Play in front caliper - normal?

[ThunderGuts]

Morning all

I noticed yesterday that there's some play in the front caliper on my ER5. The side that bolts to the fork is obviously rock solid, but the sliding part of the caliper has a bit of play to it (not much, a few mm at most). Is this normal? I'm guessing the play is due to the slide pins but I'm not sure how "perfect" they're supposed to be. It seems to brake perfectly fine and I haven't noticed anything amiss in that department.

Cheers
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TG.

[bikenut]

The caliper hydraulic unit needs to be able to slide, how are the discs, badly worn and tapered?

How are the pads?

How much tip is there when the brakes are applied and have you lost much brake lever pressure travel, meaning a tipping caliper is using up brake lever travel before the brakes come on.

How bad are the slide pins in the caliper holder, the part that's bolted to the fork leg.

Pictures and or video of the movement.
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nuts about bikes

[ThunderGuts]

[MarJay]

This is why sliding calipers are not as good as fixed ones.

Can you post a video of the movement so we can see how drastic it is? My VFR has sliding calipers and they seem to move quite a bit when the brake is applied. What doesn't help is that the left one is pivotted to enable the dual CBS, so it floats about all over the chip shop.

If it's a mm or even two I wouldn't worry. Much more than that and there may be something amiss. Do the sliders look new or worn?
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Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[ThunderGuts]

[ThunderGuts]

Finally got the video sorted!
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TG.

[bikenut]

The final giggle would suggest that that's about the max before the system looses pressure travel on the brake lever, how is it without the pads??

Looks as if the caliper could do with a service, pads stuck and need a clean/lub.

Pads lub, obviously NO ( NO !!!! ) lub on the disc or pad friction surface, but, they will need to be able to "slide" on the area where they transmit the braking force to the pad holder. If they are stiff in that area they cannot "move" towards the disc when they wear.

Brakes need at least 2 services a year, one pre winter and one after all the salt has gone from the roads.

caliper piston free ?? If its not free, the haudraulic seal cannot "re form" after it has deformed due to the brakes being applied. It re forms and pulls the piston back into the haudraulic unit slightly, thus free ing the pads, from the disc slightly.

It seems i have forgotten how haudraulic is spelt.
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nuts about bikes

[ThunderGuts]

Cheers bikenut. To be honest they don’t seem to be seized or stuck - performance is good and there’s still meat on the pads although they will need changing.

You’re probably right in that they need a service though. Tempted to leave it until spring though as they seem to be working ok....
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TG.

[P.addy]

I'd say that's ok. My SV does the same.

[bikenut]

a stitch in time..........
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nuts about bikes

[MarJay]

[ThunderGuts]

Thanks all. Happy enough with it I think. Appreciate the input - it’s all a learning curve!
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TG.