Touring Models Road King, Road King Custom, Road King Classic, Road Glide, Street Glide, Electra Glide, Electra Glide Classic, and Electra Glide Ultra Classic bikes.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Brake piston

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jul 19, 2012 | 06:24 PM
  #1  
Napalm Dog's Avatar
Napalm Dog
Thread Starter
|
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: Western Pennsylvania
Default Brake piston

I am telling you,every 30 minute job I do turns into a fiasco.All I wanted to do is change my front brake pads on my '08 Electra Glide Standard.the first side I did,one of the pistons wouldnt go back in to make room for the new pads.So I had to split the caliper,All my fluid drained out.No surprise there.I tried a C clamp first to get the piston back in,it wouldn't budge.I actually bent the T-handle on the clamp.So I put the rubber side of a hammer on the piston with the caliper on the bench It took allot of pressure to get it to go back.But it finally went back in.And as usual I am out of brake fluid so I have to wait until tomarrow for the HD shop to open.Do any of you think this piston is going to keep giving me trouble?Maybe I should pop it out completely and clean it really good.
 
Reply
Old Jul 19, 2012 | 06:39 PM
  #2  
TWIN CAM 96's Avatar
TWIN CAM 96
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 2,555
Likes: 6
From: East of the USS Midway
Default

Might as well you have it down that far already. You can buy brake fluid at any auto parts store just read the cap on your master cylinder so you get the right dot fluid.
 
Reply
Old Jul 19, 2012 | 06:44 PM
  #3  
tazzzman's Avatar
tazzzman
Tourer
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 272
Likes: 3
From: Lake Stevens, Wa.
Default

I would clean it with brake cleaner and lightly rub with emery cloth to take out any abrassions. Also, check the o-ring while your there. Good luck
 
Reply
Old Jul 20, 2012 | 02:38 AM
  #4  
Expat1's Avatar
Expat1
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,221
Likes: 4
From: Annemasse (border of Geneva-Switzerland) facing Mt-Blanc.
Default

Try fine steel wool instead of any abrasive. You can polish aluminum and avoid the risk of leaving abrasive grains caught in the material. DOT4 brake fluid is used on recent bikes.
 
Reply
Old Jul 20, 2012 | 07:11 AM
  #5  
katobird's Avatar
katobird
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,716
Likes: 8
From: General Sherman's Christmas Location 1864
Default

Originally Posted by Napalm Dog
I am telling you,every 30 minute job I do turns into a fiasco.All I wanted to do is change my front brake pads on my '08 Electra Glide Standard.the first side I did,one of the pistons wouldnt go back in to make room for the new pads.So I had to split the caliper,All my fluid drained out.No surprise there.I tried a C clamp first to get the piston back in,it wouldn't budge.I actually bent the T-handle on the clamp.So I put the rubber side of a hammer on the piston with the caliper on the bench It took allot of pressure to get it to go back.But it finally went back in.And as usual I am out of brake fluid so I have to wait until tomarrow for the HD shop to open.Do any of you think this piston is going to keep giving me trouble?Maybe I should pop it out completely and clean it really good.
Bent a C clamp, you may have some seroius issues
 
Reply
Old Jul 20, 2012 | 07:15 AM
  #6  
hdfat2001's Avatar
hdfat2001
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
From: Port St. John, FL
Default

The Pistons shouldn't need that kind of power to seat 'em back in the bores. Personally, I would pull 'em apart completely check the pistons and the bores for any damage and rebuild it as needed. No way I'd be polishing the piston and taking the chance.
 
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
biketroll
Dyna Glide Models
20
Jun 2, 2021 11:00 AM
Mel A
Touring Models
19
Oct 28, 2014 01:16 AM
JMAY_ATL
Ironhead
2
Sep 29, 2014 06:09 AM
WARG
Softail Models
12
Jul 13, 2008 04:04 PM
JimboFXD
Ironhead
4
Sep 5, 2007 01:01 AM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:23 PM.

story-0
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson built its reputation on nostalgia, but every so often, the company took a hard left turn into the future.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-20 11:18:19


VIEW MORE
story-1
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-2
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-3
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-4
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-5
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-6
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-7
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE