sticking brakes

Post by **Willie** » Sat Jun 28, 2003 9:35 pm

I have just spent a few hours trying to remove the pistons
from my front wheel cylinders! The front brakes were not
retracting after use. One of these pistons in particular took
over an hour to extract! The reason? I had applied red
brake grease to the pistons when I fitted them and this
grease had set into a solid gunge which seized up the
works. I have refitted them without brake grease.....any
one else had this problem please?

Post by **les** » Sat Jun 28, 2003 11:15 pm

Well Willie, although I do use red brake grease, it's only on the ends of the springs, the shoe ends, and the part of the back plate that the shoes touch, the piston were assembled with a minimum of wd40, which on reflection would not stay there long! I just don't like assembling things dry! However without grease I have sometimes had difficulty removing pistons. As a point of interest I now use silicon brake fluid.

Post by **Cam** » Sat Jun 28, 2003 11:53 pm

I have always used brake fluid on reassembly. Seems to do the trick but it does not do your fingers any good!!

Post by **Willie** » Sun Jun 29, 2003 5:10 pm

Ok thanks, that'll teach me to be clever! Without any grease
on the pistons they are quite a loose fit so I don't expect any
further trouble due to fitting them dry.