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  • Brakes, would you trust these?

    I recently bought front brake calipers on ebay. The seller claimed they were in working condition, but recommended to clean / inspect them.

    I did and found them like this:









    What do you think, will they still work if I put em' back together?

  • #2
    I hope this is a wind up and you are showing us the calipers you are replacing
    http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q...e/DSC00009.jpg
    1980 XS1100 Std English Assembled, 378k miles
    In stock untouched contion.
    http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q...e/seatside.jpg
    1979 XS1100F Std NZ new,
    Mikes XS coils
    Jardine 4-1
    Pod filters
    Harley Davidson Rear Fender
    Bullet signal lights
    Twin 75mm headlights
    Self made single seat

    Comment


    • #3
      if your not joking then you got jipped.

      that ones a goner. i would not use that on my bike.

      https://www.partsnmore.com/cat_index...tegory=chassis
      BRAKE CALIPER PISTON
      Fits: Front & Rear, XS1100 (78-81),
      Fits: Rear, XS1100L (1980) Midnight Special, XS1100S (79-81) Special.

      $29.00US EA. Part#29-0516

      hope that helps.

      good luck
      1979 XS1100SF Special.78 E motor/carbs, Jardine 4-2 exhaust, XS Green coils, Corbin seat, S.S. Brake lines, Hard cases, Heated grips.

      2012 FJR1300 Gen 2. Heli bar risers, R-gaza crash bars, mccruise cruise control.

      (2)2008 WR250R. Because kids outgrew others.

      2007 Suzuki V-Strom 1000. (Just added 2024) pre-crashed.

      1975 Kawasaki S1 250. My first bike. Still have it. NO I'm not selling it!!

      Most bike problems are caused by a loose nut connecting the handlebars and the seat!!

      Comment


      • #4
        I hope you can get your money back. That's not safe. They might work some, but I would not trust that in a hard panic stop.
        Nathan
        KD9ARL

        μολὼν λαβέ

        1978 XS1100E
        K&N Filter
        #45 pilot Jet, #137.5 Main Jet
        OEM Exhaust
        ATK Fork Brace
        LED Dash lights
        Ammeter, Oil Pressure, Oil Temp, and Volt Meters

        Green Monster Coils
        SS Brake Lines
        Vision 550 Auto Tensioner

        In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.

        Theodore Roosevelt

        Comment


        • #5
          As has been suggested, you could probably clean up the caliper body itself and it could be usable. But that piston is shot. Considering how much of your life depends on those brakes, and how underbraked the bike is to start with.....before you use that piston, take up jousting with freight trains!! JMHO.
          Life is what happens while your planning everything else!

          When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt.

          81 XS1100 Special - Humpty Dumpty
          80 XS1100 Special - Project Resurrection


          Previously owned
          93 GSX600F
          80 XS1100 Special - Ruby
          81 XS1100 Special
          81 CB750 C
          80 CB750 C
          78 XS750

          Comment


          • #6
            you'll definately need new pistons,
            but the seal sits around the piston so the caliper
            bore isnt that important, the caliper itself should
            clean up ok.
            pete


            new owner of
            08 gen2 hayabusa


            former owner
            1981 xs1100 RH (aus) (5N5)
            zrx carbs
            18mm float height
            145 main jets
            38 pilots
            slide needle shimmed .5mm washer
            fitted with v/stax and uni pod filters

            [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pA8dwxmAVA&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL[/url]

            Comment


            • #7
              There are some replacement piston on ebay usually. Don't know prices, never really looked.
              Nathan
              KD9ARL

              μολὼν λαβέ

              1978 XS1100E
              K&N Filter
              #45 pilot Jet, #137.5 Main Jet
              OEM Exhaust
              ATK Fork Brace
              LED Dash lights
              Ammeter, Oil Pressure, Oil Temp, and Volt Meters

              Green Monster Coils
              SS Brake Lines
              Vision 550 Auto Tensioner

              In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.

              Theodore Roosevelt

              Comment


              • #8
                Calipers

                Oh man........what junk! Like everyone has said, the calipers can be cleaned but........dang! Those pistons are crap! I hope you didn't give that E-Bayer good ratings. I'd make them do you better on them man!
                At this time:
                1985 Goldwing Innr.
                1976 cb 750 cafe racer
                2007 vtx 1300
                81 sx 1100 s h
                81 sx 400 special

                Comment


                • #9
                  I have other pistons that look better, so I was wondering if a little corrosion near the top would be ok, since it probably will be out of the cylinder anyway...

