bloody doors off"

I have a blow gun that I have adapted with a Banjo bolt, so that the body of the gun screws into the caliper. Compressed air normally gets the pistons out. Also I find a bit of heat helps if they are being stubborn... The seals are fucked anyway so a blow torch wouldn't hurt anything so long as you don't go mental and melt the o-ring seal between parts of the caliper.

[Bretty]

To answer my own question. No... no it's not salvageable. Both seals seem to have extruded out the gap bringing bits of the casing with them.

I thought it was a bit sticky.

[Deefer666]

Yup, That's fucked

[joebloggs]

I have no idea how to get the pistons out now,

If you've got an air compressor, join your two bits of calipers together again and blow them out
Make sure they're connected or you'll do more than "blow the bloody doors off"

I have a blow gun that I have adapted with a Banjo bolt, so that the body of the gun screws into the caliper. Compressed air normally gets the pistons out. Also I find a bit of heat helps if they are being stubborn... The seals are fucked anyway so a blow torch wouldn't hurt anything so long as you don't go mental and melt the o-ring seal between parts of the caliper.

I've used a grease gun on the bleed nipple to ease them out in the past, OK so you need to give them a good clean after but I prefer the grease method as you not have pistons flying past your ears when they finally pop free

[unfazed]

Yup, That's fucked

Understatement of the year 

[Gnasher]

Thats got to be the almost the worst I've seen they didn't look like that in the first post 

[celticdog]

£60: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-FZS-600-Fazer-1998-2003-rear-brake-caliper-seal-repair-kit-pistons-/181539177349


Or £55 for the thou caliper: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/03-2003-YAMAHA-FZS1000-FZS1-FZS-1-FZ-1-CALIPER-REAR-BRAKE-6767-/351610724966?hash=item51dda1e266:g:wcgAAOSwSdZWeeo0

Plan b it is then!

[Deefer666]

Put the flat shock spanner that comes in the standard tool kit in the middle of the caliper, when the pistons pop out under air pressure they cannot come all the way out that way

I have no idea how to get the pistons out now,

If you've got an air compressor, join your two bits of calipers together again and blow them out
Make sure they're connected or you'll do more than "blow the bloody doors off"

I have a blow gun that I have adapted with a Banjo bolt, so that the body of the gun screws into the caliper. Compressed air normally gets the pistons out. Also I find a bit of heat helps if they are being stubborn... The seals are fucked anyway so a blow torch wouldn't hurt anything so long as you don't go mental and melt the o-ring seal between parts of the caliper.

I've used a grease gun on the bleed nipple to ease them out in the past, OK so you need to give them a good clean after but I prefer the grease method as you not have pistons flying past your ears when they finally pop free

[darrsi]

£60: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-FZS-600-Fazer-1998-2003-rear-brake-caliper-seal-repair-kit-pistons-/181539177349


Or £55 for the thou caliper: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/03-2003-YAMAHA-FZS1000-FZS1-FZS-1-FZ-1-CALIPER-REAR-BRAKE-6767-/351610724966?hash=item51dda1e266:g:wcgAAOSwSdZWeeo0

Plan b it is then!

That 2nd caliper was £65 not £55, plus would they not sting you for tax as well as it's from the states?

[Bretty]

Do you pay import duty on 2ndhand stuff?

Anyway UPDATE: I bought a secondhand caliper on ebay and collected it yesterday. It also had knackered seals, but the case was good and it was only £30.

Got it home realises it was seized.. FFS! Spent an hour or so faffing about with it trying to get the pistons out.

I used the 'new' case and a combination of all the best remaining parts to make one good caliper (minus the dust seals) all cleaned up on the bike and working.
I have some new seals on order so when they arrive, unless the existing seals are leaking, I might just fit the dust seals, although the dust seal recess has seen better days!

Brett

[Jules-C]

They metal at the edge of the dust seals on mine was starting to corrode and the dust seals trying to squeeze out siezing the pistons on mine so rebuilt it without dust seals a couple of years ago as a temporary measure to get it through MOT.  Got a eBay caliper to rebuild but it was as bad as my one so never rebuilt it.  Had no problems running without dust seals and just clean it once a year

[darrsi]

It would appear so!