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Yet another brake post. I get a lot of good information from this forum so I like share my "wrenching" experience when I think it might be useful. C'mon wrenching these machines part of the fun.
I replaced the front brakes yesterday at 9100 miles. It is pretty easy if you have a skinny c-clamp to push back the pistons. I wasted some time with one I had and ended up getting one at Home Depot to do it right. Before I pushed them back I cleaned the pistons and slide screw with BPC. They were black, probably from brake dust. One thing to watch is when you replace the reservoir cover after installing the new brakes some fluid will bleed out (small amount) when you tighten it. Just have a rag or paper towel ready to clean the residual fluid around the seal. Ride test was good. Brakes feel much better. Once interesting point is the screws on the front caliper are metric (10mm). I replaced mine with another set of HD brakes since they were on sale. I might try a set of Lyndall's next.
Next up will be the 10k service in a couple of months I am guessing.
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2008 FLSTF Fat Boy
V/H BSS, SE Intake/Filter, PCIII
....and a little skull chrome
Yet another brake post. I get a lot of good information from this forum so I like share my "wrenching" experience when I think it might be useful. C'mon wrenching these machines part of the fun.
I replaced the front brakes yesterday at 9100 miles. It is pretty easy if you have a skinny c-clamp to push back the pistons. I wasted some time with one I had and ended up getting one at Home Depot to do it right. Before I pushed them back I cleaned the pistons and slide screw with BPC. They were black, probably from brake dust. One thing to watch is when you replace the reservoir cover after installing the new brakes some fluid will bleed out (small amount) when you tighten it. Just have a rag or paper towel ready to clean the residual fluid around the seal. Ride test was good. Brakes feel much better. Once interesting point is the screws on the front caliper are metric (10mm). I replaced mine with another set of HD brakes since they were on sale. I might try a set of Lyndall's next.
Next up will be the 10k service in a couple of months I am guessing.
Nice write up...good to see you cleaned the pistons before pushing them back many forget this or just don't know
Yet another brake post. I get a lot of good information from this forum so I like share my "wrenching" experience when I think it might be useful. C'mon wrenching these machines part of the fun.
I replaced the front brakes yesterday at 9100 miles. It is pretty easy if you have a skinny c-clamp to push back the pistons. I wasted some time with one I had and ended up getting one at Home Depot to do it right. Before I pushed them back I cleaned the pistons and slide screw with BPC. They were black, probably from brake dust. One thing to watch is when you replace the reservoir cover after installing the new brakes some fluid will bleed out (small amount) when you tighten it. Just have a rag or paper towel ready to clean the residual fluid around the seal. Ride test was good. Brakes feel much better. Once interesting point is the screws on the front caliper are metric (10mm). I replaced mine with another set of HD brakes since they were on sale. I might try a set of Lyndall's next.
Next up will be the 10k service in a couple of months I am guessing.
If you don't have the "skinny c-clamp" you can use a metal putty knife to compress the pistons.
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2005 Anniversary Edition Fatboy 95" with 104 hp & 102 ft lbs tq, 211 SE Cam, Power Commander, T-Man Stage II Heads, Vance & Hines Big Radius 2 into 2 pipes, Performance Machine Hooligan wheels and mathching air cleaner, assorted list of mods...and always ongoing!
You don't need a clamp or screwdriver to push the piston back...just carefully loosen the bleed nipple and push with yer finger...it'll go back with ease.
i prefer to remove the caliper and squeeze the brakes with the old pads and then remove them and clean the pistons. then open the bleeder and push the pistons back. after the new ones are installed i top off the reservoir, but not over full. ride and check level after a few miles
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2007 Fatboy
Vance and Hines Double Barrel, Arlen Ness Big Sucker, Mustang seat, RearAlert
Thundermax with autotune, Cross Bones D401 200/55r-17 rear Avon Storm front 130/70 http://gallery.me.com/tk353
I never thought about removing the bleeder to push the pistons back or pushing them out further. I figured only the exposed part of the pistons would need to be cleaned. Mine did not drag after the work, but then again they did not drag before either. I placed a thin piece of would between the clamp and outside of the caliper to protect it during the piston pushing process. For the cleaning I just sprayed the BPC at the pistons from the opening at the top of the caliper with it sitting up right so all the extra BPC just dripped on to a newspaper I placed on the floor. They cleaned up pretty well. My fluid looked clean so I did not bother to bleed them. I might do it with the next brake pad replacement.
One thing I did not mention is I did the procedure with the bike sitting on the jiffy stand since that positioned the reservoir in the most level position.
Cheers.
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2008 FLSTF Fat Boy
V/H BSS, SE Intake/Filter, PCIII
....and a little skull chrome
Front Brake Replacement - Fatboy
