Kawasaki GPX250

xXshadowXx · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 13 Nov 2009 Karma :

got me a nice green GPX250. I went to change the front brake pads on it, managed to get the pads off with a little leverage, but when I went to put the new ones on, I found that they wedged in very tightly together as the pads were thicker due to not being worn. As a result I couldn't fit so much as a peice of paper in between them let alone squish the disc back in.

How do I get the pads apart to put them back on the disc?

thanks guys

temeluchus · World Chat Champion Joined: 01 Oct 2008 Karma :

youll need to give the pistons in the caliper a thorough clean, and push them back into the caliper to get the new pads to fit.

Have fun.
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Raffles · World Chat Champion Joined: 14 Apr 2009 Karma :

You need to take the new pads back out and force the piston back into the caliper. Special tools can be purchased for this purpose or you may be able to use a G clamp if you have one that is thin enough. I use a tool that is basically a flat piece of steel with a long handle welded to it at a right angle. I simply put this tool into the caliper where the disc would go in and by using a twisting action force the piston squarely back into the caliper. You may be able to improvise such a tool using a tyre lever with a pair of mole grips.
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Cigaro · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Mar 2007 Karma :

As said you need to push the piston back into the calliper, open the master cylinder cap first so you don't cause too much pressure in the system.

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

As above, but note that there is a good chance that when the cap is off and you push the pistons back in the fluid will squirt out of the reservior. Put something around that area to protect the paintwork (brake fluid wrecks paintwork).

GPX250 uses a twin piston sliding caliper (from memory), which should make pushing the piston back pretty easy. Remember that if you push just one piston back the fluid has to go somewhere, and the 2 easy places for it to go are back to the reservior or for it to push the other piston out. Watch out for the other piston and try and get both to go back at the same rate.

All the best

Keith
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