2003 Road King Classic 20K-miles. I have had the brake system flushed. New pads and have extended the pistons and cleaned them vigourously. This is what I see. On each caliper one piston extends out long before the second begins to move. Ive been told that is normal. Do these have two pistons or four, as I see four cups in the caliper? The level feels spongy and will pull down half way until it grabs. The bike stops fine, just seems a lot of travel. I have tried the "old" mechanics trick by tieing the lever back under pressure and leaving it, periodically tapping the caliper and the lines to loosen any trapped air bubbles. The brakes rub to the point of being difficult to spin the wheel by hand when its off the ground. To me it should spin with little effort. Manual I have says Dot 5 and that's whats in it.

When I took it to the dealer for a flush, and drove it home, all was great. The slightest movement of the lever and the brakes would engage and that was with old pads. Ive since replaced them. What gives with this? Looking at the caliper with the pads out, it would appear that there are four pistons rather than two. Two on the back of each pad. The cups on the outer side of the caliper looked as if one was out a 16th of an inch suggesting they should move out as well. When I installed the pads and used a flat screw driver to move the pistons back in evenly I used a 3/8 piece of aluminum to pry against. The aluminum butted up against the two none moving cups and the one that was 1/16th out now is flush. Ideas anyone?

randy

 

I have a 04 RKC, and just rebuilt my calipers. Got 2 seal rebuild kits from the dealer and followed this thread:

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...ld-photos.html

I polished the pistons with some flitz. I did not use the lube he used in that thread. The kit comes with small packets of lube. I used very little of it.

Hardest part was getting the old pistons out of the bore. I used compressed air and a piece of wood. If you have a manual, helps a lot.

 

Two pistons come out with the lever, it appears two on the other half don't move. Seized I'm guessing. So how do you get them out? putting compressed air where? Wont it just blow out the two that are moving freely? You say use a piece of wood. Where, if you put it between the pistons and extend the pistons the two that move will continue only to move. If they blow out then there is no way to get the others out. the wood has nothing to brace against except the other half of the caliper where the other pistons are. I don't get it. Does anyone have a pic or vid of this?

thanks,

Randy

 

I think I figured it out. Thanks everyone

randy

 

and?.....

c'mon bro, don't leave us hanging

 

As far as getting the other two out, I used a piece of 3/8 aluminum and put it against the two that did move. Then I took a 5/16 quarter inch drive socket and laid in on the aluminum so it was situated between the two pistons that didn't move. This kept the two that did from moving as I pumped the lever and sent fluid to the seized two. They suddenly started to extend and I then cleaned all around them. I didn't test to see if they move all at the same time, I'm suspecting they wont but at least they are all free to move now. I'm thinking I'm going to flush the system again but this time ill do it myself. soon as I figure out how to do it without having to go buy some fancy device.

randy

 

So finally both calipurs are cleaned and the pistons are shiny and smooth. I ve installed them and pumped them up. Havent had a chance to try them out yet but I did bungy the lever back and let it sit over night and shazammmmmm. My lever only comes back half as far as it was before the brakes engage. That old trick seems to work in getting the nano bubbles out of the fluid.

randy