brake caliper..replace? or rebuild?
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Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2009
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brake caliper..replace? or rebuild?
Have a 93 springer, the brakes are soft, and have bled them with no significant results, I am wanting to rebuild the master cylinders anyway, but the calipers are original equipment. HD want around $100 for a rebuild kit, and new (after market) calipers are around that price. any suggestions would be very helpful. any special tools needed for rebuilding the calipers if I decide to go that route?
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,558
Likes: 280
From: Russellville, Arkansas
I agree.....could be a several different things. I personally would try other bikes from the 90's and see how their brakes feel. That might give you a better perspective of how your brakes are suppose to feel.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,200
Likes: 3,089
From: NW AR
Soft is relative. The DoT5 systems tend to feel a little softer than other systems, especially at altitude.
As far as rebuild or replace, it depends. I usually take the thing apart and then inspect it. If it is fixable, that is, not really gouged out, maybe can be cleaned with a brake hone and some emory cloth, etc., then I put a kit in. It it's shot, replace.
I recently rebuilt my rear brake, MC and caliper. It had air in it and I though the seal somewhere was bad. Took it all apart and everything looked pretty good, for 23 years and 80K miles. No corosion at all. DoT5 rocks. Put it all back together and I couldn't bleed the air out. Went through a whole bottle of DoT5 and still air in it. I finally found a very very small leak at the banjo fitting between the caliper and line. Put a new seal washer there (from O'Reilley's) and bled it in a half a reservoir worth. That junction was probably my problem from the start.
As far as rebuild or replace, it depends. I usually take the thing apart and then inspect it. If it is fixable, that is, not really gouged out, maybe can be cleaned with a brake hone and some emory cloth, etc., then I put a kit in. It it's shot, replace.
I recently rebuilt my rear brake, MC and caliper. It had air in it and I though the seal somewhere was bad. Took it all apart and everything looked pretty good, for 23 years and 80K miles. No corosion at all. DoT5 rocks. Put it all back together and I couldn't bleed the air out. Went through a whole bottle of DoT5 and still air in it. I finally found a very very small leak at the banjo fitting between the caliper and line. Put a new seal washer there (from O'Reilley's) and bled it in a half a reservoir worth. That junction was probably my problem from the start.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 8,852
Likes: 2,493
From: Decatur, Alabama
For what it's worth, the front brakes on my 98 RKC started to get pretty soft and lame. I took the calipers off and cleaned everything. I also greased the two pins that the calipers ride on. It made all the difference in the world. It will stop on a dime and give you change now.
Somebody posted about this as a fix for soft brakes some time back.
Somebody posted about this as a fix for soft brakes some time back.
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