Just replaced my rear brakes...

[Jon The Buddha]

...with some EBC's and totally replaced the rear fluid on my '04 F.  Now the ear-splitting squeal is completely gone..for now.  This is the first 'real' maintenance I have ever done on a motorcycle myself, and let me tell you...it feels really good!  I know working on the brakes aren't much to most people, but it sure felt like an accomplishment to me.  Going to tackle the fronts next weekend.

I realized when I was done that I forgot about the caliper grease I bought.  Aside from putting some on the pins, where else is there to put it?  It seems like I read somewhere to spread some on the back side of the brake pads (not the side that touches the rotors, obviously).  Does this do anything??  Also, If I decide to get frisky and expand on my newly found DIY joy by pulling the entire caliper off to check it out, should I grease up the pistons after cleaning them?  The Haynes manual I ordered won't be here for till next week, so I am just going by the write-ups I find here at GSTwin.

Comments; suggestions???  Thanks, Guys!

[beRto]

...with some EBC's and totally replaced the rear fluid on my '04 F.  Now the ear-splitting squeal is completely gone..for now.  This is the first 'real' maintenance I have ever done on a motorcycle myself, and let me tell you...it feels really good!  I know working on the brakes aren't much to most people, but it sure felt like an accomplishment to me.  Going to tackle the fronts next weekend.

Congrats on a job well done! The fronts are no more difficult than the rear; in fact, I find them easier because there is more room to work. Remember to use blue Loctite when you reinstall the caliper mounting bolts.

I realized when I was done that I forgot about the caliper grease I bought.  Aside from putting some on the pins, where else is there to put it?  It seems like I read somewhere to spread some on the back side of the brake pads (not the side that touches the rotors, obviously).  Does this do anything??  Also, If I decide to get frisky and expand on my newly found DIY joy by pulling the entire caliper off to check it out, should I grease up the pistons after cleaning them?  The Haynes manual I ordered won't be here for till next week, so I am just going by the write-ups I find here at GSTwin.

Brake grease on the back of the pads can help to prevent squealing. It's also a good idea to get some grease on the pins so that they don't seize in place and become a pain to remove in the future.

I don't think you are supposed to grease the brake pistons, but it is a good idea to clean them off. I believe it is common to use one of those green scouring pads for this job (not steel wool, but the roughish plastic stuff).

Once the pistons are nice and shiny again, you should be able to push them back in easily. Since you already pushed in the pistons when you replaced the pads, I would assume the pistons must have been relatively clean.

[Jon The Buddha]

They were actually pretty clean.  As a precaution, I wiped off the exposed part of the piston as best I could, getting out as many particles as possible around where they piston slides into the caliper.

Thanks for the info.  Is the grease supposed to go in between the back of the pad and the shim, or in between the piston and the shim/pad.  In other words...do I apply the grease with the shim on or off?  I hope that makes sense.

[beRto]

Is the grease supposed to go in between the back of the pad and the shim, or in between the piston and the shim/pad.  In other words...do I apply the grease with the shim on or off?  I hope that makes sense.

Makes perfect sense.

The Clymer manual says:
"Lightly coat the end of the piston and the backs of the new pads with disc brake lubricant."

So the answer is, "both".

[Jon The Buddha]

LOL!!