Front brakes- Need Help

ashman · January 30, 2004, 04:47:08 PM

I left my manual at home. Do I need an allen wrench? I'm looking through old posts and finding nothing good so far. Anyone have some steps/hints/pictures/ anything will help.
Thanks,
ash

JohNLA · January 30, 2004, 04:53:20 PM

The brakes have changed over the years but on my 02 I only need a 14mm rachet.

JohNLA · January 30, 2004, 04:54:11 PM

I also use a screwdriver to push in the calipers.

ashman · January 30, 2004, 04:59:23 PM

i have no bolts on the outside. its a round outside bolt w/ a hole that looks like a allen wrench should fit in. its a 93' btw

JLKasper · January 30, 2004, 05:00:42 PM

I have Clymer at hand. It appears that the only tool you need is a 14mm socket for the fork leg bolts. You might need a pair of pliers to remove a clip on the retaining pins ('96-current).

ashman · January 30, 2004, 05:19:51 PM

this is getting annoying... i looked at the rear and yes. upfront, nope. heres a pic

see! no bolts

Help PLEASE?

-ash

Adam R · January 30, 2004, 05:27:17 PM

In order to take off the caliper you do need an allen wrench, a relatively big one. 8mm, I just checked.

ashman · January 30, 2004, 05:30:04 PM

woo! ok i'm off to autozone

JohNLA · January 30, 2004, 05:32:48 PM

Hmmm, I learned some more useless GS info

Kerry · January 30, 2004, 06:21:29 PM

Yep. I'd say the bolt style changed along with the front caliper in 1996.

In these diagrams of the 1989-1995 caliper and the 1996-2000 caliper you can't see the tops of the bolts. But you CAN see the different textures on the bolt heads, and they are consistent with a change from Allen-style to hex-style.

EDIT: Changed link from sisna.com to bbburma.net

ashman · January 30, 2004, 07:06:52 PM

ok got them in! heres some pics of the old pads, they were down to bare metal

So anything I should know about breaking them in and may i just say this site rocks

Getting helped from fellow bike guys on the other side of the country. thanks ya'll!

-ash

Kerry · January 30, 2004, 07:52:26 PM

Quote from: ashmanok got them in! heres some pics of the old pads, they were down to bare metal

[Pics removed]

So anything I should know about breaking them in

Nice horror shots there -

indeed!

Just brake earlier and more gently than usual for a while. No "hard stops" for, say, 100 miles? (Depends on city vs highway, etc.)

And let me just say that I'm glad you caught those pads before you headed for Michigan!

JohNLA · January 30, 2004, 07:57:05 PM

Tips:
1. Blue locktite on the mounting bolts.
2. Clean the calipers with a toothbrush and brake cleaner. If you don't have brake cleaner, water is better than nothing and does a descent job of getting the black off.
3. I did my rears again today.

It took all of a 35 min. Do not lose that tiny o-ring!!!!. Last time, I spent twenty minutes trying to figure out why my brakes were leaking fluid. I finally thought to check schematics when I realised I was missing that o-ring. Then another twenty minutes searching the ground looking for the o-ring.

ashman · January 30, 2004, 08:20:38 PM

Yeah Kerry theirs a few things I'll need before I head up north like a new rear tire, maybe some valve work or a tune up ingeneral. Its running fine for now. For the break in i did 10 stops from 20 then 10 from 40 and their feeling ok, i'll take it easy on them for a few rides.
Thanks all!
-ash

News:

Front brakes- Need Help