locked brake caliper - spooge hole cleaning

[Athedra]

Like the wirebrush thing. Never thought of that. I purchase a set of guitar strings, and kept them in my toolbox until recently I walked into a welding shop and spotted what they call a gas welder nozzle cleaning kit. In there it has a little holder with wires in it, from the smallest size you can think of to about a 1mm dia. I got rid of the guitar strings, and been using the nozzle cleaner since then.

[fredintoon]

Like the wirebrush thing. Never thought of that. I purchase a set of guitar strings, and kept them in my toolbox until recently I walked into a welding shop and spotted what they call a gas welder nozzle cleaning kit. In there it has a little holder with wires in it, from the smallest size you can think of to about a 1mm dia. I got rid of the guitar strings, and been using the nozzle cleaner since then.

Hi Athedra,
remember that those nozzle cleaners are actually little round files. The (for example) #3 wire will clean out a #3 welding tip back to it's proper diameter. Shove a tip cleaner through a carb. jet and it'll open the jet up, too.
On my set anyway each wire has a plain end before the teeth start. Stick to using just that plain end and you'll be fine.

[Athedra]

Hi Athedra,
remember that those nozzle cleaners are actually little round files. The (for example) #3 wire will clean out a #3 welding tip back to it's proper diameter. Shove a tip cleaner through a carb. jet and it'll open the jet up, too.
On my set anyway each wire has a plain end before the teeth start. Stick to using just that plain end and you'll be fine.

Yes it's has no teeth for I would say about a third of the wire. Use the first teeth as the stopping point.

[skids]

Just be super careful about getting brake fluid on painted surfaces as it will strip or damage paint!!!

[nightpilot]

I have been going through a similar situation with reconditioning my 82 xj. There are front master cylinder replacements that seem to be great on some of the sites we get things from but did not need them as my front mc cleaned up from serious goo to working great. spooge hole no problem to clean if you are careful.

I have had terrible problems with calipers sticking though. they were siezed tight when got bike. cleaned all the calipers well and they cleaned up nice without problems, looked almost new and worked perfectly. There are dust orings on front calipers outside the pressure oring that get sticky and will cause problems. I just took them out. The back doesnt have one.

The calipers and mc worked fine but the brakes started seizing up when the bike would sit. I just took all the calipers off again and found what looked to be corrosion around the outer edge of the calipers where they touch the pistons which made them stick. The bike is not in salt but it is a little damp in my garage which helps grow mold so I think it may have helped corrosion.

I previously ran a thread asking how to keep corrosion off calipers and no one had any ideas other than coating with brake fluid when assembling. Did that the first time. I need to do something else though and havent figured out what.

the piston is stainless and the caliper is aluminum which is asking for trouble right out the gate. I am now thinking about putting a little antisieze around the piston caliper junction after the piston is pushed in all the way and hoping that might cure problem. wd40 may help seal the rubber against corrosion but it quickly goes away on the metal. still looking for suggestions to keep them from sticking.

[dontlikeoc]

Thanks for the headsup for possible corrosion problem after the calipers are unseized...

I worked on the spooge hole yesterday. The center hole doesnt go through at the center. It went through at the side of the hole tilted. That was the best I could do. At least it went through.

[NYPD]

This is exactly what I am looking for. My 78 XS11 has the rear brake locked up. Its a bear to move around. From what I have read it looks like the rear caliper and the piston thing need a good cleaning along with the rear brake reservior. It looks like a bear to remove the reservior. Thanks to Ken for the link to that write up. I'll be re-reading that before attempting this job.

[Smash]

Just rebuilt the calipers on my Honda ST1100, due to one of my calipers locking up. With new seals, cleaned pistons and cleaned bores, she's braking normal again. So I would considering doing this as well!

[natemoen]

This is exactly what I am looking for. My 78 XS11 has the rear brake locked up. Its a bear to move around. From what I have read it looks like the rear caliper and the piston thing need a good cleaning along with the rear brake reservior. It looks like a bear to remove the reservior. Thanks to Ken for the link to that write up. I'll be re-reading that before attempting this job.

Taking it out is not nearly as much of a hassle as getting it back in is. When you get it off just make sure you clean out the line as well as the rear caliper. If there was water (and there always is) in the lines it can also rust the steel line that is in the middle of the brake line back there. My line was plugged up with rust and I could not at all figure out why my bakes would not bleed, then I found the rust clogging it. Good luck man!

[NYPD]

Hmmm Thanks Nathan. This leads me to think I might just replace the whole brake line with a SS one...So it would replace the rubber and metal parts as well. I am looking for info. on SS lines but coming up blank. Will do some more searching though.

[CatatonicBug]

Hmmm Thanks Nathan. This leads me to think I might just replace the whole brake line with a SS one...So it would replace the rubber and metal parts as well. I am looking for info. on SS lines but coming up blank. Will do some more searching though.

That is always a good idea. The SS lines will improve braking response as well. Just be sure you get the caliper and the Master Cylinder all cleaned out too.

[NYPD]

That is always a good idea. The SS lines will improve braking response as well. Just be sure you get the caliper and the Master Cylinder all cleaned out too.

I plan to do that...I've never heard of a spooge hole before reading the tech stuff here. I have also just found alot of threads on the SS lines. Just have to sort through all of it. lots of reading to do. I appreciate all the responses thus far.

[natemoen]

If your just doing the one line it would probably be easiest to just take the line to a local shop and have one made. Ask around at parts stores and machine shops and you will find the person to get them from. Just bring the old line with and the can make one up in a few minutes.

[crazy steve]

...I have had terrible problems with calipers sticking though. they were siezed tight when got bike. cleaned all the calipers well and they cleaned up nice without problems, looked almost new and worked perfectly. There are dust orings on front calipers outside the pressure oring that get sticky and will cause problems. I just took them out. The back doesnt have one.

The calipers and mc worked fine but the brakes started seizing up when the bike would sit. I just took all the calipers off again and found what looked to be corrosion around the outer edge of the calipers where they touch the pistons which made them stick. The bike is not in salt but it is a little damp in my garage which helps grow mold so I think it may have helped corrosion.

I previously ran a thread asking how to keep corrosion off calipers and no one had any ideas other than coating with brake fluid when assembling. Did that the first time. I need to do something else though and havent figured out what.

the piston is stainless and the caliper is aluminum which is asking for trouble right out the gate. I am now thinking about putting a little antisieze around the piston caliper junction after the piston is pushed in all the way and hoping that might cure problem. wd40 may help seal the rubber against corrosion but it quickly goes away on the metal. still looking for suggestions to keep them from sticking.

Nightpilot, those missing 'dust seals' are why you're having issues with your brakes. And both the front and rear calipers are supposed to have them by the way. The problem isn't a 'reaction' between the piston and caliper body (the piston is chromed, not SS unless you have custom aftermarket), it's that 'dust seal' that not only keeps out dust, but also moisture. With that missing, moisture can get to the bare aluminum bore and corrode it. Clean all of the corrosion out, install the proper seals, and that will cure your issue...

[nightpilot]

I cleaned rear master cylinder and front and rear calipers that operate off them. I got rubber kits for rear mc. found the dust cover for rear was much oversized and oring was hardened. this freed it up. still dont have dust rings on front but seem to be fine. Probably would be better if had front rings to keep out moisture but kits are around 20 apiece and trying to get by without it. The corrosion was also between outer dust ring on front and outside of caliper but might not have interfered. The hardened oring putting too much pressure on piston seemed to be biggest problem.