Front Calipers

Message

falcomunky · #1 Post by **falcomunky** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:50 am

Ok.
Ive got a serious problem.

Both front calipers have seized on me while I was down at Mallory this weekend, (luckily I went in a mates car due to the horrible weather!).
Im off work today so thought Id go fer a blast about.
Rolled her out of the shed and then lock; Brake light on, unable to move the bike.
Got the calipers off, cleaned em up n re-bled the system.
The pistons are very corroded at the exposed edge and Ive had em out as far as I dare without popping the seals and it looks terminal. No leaks etc, but Im afraid to go out on her now Ive seen how bad they are, (dont fancy an unannounced 130mph stoppie!)
Question is; Can you get service kits for em or are they throw away, (think I already know the answer)?

I had a similar problem with my old zx7r, (must wash my bikes more often), and ended up having to get pattern calipers at £90 each.
Aprilia Yorkshire want £192 per unit (!) and prolly a six month wait to get em so thats out as I need the bike fer work.
Anyone any idea what/if other calipers fit? Obviously Brembo do em fer a wide range of bikes, but I was wondering wether any of the RSV or possibly Duke items are the same?
Im watching a couple on ebay; These look right?...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=017
or
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GENUINE-DUCATI-MT ... dZViewItem
or
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=005
The last uns look about right to me, but anyone else got a more informed opinion?
Dont suppose anyone on ere happens to have a spare set theyd like to sell me!?!?

Help!!!

D-Rider · #2 Post by **D-Rider** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 12:08 pm

Not sure where I picked up this link but it may help:

LINK

bigun · #3 Post by **bigun** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 12:14 pm

They're the same I believe as (off the top of my head) - Ducati 748/916/996/998/900SS and monsters, Aprilia RSV/Futura and I think some moto guzzi.

Will they not clean up? I found mine appeared to have a white crust on which I thought was corrosion but was probably a build up of salt. It welds itself on but copius amounts of brake cleaner and careful chipping with a small screwdriver should clean them up. Can't recall how far I got my pistons out but it must have been pretty close to popping. Measure then depth of the caliper and try from there.

Good luck!

falcomunky · #4 Post by **falcomunky** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 12:39 pm

Cleaned em, very carefully, with a small flat-blade scewdriver and toothbrush but once the shite was removed the actual piston surface is very scored and marked, (by corrosion btw!).
I took her back outta the shed n wheeled her back n forth while applying the brakes and they re-seized after half a dozen pulls of the lever!

I have a feeling the seals have rolled over and twisted, (but are still keeping the fluid in), and that is what is causing the seizure.
I figure it will be quicker, (n prolly cheaper), getting a pair of good nick second hand clappers than having to wait fer, (hopefully), the right seal/piston kits...

falcomunky · #5 Post by **falcomunky** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 2:27 pm

I followed up on your link D_R, but I have one concern; The guy there said the pistons are 30 and 34mm diameter, (which is the same as the Falcos), but he didnt know their depth!
Does anyone know if the depth differs for different Brembo calipers or are they universal, (I doubt it!), and any idea what depth ours are?

Update;
The depths are universal, but the kits have been on back-order for a couple of months from Brembo with no sign of em showing up yet, (theres a couple of other Mille pilots waiting for em too)!
Arse!!!

Ive got a bad feeling Im gonna have to get the 'updated' four-pad calipers along with new brake lines to suit...

bigun · #6 Post by **bigun** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 6:23 pm

Try kawasaki newcastle m8. They seem to still be in touch with Aprilia parts and can get stuff overnight (did for me other week). Failing that, they're always breaking Aprilias so you may be able to get a decent deal on some calipers especially considering you got yr bike there.

HTH

ps If they have some and you pay pver phone via card, I'll pick em up for you and drop em off at yrs one night this week if its not raining. Gets you sorted and gets me a blast out!

Thumper · #7 Post by **Thumper** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 7:08 pm

Don't take chances fit new pistons if yours are badly corroded falcomunky I have used moto-racing and also these guys who should be able to help if you can't find what you want on their web page http://shop.wemoto.com/index.dyn?type=b ... on&flag=19

falcomunky · #8 Post by **falcomunky** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 8:17 pm

Cheers fer the help peeps, but it would appear that Brembo are having part-supplying probs; Every site I contacted said they couldnt get the piston/seal kits for another month or two at least!

I have, however, won a pair of nearly new clappers for a Duke!
£67 including braided lines and new pads, (the banjos even come off the clappers at the same angle as the Falcos)!

I just hope they fit ok...

