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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: ashman on January 30, 2004, 04:47:08 PM

Title: Front brakes- Need Help
Post by: ashman on 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
Title: Front brakes- Need Help
Post by: JohNLA on January 30, 2004, 04:53:20 PM
The brakes have changed over the years but on my 02 I only need a 14mm rachet.
Title: Front brakes- Need Help
Post by: JohNLA on January 30, 2004, 04:54:11 PM
I also use a screwdriver to push in the calipers.
Title: Front brakes- Need Help
Post by: ashman on 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
Title: Front brakes- Need Help
Post by: JLKasper on 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). :cheers:
Title: Front brakes- Need Help
Post by: ashman on January 30, 2004, 05:19:51 PM
this is getting annoying... i looked at the rear and yes. upfront, nope. heres a pic
(http://dev.swforums.com/Images/ashman/MEE.JPG)

(http://dev.swforums.com/Images/ashman/brakesa2.JPG)
see! no bolts  :(
Help PLEASE?

-ash
Title: Front brakes- Need Help
Post by: Adam R on 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.
Title: Front brakes- Need Help
Post by: ashman on January 30, 2004, 05:30:04 PM
woo! ok i'm off to autozone
Title: Front brakes- Need Help
Post by: JohNLA on January 30, 2004, 05:32:48 PM
Hmmm, I learned some more useless GS info  :thumb:
Title: Front brakes- Need Help
Post by: Kerry on 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 (http://www.bbburma.net/MiscFotos/Front_Caliper_1989-95.jpg) and the 1996-2000 caliper (http://www.bbburma.net/MiscFotos/Front_Caliper_1996.jpg) 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
Title: Front brakes- Need Help
Post by: ashman on January 30, 2004, 07:06:52 PM
ok got them in! heres some pics of the old pads, they were down to bare metal  :o
(http://dev.swforums.com/Images/ashman/pads1.JPG)

(http://dev.swforums.com/Images/ashman/pads2.JPG)

So anything I should know about breaking them in and may i just say this site rocks  :thumb:  Getting helped from fellow bike guys on the other side of the country. thanks ya'll!  :cheers:

-ash
Title: Front brakes- Need Help
Post by: Kerry on 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  :o

[Pics removed]

So anything I should know about breaking them in
Nice horror shots there -  :o  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!
Title: Front brakes- Need Help
Post by: JohNLA on 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. :thumb:   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. :oops:
Title: Front brakes- Need Help
Post by: ashman on 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