Front Brake Master Cylinder

[bpdutton]

I need to rebuild the front brake master cylinder on my 1980 GS1000G. How the heck do you get the piston/cup set out of the cylinder housing? I looked at it for a while last night and couldn't figure it out. I know there is a circlip somewhere in there. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Boondocks]

There is a recessed snap ring behind the rubber boot. It's in a deep and narrow channel, and requires snap ring pliers with long and narrow inserts to remove it. Some have ground oversize pliers to fit.

Do a search for "snap ring master cylinder" (no quotation marks) and you will get 11-12 hits full of information.

[ptm]

The right tool for the job - Right Angled Snap ring Plier Set...

http://www.mikesxs.com/mikesxs-tools.php?category_id=7.1

scroll about half way down.

[chef1366]

I just rebuilt mine last week. Same as yours. I did as Boondocks said, used a modified ground down snap ring pliers. (Borrowed from jgordon of course) Don't drip brake fluid on any paint that you like. A little advice. Before putting the brake lever back on to bleed the brakes try this. With the cap off push the piston all the way in with a phillip head or the old piston and bleed the master cylinder out. Do this till the bubbles are gone and you start to feel resistance. If you don't do this you'll be squeezing a dead brake lever for hours cussing.

[bpdutton]

Thanks for the info guys - I'm on my way.

[Nessism]

Great link for those plyers! Getting out that circlip is a NIGHTMARE without the proper tool!

[luc8421]

I used some needle nose plyers on mine, had no issues getting it out, as long as they're small enough to fit in the holes of the clip.