Suzuki GSX550 Brakes and Forks - info needed

[Stelmer]

Hi.

Some of you know, i'm sorting out my GSX550 to get it ready for it's first MOT in over a decade.

Brakes need cleaning (got new front calipers) and I have all the seals. I need a rear caliper though.

I'm planning on re-using the original pistons as below the seal they should be fine. Problem is I have no compressor and as they are opposed pistons, using the brake lever will only get me so far.

Any other trick to get them out? Obviously pliers might damage the piston....

Also, the fork oil seals need doing. It has the anti-dive thing attached too which makes the brakes harder to bleed.

Anything I should know to make the job of changing the seals easier?

Thanks in advance.

I could do with assistance if anyone would be willing to help me. (dinner and petrol provided) In Leeds.

[Ichy]

Don't want to sound negative but your onto a looser with the pistons. I've thought long and hard on this and either you need a compressor or a piston removal kit. Neither is cheap. You can try clamping one pad, pumping the piston out of the other, push them back and do the same on the other side just to loosen them up. They MAY come out with a bit of good finger grip afterward.

I use a compressor. Split the caliper, feed air and duck when they blow!!

If you have the time then you could make a plug to fit into the open end of the piston, wood or aluminum is good. Split down the middle and a tapered thread to make them open up as you tighten the bolt will provide good grip.

Hard to explain in words but a rubber bung with two washers and a nut a bolt might work, lets see if I can draw something?
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[alun111]

Have the pistons got a lip on them for the dust seal to hook around? If they have... when you have the caliper apart and the fluid drained with the nipple out use two flat head screwdrivers and carefully lever under the lip levering against the caliper body... this will bring them out.
____________________
Summer: '00 Honda CB600F Hornet
Winter: '93 Suzuki GSF 400 Bandit VP Variable Valve
Past Bikes: Lifan LF100-5 Lifan LF125-A Honda C70

[Ichy]

Here we go.

Black is rubber plug.
blue is a bolt.
Pink is washers.
Green a nut.
Red is piston.

Tighten nut on bolt and rubber expands gripping piston. Pull bolt, piston is removed, maybe.

Any old bit of rubber will do, if its too big then cut it down to size with a stanley knife.
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[Stelmer]

That should work if I use the brake lever to loosen them first. I know at least one piston out of 4 is seized.

Thanks.

[NiteMare]

i stripped a pair of tokiko 6 pot calipers using small g clamps and the master cylinder (little blocks of wood are also handy) ...

got one piston at a time moving then worked 1 or 2 at a time out using the m/cyl until they were almost ready to pop ...

split the caliper then pulled them out the remaing couple of mm, cleaned the seats, replaced seals refitted the pistons...

then clamped them home solid re-assembled caliper and bled it off and started on the next piston or two ...

repeat for ages until all 12 pistons, 24 seals etc were cleaned and replaced ...

took me all day and a litre of fluid but i've got shit hot brakes now...

obviously do not grip the pistons with pliers unless you want to buy new ones as they'll mark really easy
____________________
it ain't broke...

i ain't fixed it enough

[stirlinggaz]

HI,
i gave up on the pistons on my vfr.
both of them wouldnt budge, even with the air line.
tried clamping one down,while trying to remove the other.
all that did was force the pison in even further.
lost the head with it & threw it in a corner of the shed, lol
figured that the price of new seals & pistons would cost more than a complete s/h caliper.
good luck.
cheers,
GAZ

[Stelmer]

Brakes are being sent to a friend to rebuild them.

It's just the Fork Oil Seals that I need help with now.


Thanks.

[NiteMare]

remove each fork leg from the bike ...

prise off the dust cover, now you should see a circlip ...

it might be a bent wire clip that you can prise out but more likely a circlip requiring circlip pliers ...

stick the circlip pliers into the little holes and squeeze to start getting it moving, you'll probably need a smallish screwdriver to help you "work" it free of the seat....

once out turn the fork leg upside down and look in the bottom, there you will see an allen bolt to undo (i use a rattle gun but it can be undone with a key)...

once you have that out stand the fork leg in a container to catch leaking fluid and then undo the top cap, remembering that it is under pressure from the spring (so be careful) ....

once the cap is off you invert the leg to drain the last of the fluid then start yanking the slider off the stanchion in a "slide hammer" fashion to draw the seal out, this will draw the bushes and everything out ....

one "must do" is buy genuine seals, every time i've used pattern seals they've gone again in a few months so i've had to do them again, genuine every time from now on

rebuild is relatively simple, but ask if any further instructions are needed
____________________
it ain't broke...

i ain't fixed it enough

[Stelmer]

That sounds fairly simple. Thanks


I'll have a look when it's stopped raining.

Is it best loosening the bolts slightly whilst the forks are still on the bike? (Don't have a vice)

Also, i've read that I need a special tool to put the new oil seals in?

[alun111]

I've found that it's best to loosen the top cap on both forks, and the bottom allen bolt a little, but nip them back up just hand tight in a way. It's really difficult to undo the bottom allen bolt as the stanchion will turn with the bolt, unless you have a vice which you said you don't.

You can buy an "oil seal driver" but I've heard pvc pipe from the likes of B&Q will work. I think it has to fit the outside diameter of the oil seals though, not the inside as this is the bit that it seals oil against. It may be between the inner and outer though. Have a search.
____________________
Summer: '00 Honda CB600F Hornet
Winter: '93 Suzuki GSF 400 Bandit VP Variable Valve
Past Bikes: Lifan LF100-5 Lifan LF125-A Honda C70