I have this caliper on the front of my Superglide and it has riveted brake pads. I drilled out the old pad on one side. These aren't "rivets" in the true sense... just a brass cylinder with a head that fits in the slotted pad with the opposite end splayed via pressure to tighten the pad to the caliper. I believe many older calipers were designed with this type of pad... and there is most likely a tool that assists in splaying or rolling the non-capped end of the brass rivet. I think Rapco makes such a device, and perhaps many others. My question is whether there is an alternative way to accomplish this task without the special tool that will probably only be used once or twice... and without having to grow a third or fourth hand to hold everything in place?


As an aside, I've shown this caliper to a couple of Redline guys and they have never seen such. Of course, they tend to work on much newer models. I have a good vise and a set of center punches, but don't have any extra rivets of this type. Just looking for any suggestions regarding technique to accomplish this task without the specialized "tool". If it results in buying or borrowing such a tool, then so be it... just wanted to ask around with the forum members. Thanks!

 

We had a genuine rivet machine in our shop... do Not assume what you "find" is O.E. some folks used whatever expedient they chose back when... You need an experienced Indy... Not the Internet!!!!! where yer gonna hear "that pie slice caliper is ****...pitch it" Mine still work just fine, quietly too...

 

If your gonna Build your own Brake sets, Buy the right tool, You gonna trust your life to a Center Punch???? You can buy the rivets everywhere.