Thumper · #9 Post by **Thumper** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 8:51 pm

Not surprised Italy is on holiday

Falco9 · #10 Post by **Falco9** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 7:45 am

falcomunky wrote:Cheers fer the help peeps, but it would appear that Brembo are having part-supplying probs; Every site I contacted said they couldnt get the piston/seal kits for another month or two at least!
I have, however, won a pair of nearly new clappers for a Duke!
£67 including braided lines and new pads, (the banjos even come off the clappers at the same angle as the Falcos)!
I just hope they fit ok...

You won't have any problems M8, they are identical to the Falco and will bolt straight on, even the later Aprilia / Ducati monobloc Brembos will bolt straight on as well.

Good buy at £67 though. I nearly won some Ducati Silver 748 Monobloc calipers when I had the Falco, they would have looked the bo**ocks and the improvement over the std brakes is superb, but the seller withdrew them at the last minute

I'm a great beliver in copper-slip grease, before you fit the new calipers, remove the pads, push the pistons out and give them a good coating along with the back of the pads and the retaining pins, I've never had a problem with corrosion whilst doing that on a regular basis. I'm talking pre-Falco of course, now I'm scared of the rain!!

F9

bigun · #11 Post by **bigun** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:50 am

Just to add my thoughts on greasing the pistons. Two schools of thought I suppose (not saying yr wrong at all Rich!

).

When I used to ride all year round, I didn't copperslip the pistons on my bikes at all (rear of pads I did naturally). I didn't because I found that riding all year the grease attracted the crud and made them stick/got under the seals etc. (bit like chain wax turning into a grinding paste). Admittedly that was on a Thundercat with R1 brakes which were notorious for seizing anyway. I found that a regular clean (every 6 wks......only takes half an hour) kept them sweet. If they're clean, nowt can stick to them but you do have to strip them like I say and make sure you wash the brakes every week with clean cold water (hosepipe for two mins did the trick). I did the same with my Kawasaki and never had a problem with the 6 pot calipers on them (which again were notorious for seizing) and touch wood never have with the Falco......although it only goes to work once a week now and doesn't see too much bad weather.

HTH

Bigun.

falcomunky · #12 Post by **falcomunky** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 3:58 pm

Cheers all!
Yeah, I reckon that I need to clean em more regularily, though I also think that the previous owners were the same: There was simply too much corrosion to have come from one winter!

Im with Bigun on the grease-into-grinding paste theory as well, though I obviously copper-grease tpins/pad-backs.
Im pleased the Duke clappers should fit, (I figured they would, only the seller was away til after the auction ended so asking about the distance between mounting bolts went unanswered).
There are a few sets of RSV clappers on Ebay at the mo, but all of em looked as tatty as mine! Im just gutted that they arent with me yet!
Ah well; looks like the Missus is driving me to work again in the morning!

Quick question; How the hell does anyone put up with driving a cage everyday!?!?!? Soooooo frustratingly sloooow!

Falco9 · #13 Post by **Falco9** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 4:37 pm

bigun wrote:Just to add my thoughts on greasing the pistons. Two schools of thought I suppose (not saying yr wrong at all Rich! )
Bigun.

Nope, I hear where you are both coming from, my opinion (for what it's worth) though is that as opoosed to normal grease which melts as soon as you look at it, Copperslip although appearing to be covered in crud etc.. is actually clean under the initial surface deposits, as it doesn't melt even at caliper temps it may look cr*p but it's actually fine, it does a great job of protecting the pistons and in over 25yrs of using it (in all weathers in my youth, I've never had to replace a brake piston through scoring or corrosion damage.
I did my time (apprenticeship) with a mining engineering company and we covered everything with Copperslip (where we could) as nothing else would ever last.

F9

falcomunky · #14 Post by **falcomunky** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 9:19 pm

Well now, heres a funny thing; The clappers were left at a neighbours today but no card from the postie through my letterbox!

Got em off the neighbour about 7ish, fitted and bled by 9!
Hardest part was routing the slightly longer braided hoses that came with em! All sorted now and Im a very happy bunny indeed!

Two virtually brand new clappers fer the price of a set of braided lines!
Yay!

Here they are;
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=013
Have tried em at slow up-n-down-my-backstreet-speeds and they are AWESOME!!!

Will give em a proper go on the way to work in the mornin, (two wheels again at last!), and then rebleed tomorrow night.
Im also booked in at M&S Newcastle to get the injectors synched on the 10th of August, so she will be well fettled again!
Cheers fer all the help/advice chaps!

#15 Post by **Kwackerz** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 9:22 pm

Nice price! Gotta be happy with that!!