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Caliper piston removal

Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 8:09 pm
by steve01
Hi Guys im in the process of re-coning by brakes and was wondering how you would go about getting the pistons out as one of the piston faces look like they have been hammered and one of the pistons is sticking out further than the other. Is it a case of removing the pads and re-connecting the brake pipe and squeezing the brake lever to get the pistons out.

Calipers are off the bike and have been stripped down .

Cheers Steve

Re: Caliper piston removal

Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 8:39 pm
by Sligeach
there is a tool that is available to do this. it goes inside the pistion and expands so that you can take the pistons out using a slide hammer action.

http://www.justoffbase.co.uk/Motorcycle ... ley-VS1806" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Caliper piston removal

Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 10:50 pm
by hunter
take the caliper off the fork leg,with it still attached to the pipe,pump the lever,
and the pistons will come out,if only 1 or 2 come out,put a piece of flat bar between
the one's that move to stop them coming out all the way,then the others should start to move,use some wd40.work it a bit at a time.

Re: Caliper piston removal

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 12:31 am
by Neosophist
pumping the brake lever while the lines are still attatched without pads will force the pistons out, apply some pressure to the ones that move to let the other pistons come out a bit, then use a rag / grips and gently twist them out.

Re: Caliper piston removal

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 6:55 am
by steve01
Thanks for the replys, I do need the pistons out as i want to refurb them as the faces of the pistons are shot plus i would like to replace the sills ect.

Thanks

Steve

Re: Caliper piston removal

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 7:05 am
by CRM
steve01 wrote:plus i would like to replace the sills ect.

Lol i had a vision then of an old mini. sorry as you were

Re: Caliper piston removal

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 11:24 am
by Terri400
If you have the calliper off the bike then you can use a compressor to force the pistons out. I used a tyre inflator with the ball inflator attachment wound into the banjo connector. Just make sure that when they come out they're heading away from you as they do come out at a fair old lick :o . Initially though, put a spanner or something similar through the calliper to stop the pistons firing straight out, otherwise one piston will come out and leave the other (NC24 has the sliding callipers so only 2 pistons) unmoved. If you want you can get some soft jawed grips on them at this point, I took the spanner out and used a piece of folded card to allow them to be pushed out further.

I can't emphasise enough that they do shoot out and they'd hurt like hell if they hit you, be carefull.

Ian

Re: Caliper piston removal

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 8:48 pm
by Morespeedvicar
Hiya, my mate always used to take caliper off, put spanner in middle, put a bolt in the banjo hole( tho that sounds well wrong..lol), put a grease gun on the bleed nipple and pump the pistons out that way.
I've never tried it tho.
Sometimes if you've split the caliper already you can walk the pistons out with a shifter.
Cheers
Ian

Re: Caliper piston removal

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 9:30 pm
by steve01
Thanks for all the help guys, i think i will re-connect the break pipes and pump the pistons out that way although the compressor idea sounds fun. Im going to post a pic of the faces of my pistons for you to have a look at as im pretty sure they are fooked. The piston face's should be flat yes?

Cheers Steve

Re: Caliper piston removal

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 1:23 am
by spooky
If you have taken the brake pipes off already you could try the compressor method or the grease gun method as you might find it hard to bleed the air from the system and it would be a waste of brake fluid, your best bet would be to get a pair of vice grips on them and pull them out (if you can get a grip on them that is) then buy new ones. Get new seals for them while your at it.. :idea: