Overhauling Brembo Brakes

Hi,

Anyone able to give me a quick run through on overhauling the front and rear brakes? ideally id like to pop the pistons out and break them down to a single piece of metal then replace the rubbers etc etc - easy job?

Dan

... had to resolve to a grease gun to release a piston. Worked really well where all else failed. Messy thou.

do the pistons just pull/pop out then press back in after the seals have been changed?

Treat yourself to some piston pliers, it really makes life easier. Pump the brake lever until you've got both pistons nearly released and use the pliers to twist them out the last bit.
Lube up the new seals with red rubber grease and make sure the grooves they sit in are spotless before fitting.

....and how do you get them back in? also do you put the new seal on before or after they go in ....or over the piston first and then put the piston in?

Remove pistons
Pick out remnants of old seals and clean grooves
Coat up new seals in red rubber grease
Push in pistons by hand
Bleed

You'll find with the new seals that there is very little resistance, the pistons will push in easily.

and the new seals go on the caliper before putting the piston in?

Yes! When you get the pistons removed you'll see what I mean. There's a dust seal at the top and main seal further down which are both recessed in a groove in the caliper. They have to be fitted into the grooves before you re-install the piston.

great, sounds simple enough...... thanks!

No worries, I've done it quite a few times on various bikes so if you get stuck give us a shout

Edit: Just to add, make sure you get the grooves spotless when you remove the old seals and don't let any crap fall into the piston bores. It helps to stuff a bit of rag into each bore to save muck falling in and give it a good blast with compressed air when you're finished cleaning before re-assembly.

Top tip: If you have a rotary tool, like a Dremel, the wee brass brushed are great for cleaning the recesses where the seals sit. Use eye-protection! I used piston pliers - makes piston removal easy. Lube the pistons with red rubber grease - it won't contaminate the brake fluid and will prolong the life of the seals. I did my Nissin caliper over a year ago, haven't cleaned it (shock!) and it's still working fine.

badseeds wrote:Top tip: If you have a rotary tool, like a Dremel, the wee brass brushed are great for cleaning the recesses where the seals sit. Use eye-protection! I used piston pliers - makes piston removal easy. Lube the pistons with red rubber grease - it won't contaminate the brake fluid and will prolong the life of the seals. I did my Nissin caliper over a year ago, haven't cleaned it (shock!) and it's still working fine.

thanks, i do and i shall

jerryfudd wrote:

badseeds wrote:Top tip: If you have a rotary tool, like a Dremel, the wee brass brushed are great for cleaning the recesses where the seals sit. Use eye-protection! I used piston pliers - makes piston removal easy. Lube the pistons with red rubber grease - it won't contaminate the brake fluid and will prolong the life of the seals. I did my Nissin caliper over a year ago, haven't cleaned it (shock!) and it's still working fine.

thanks, i do and i shall

Just watch out for stray bristles dropping in the bores

Oh good, that all saves me from saying pretty much the same things.

Other than: you can (should) also use that red rubber grease to lube up the gaiters that fit over the slider pins, having previously cleaned up the pins and the holes that they slot into.

FWIW I managed to take mine apart with very little prior knowledge using the description from Haynes, so you might want to look there too.

thanks all, when i get hold of the new hoses (probably next month now) ill give it a go

Wear goggles or safety glasses as the Dremel brushes fling bristles out and I've had a few hit my face.

I generally use the brake lever to pump the pistons out until they're about to fall out, clamp one with a g-clamp and then pump the other out altogether, then use piston pliers to get the other one out.

The crud that builds up in the seals will resist a dremel brush and you may have to get in there with a fine screwdiver or bradawl to get the last stubborn remnants out - but go easy.

Use the Dremel to clean the crud off the pistons and check none have pitted heavily from corrosion.

Will do thanks...... had a look and the pistons aren't too badly priced either

thanks all - especially the tip on the piston pliers they were a doddle to disassemble



Have put them in a degreasant bath and took them out for some agitation and then re-soak this morning.



The gold has faired well over the years but the back has lost some all of its bling which I had noticed when I first picked up the bike...... although sullivj says that his are the same? is the rear meant to be a dull gold????








one last pic of my rusty nipple 

Well done mate, they're nearly spotless!

'nearly'  - still got a way to go..... just trying to establish whether I should/need to repaint them...... need to find out if the dull'er colouring of the rear is as it should be.

jerryfudd wrote:need to find out if the dull'er colouring of the rear is as it should be.

By 'should be' do you mean 'as it was when it was new' or 'as it was intended to be'?

I am sure they were meant to be the same but I wander if Mr. Brembo didn't quite get the finish the same
from one batch to another...

To me (it may just be the picture) it looks like your front caliper has been sprayed with gold paint and the rear has some other kind of finish on it.

yes, I wondered if that's how they were new or just how they've weathered for other owners also.

Dull one:




Shiny one:

ha....... I know you mentioned it earlier but i didn't figure it to be exactly the same.

quite tempted to give them a good clean and actually leave it as is!