Must you remove front wheel to service calipers?

[Smellii]

Getting ready to remove my calipers from the bike using basscliff's guide. My brakes are dragging bad and I need to inspect/bleed/overhaul as needed. My question is do I need to remove the front wheel to service the calipers like the guide does?

82 GS850GL

[ChicagoBob]

No. Just unbolt the calipers from the fork and lift them off.

[Steve]

No need to remove wheel for caliper service, but you do have to remove the calipers to remove the wheel.

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[Smellii]

Got it. Thanks.

[Smellii]

Finally got the pistons out of the calipers using an air compressor (Shot out of there like a rocket and almost broke my finger!!!) Anyway, The piston boot is securely in there and I can't wiggle is loose. I know there is a piston seal I have to remove but not sure if the seal is between the boot and the caliper body or the boot is between the piston seal and caliper body. Is the piston seal holding the boot in place and must be removed prior to the boot? If so how do you recommend getting the seal out? (Published instructions lack detail on this part. )

[hampshirehog]

The boot should come out fairly easily - either that or disintegrate in your fingers. Try giving the thing a good scrub in hot soapy water and pulling again.

The seal sits down in the bore - you'll see it if you remove the boot or evn just pull the boot to one side. Again, hot soapy water will help loosen things / remove crusted up old brake fluid and then just plip it out with a small flat blade screwdriver.

[Smellii]

Thanks! drained as much of the old brake fluid out as I could, put the rear assembly together and on the wheel, put new brake fluid in and ... nothing. How are you supposed to get the brake fluid through the lines and into the calipers? I can't build pressure by pumping.

[Smellii]

Nevermind. Found the answer. New question, however, I bled the back brakes, pressure is great but the brakes drag just a little bit. The wheel will not spin freely. Is this normal? Should I expect a settling of sorts when I start riding again? Thanks for putting up with me.

[hampshirehog]

Pads should just rub a little bit almost not enough to even effect the wheel. If it's any more than that you could have a problem in the MC / muck in the line etc

[SqDancerLynn1]

On a shafie it will take some effort to turn the wheel, Should be fine after the disk pads are seated in... Pry the pads apart and try turning the wheel for comparison

[Smellii]

OMG! I finished cleaning up my calipers and pistons, put them all back on, bled them all, go out for a ride and all my brakes are like 50-60% applied all the time! what did I do wrong?

[chef1366]

take each caliper off and pull/push the brakes and watch the piston. Don't push the pistons all the way out.
They should return a little bit when you release the brake.
Do this a couple of times and you may be able to get them not to stick.
Were the old pistons corroded at all?

[kawfeedave]

Check your master cylinder. There should be a tiny pressure relief hole in the bottom of the MC piston bore, and it allows the pressure in the system to release and fluid to flow back in to the resivoir. If the hole is blocked, then the system cannot release the pressure built when you apply the brakes.

Your really need to overhaul the MC along with the calipers. While you're at it, look into fresh brake lines, be they rubber or stainless steel. If you overhaul the calipers, MC, and fit new lines and new fluid, your brakes will be 'good' for years to come, provided you keep them properly bled and replace the fluid every year or two. If you half-ass brake work, you're just asking for more trouble, and hopefully not the kind of trouble that casues your brakes to fail or lock up.

[Smellii]

Ok. I'll do that. They were only a little bit corroded in a couple of spots. I don't think near enough to make them defective. Even all the boots were in really good shape. Should I have applied some special oil around the piston to allow it to float in there a little easier?

[Smellii]

Just thought of something. Is it possible to have the master cylinder to be too full? Mine are full to the caps.