Front brakes sticking

[NotAnotherHill]

Happened about 5 weeks ago so I took off calipers and took out pads and cleaned up the pistons thoroughly. Put it back together and they seemed ok. Bike not been ridden since and they are sticking on again. I can free them up a bit by wheeling the bike in the garage. Original hoses. Fluids done about 16k ago. Pads in good nick.


Other suggestions?

[Chris]

If it's not been used since you cleaned the callipers/pistons and there was any moisture from cleaning them left in there then they may have corroded slightly again from just sitting.
 
Chris

[darrsi]

They get stuck from inside the caliper rather than just the exposed parts you can see.

Did you use red rubber grease when you cleaned them?
Also, only ever use proper brake cleaning spray on the pistons, there are plenty of other degreaser sprays that can leave a residue and cause problems like sticking.

You've 2 options, they either need stripping down and cleaning with a new set of seals, fluid, etc, or do what i did and buy a fully functioning 2nd hand pair off Flebay.
The reason i did that was to save time and effort, and it only worked out around £10 dearer.
I'm on call for work at weekends so needed the bike in working order.


Saying that, i've just had a look at the prices at the moment and they're a bit more expensive now.
I only paid about £70 for the pair!




Or buy a pair off here for £1000........bargain. 


http://www.yamahamotorcyclespares.co.uk/spares/epc2.asp?modelID=9657&PageiD=30&m=YAMAHA+FZS600SP+Fazer+FRONT+BRAKE+CALIPER&uID=0

[packie]

Saying that, i've just had a look at the prices at the moment and they're a bit more expensive now.
I only paid about £70 for the pair!

Fazer Spares have a set for £80 and I'd agree...a seal replacement would cost about £48 so buying a spare set of caliper would be more logical.

[His Dudeness]

I'd go for the seals. At least you know what you've got then. A used caliper could have the same problem. Genuine seals are 27.61 including delivery from wemoto

[darrsi]

Saying that, i've just had a look at the prices at the moment and they're a bit more expensive now.
I only paid about £70 for the pair!

Fazer Spares have a set for £80 and I'd agree...a seal replacement would cost about £48 so buying a spare set of caliper would be more logical.

It does actually leave you with a set of calipers that you can clean up and sort out new seals for in your own leisure for future use without having to have the bike off the road.
Or if you want some money back, just sell them!

[red98]

might be worth checking the hoses,i`ve seen them collapse before.pull the lever and fluid pressure will open them up but no pressure to let fluid back again   

[darrsi]

I'd go for the seals. At least you know what you've got then. A used caliper could have the same problem. Genuine seals are 27.61 including delivery from wemoto

Where did you get that price from, i just looked and it doesn't say that anywhere?

[NotAnotherHill]

They get stuck from inside the caliper rather than just the exposed parts you can see.

Did you use red rubber grease when you cleaned them?
Also, only ever use proper brake cleaning spray on the pistons, there are plenty of other degreaser sprays that can leave a residue and cause problems like sticking.

You've 2 options, they either need stripping down and cleaning with a new set of seals, fluid, etc, or do what i did and buy a fully functioning 2nd hand pair off Flebay.
The reason i did that was to save time and effort, and it only worked out around £10 dearer.
I'm on call for work at weekends so needed the bike in working order.


Saying that, i've just had a look at the prices at the moment and they're a bit more expensive now.
I only paid about £70 for the pair!




Or buy a pair off here for £1000........bargain. 


http://www.yamahamotorcyclespares.co.uk/spares/epc2.asp?modelID=9657&PageiD=30&m=YAMAHA+FZS600SP+Fazer+FRONT+BRAKE+CALIPER&uID=0

I cleaned them up using proper disc brake cleaner but didn't grease the pistons before reassembling. Do the put the red rubber grease on the piston body?

[darrsi]

Yeah, i normally smear it on all round the exposed piston when they're pushed out, it helps prevent corrosion.


They sell small pots of it on Ebay, a 100g pot is a good size for £5 or £6.

[wezdavo]

I prefer to keep the pistons clean and dry to stop crap sticking to them...
 

As its crap stuck to the piston that stops them from retracting back into the caliper..
 
I prefer to pop out the pistons, clean them and regrease the seals..
 
Im not sure if you applied grease to the piston from the outside it would make it past the dust seal too the main seal...
 
 
 

[darrsi]

Crap will only stick to the grease, when the pads wear they will obviously push out away from the seals.
Not greasing them is inviting rust to form on the pots, and they do rust.

[NotAnotherHill]

Looked on Wemoto at replacement pistons and seals. They quote a large and small piston and seal kit. Do I need both? Is one for one side of the calipers and one for the other? I assume I'd need a set for each calipers?

[wezdavo]

Crap will only stick to the grease, when the pads wear they will obviously push out away from the seals.
Not greasing them is inviting rust to form on the pots, and they do rust.

I used to use this same method, but i found the grease helped bake crap to the piston that wouldnt of adheared it the first place if they were dry..
 
Believe it or not i just spray muck off into the calipers on my weekly wash and hose them out!!!
 
Its been working so well i havent had to think about any in depth cleaning..... Touch wood

[darrsi]

Looked on Wemoto at replacement pistons and seals. They quote a large and small piston and seal kit. Do I need both? Is one for one side of the calipers and one for the other? I assume I'd need a set for each calipers?

You don't need new pistons unless you know they're damaged or totally rusted. (expensive too)
Once they're out you just tidy them up. Don't be overzealous with them though, as you need them to retain their shape, don't start sanding chunks out of them or they'll leak fluid when you put them back on.
The upper pistons are bigger than the lower one's, so you'll have 2 sizes of seals.

[darrsi]

The thing you find with calipers seizing is that it happens over a long period of time, and slowly gets worse, so you tend not to know any difference and get used to it until it's too late.
Once you get them working properly again the difference is incredible, and it makes you wonder how you never noticed a problem.
I give my calipers a good clean about 3 or maybe 4 times a year now, and it keeps problems at bay.
I'll always clean them just before and straight after winter, as that's when they're more prone to sticking due to all the salt on the roads.


Make sure you keep the pad pin clean as well, with a light smear of copper grease, so the pads don't seize up on it either.