Leaky brake caliper
- PaulD
- Posts: 1082
- Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2018 5:48 pm
- Location: Usually either the shed or bed
- Has thanked: 456 times
- Been thanked: 186 times
Leaky brake caliper
One of my front brake calipers has decided to leak so I've bought a full seal kit to do both sides. When I bought the bike the brakes where crap and it was a swine to bleed them. If I remember correctly you have to bleed the anti-dive unit first and then the caliper to remove all the air?
Any suggestions to make the job easier?
I've got a vac bleed kit and a one man bleed kit.
Any suggestions to make the job easier?
I've got a vac bleed kit and a one man bleed kit.
There rubbish them Jap bikes lad they won't last five minutes! you want to get yourself a nice Royal Enfield!
A quote from my old dad
I started out with nothing and I’ve got most of it left!
KOC member 453
A quote from my old dad
I started out with nothing and I’ve got most of it left!
KOC member 453
- fossie
- Club Member
- Posts: 5182
- Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2010 9:16 pm
- Has thanked: 179 times
- Been thanked: 714 times
Re: Leaky brake caliper
Ideally the furthest anti dive from resovoir.
If you have issues it will be because air gets trapped in the lines were it crosses from calliper to anti five ( highest point ) , so if you take the calipers off and straighten the lines it bleeds easier .
Just place a ppiece of wood the width of pads between the pads to stop them sliding out too far.
If you have issues it will be because air gets trapped in the lines were it crosses from calliper to anti five ( highest point ) , so if you take the calipers off and straighten the lines it bleeds easier .
Just place a ppiece of wood the width of pads between the pads to stop them sliding out too far.
- KeKat
- Posts: 323
- Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2011 9:23 pm
- Location: Southampton
- Has thanked: 3 times
- Been thanked: 44 times
Re: Leaky brake caliper
I use one of these. I makes bleeding brakes so easy.
£15 from Amazon.
Keith KOC 355
1982 Suzuki GSX1000SZ
1991 Ducati 900SS
1996 Kawasaki ZZR600
2003 Transalp
2004 MV Agusta brutale F4
2003 Cagiva xtra raptor 1000
2012 Triumph Tiger 800
2019 Suzuki GSX-S 1000S
1966 Triumph T100C (Fixing push rod seals again)
1960 Bianchi Gardena 75 (Restoration Project when i get time)
1961 Triumph T100A (Cafe Racer Project)
1982 Suzuki GSX1000SZ
1991 Ducati 900SS
1996 Kawasaki ZZR600
2003 Transalp
2004 MV Agusta brutale F4
2003 Cagiva xtra raptor 1000
2012 Triumph Tiger 800
2019 Suzuki GSX-S 1000S
1966 Triumph T100C (Fixing push rod seals again)
1960 Bianchi Gardena 75 (Restoration Project when i get time)
1961 Triumph T100A (Cafe Racer Project)
- PaulD
- Posts: 1082
- Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2018 5:48 pm
- Location: Usually either the shed or bed
- Has thanked: 456 times
- Been thanked: 186 times
Re: Leaky brake caliper
Yup I've got that exact one but even using that and lifting the calipers as high as possible I still struggled last time. I thought there might be a trick I'm missing somewhere?
I've not started the job yet so I'll let you know how I get on
There rubbish them Jap bikes lad they won't last five minutes! you want to get yourself a nice Royal Enfield!
A quote from my old dad
I started out with nothing and I’ve got most of it left!
KOC member 453
A quote from my old dad
I started out with nothing and I’ve got most of it left!
KOC member 453
- Kryten
- Club Member
- Posts: 1793
- Joined: Sun Dec 26, 2010 11:13 pm
- Location: North Norfolk
- Has thanked: 118 times
- Been thanked: 256 times
Re: Leaky brake caliper
Sometimes with a recalcitrant brake system you need to bleed them up as best you can, then pull the brake lever on as far as you can and tie it back and leave overnight.
Never had to do that as I always seemed to be successful with the vac bleeder. But then again I've binned the Auntie Dive...
Never had to do that as I always seemed to be successful with the vac bleeder. But then again I've binned the Auntie Dive...
Jim
750 SZ (Not So) Skruffy Kat
1000 SZ in bits
7/11 SZ Long term
T509 Back on the road!
It was a New Day yesterday but, by God, it's an Old Day now!
750 SZ (Not So) Skruffy Kat
1000 SZ in bits
7/11 SZ Long term
T509 Back on the road!
It was a New Day yesterday but, by God, it's an Old Day now!
- fossie
- Club Member
- Posts: 5182
- Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2010 9:16 pm
- Has thanked: 179 times
- Been thanked: 714 times
Re: Leaky brake caliper
Lever back over night usually helps a lot ....did on the vstrom last time I did them ...
- Lexdba
- Club Member
- Posts: 246
- Joined: Mon May 11, 2020 7:25 am
- Location: Tulip country
- Has thanked: 44 times
- Been thanked: 77 times
Re: Leaky brake caliper
Yep, that's what I do too. Few tie-wraps around the lever and just let it sit. Tapping on the lines whilst bleeding helps to get the air out too.
It's faster to break than to repair.
- PaulD
- Posts: 1082
- Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2018 5:48 pm
- Location: Usually either the shed or bed
- Has thanked: 456 times
- Been thanked: 186 times
Re: Leaky brake caliper
Well I'm officially stumped! I've tried everything I know but I can't get the air out of the system
I tried stripping the anti-dive units and cleaning them but there doesn't appear to be anything wrong. Both anti-dive units and calipers are full of air. It doesn't matter if I bleed them the normal way or use my vac bleed its still full of air and I don't mean little bubbles, there's more air than fluid. As a last act of desperation I've ordered a rebuild kit for the gsxr 1100 master unit fitted to my bike.
I tried stripping the anti-dive units and cleaning them but there doesn't appear to be anything wrong. Both anti-dive units and calipers are full of air. It doesn't matter if I bleed them the normal way or use my vac bleed its still full of air and I don't mean little bubbles, there's more air than fluid. As a last act of desperation I've ordered a rebuild kit for the gsxr 1100 master unit fitted to my bike.
There rubbish them Jap bikes lad they won't last five minutes! you want to get yourself a nice Royal Enfield!
A quote from my old dad
I started out with nothing and I’ve got most of it left!
KOC member 453
A quote from my old dad
I started out with nothing and I’ve got most of it left!
KOC member 453
- Lexdba
- Club Member
- Posts: 246
- Joined: Mon May 11, 2020 7:25 am
- Location: Tulip country
- Has thanked: 44 times
- Been thanked: 77 times
Re: Leaky brake caliper
Have you tried filling the system from the bottom?
Get a big syringe and some hose and just fill the fooker up from below.
Get a big syringe and some hose and just fill the fooker up from below.
It's faster to break than to repair.
- PaulD
- Posts: 1082
- Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2018 5:48 pm
- Location: Usually either the shed or bed
- Has thanked: 456 times
- Been thanked: 186 times
Re: Leaky brake caliper
That's the next step Lex 
There rubbish them Jap bikes lad they won't last five minutes! you want to get yourself a nice Royal Enfield!
A quote from my old dad
I started out with nothing and I’ve got most of it left!
KOC member 453
A quote from my old dad
I started out with nothing and I’ve got most of it left!
KOC member 453