                  I'm sure gunna' let this guy know though...

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    IF the corrosion on the piston happened when the pads were at their wear limit, it will be far enough down that when you put in new pads, the rough part will start chewing up the new o-rings immediately. I have cleaned lightly rusted pistons and reused them without incident, but never when they have been as bad as your second photo. Once the plating flakes off like that, it would be impossible to get it smooth enough and round enough not to leak or tear up the o-ring.
                    Ken Talbot

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      pistons

                      As long as the corrosion doesn't go down past the rubber seal you should be ok. If there is any bad areas just below the seal you wont have any leaking until the brake shoes ware down and pistons push out far enough to reach the bad area.
                      At this time:
                      1985 Goldwing Innr.
                      1976 cb 750 cafe racer
                      2007 vtx 1300
                      81 sx 1100 s h
                      81 sx 400 special

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        AS suggested, I'd clean up the caliper. If a piston is only rusted at or above that groove, then I's re-use it. Any pitting or flaking type of corrosion below there, or at least anywhere it will contact the O-ring when fully inserted into the caliper (like it will be with new pads on) and I would not use it.

                        Again, this is a matter of stopping when you need to. How much money would you spend to keep from plowing into the back of a cage at 30-50 MPH?? The money your talking about will seem REALLY cheap when your airborn flying over the trunk of a car. DAMHIKIJK!
                        Life is what happens while your planning everything else!

                        When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt.

                        81 XS1100 Special - Humpty Dumpty
                        80 XS1100 Special - Project Resurrection


                        Previously owned
                        93 GSX600F
                        80 XS1100 Special - Ruby
                        81 XS1100 Special
                        81 CB750 C
                        80 CB750 C
                        78 XS750

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Per your post, the seller claimed they were in "working" condition and suggested that you inspect them. Be glad you did! Given that, I don't take this as a 'rip-off', just some old neglected calipers that were still "working".
                          I do hope you got them for a good price though.
                          '78 E "Stormbringer"

                          Purrs like a kitten, roars like a lion, runs like a gazelle (being chased by a cheetah).

                          pics http://s1209.photobucket.com/albums/...tormbringer45/

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Beauties...

                            Yep, the pistons are toast. The upper one some would use (but I wouldn't), the lower one is junk. Replacements are available (MikesXS, PartsNMore), you can even get stainless steel pistons for roughly the same price (look here: http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...+steel+pistons). I got a set of the SS pistons and am pleased with the quality. These are for standards, not the specials or XJ bikes. Those seem to be harder to find.

                            The caliper bodies look to be ok as long as the bores are round. The rust will clean out with some fine sandpaper and lightly smooth the bores if they're gouged. The only critical thing is make sure the receiver groove for the seal is undamaged and spotlessly clean before putting in a new seal.

                            These probably were working fine with worn pads, but install new pads and push those pistons back into their bores and leaks/brake failure will be in your future...
                            Fast, Cheap, Reliable... Pick any two

                            '78E original owner - resto project
                            '78E ???? owner - Modder project FJ forks, 4-piston calipers F/R, 160/80-16 rear tire
                            '82 XJ rebuild project
                            '80SG restified, red SOLD
                            '79F parts...
                            '81H more parts...

                            Other current bikes:
                            '93 XL1200 Anniversary Sportster 85RWHP
                            '86 XL883/1200 Chopper
                            '82 XL1000 w/1450cc Buell, Baker 6-speed, in-progress project
                            Cage: '13 Mustang GT/CS with a few 'custom' touches
                            Yep, can't leave nuthin' alone...

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by drerock View Post
                              I recently bought front brake calipers on ebay. The seller claimed they were in working condition, but recommended to clean / inspect them.
                              I did and found them like this:
                              What do you think, will they still work if I put em' back together?
                              Hi Eric,
                              I'm with the rest of them, the caliper bodies can be salvaged but the pistons are f**ked. Buying replacements will be less costly than salvaging them.
                              As to whether or not you were ripped off, it depends on exactly what the seller claimed. The calipers may well have still worked before they were removed from the bike, after all.
                              Fred Hill, S'toon
                              XS11SG with Spirit of America sidecar
                              "The Flying Pumpkin"

                              Comment

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