How To Rebuild Your Motorcycle's Brake Calipers | MC Garage

Hydraulic brake calipers are pretty simple and very reliable, but they do occasionally suffer problems. Whether your brakes are dragging excessively or there’s hydraulic fluid dripping from your the binders, the issue can usually be traced to worn or torn piston seals or rusty pistons.
In either case, a rebuild is the best way to remedy the problem. Lucky for you, we’ve got a video that walks you through the process.

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Hydraulic brake calipers are pretty simple and very reliable, but they do occasionally suffer problems. Whether your brakes are dragging excessively or there’s hydraulic fluid dripping from your the binders, the issue can usually be traced to worn or torn piston seals or rusty pistons.

In either case, a rebuild is the best way to remedy the problem. Lucky for you, we’ve got a video that walks you through the process. You’ll need new seals and perhaps new pistons for your brake calipers, as well as a few other basic tools and supplies. It’s really not a difficult procedure, and it’s outlined in detail in this video. Enjoy.

[ImLeuff]

Next level MC Garage! Always good to see maintenance guides, thanks for making these

[redshiftit]

MC garage series, the only videos on YouTube I always hit that like button on!

[glenn]

Came here to find out what the correct seal orientation was. Your video answered my question. Thank you for an intelligent, no BS video.

[Kyre]

Been working on a 98 CBR 600 F3 and right when I get one thing fixed the next goes wrong. Just got carburetors rebuilt, finally got started and not first though second test ride the front brakes decided to clamp shut upon pulling up to consummate. Thank goodness for this video.

[FREE_PUREBLOOD]

Great 'to the point' video again from you guys. Really enjoy all the MC Garage vids. So many other Youtubers spend more time on BS and playing to the camera with their effects and acting crap, cannot stand watching them. Your stuff is always factual, to the point and no nonsense. Hats off to you guys.

[KDub]

no garage is complete without the 80 flippin cans of brake cleaner in the background lol. Great job

[genxfordguy]

I've been riding for 49 yrs. and I absolutely love this channel, because I think most motorcycles (IMHO) get only marginal care at best. That being said, I know you cover the ONE thing that everyone should know how to do to the used bike they have just bought.. EVERYTHING. Thanks for you amazingly easy to follow and very accurate instruction.

[johnnyappleseedz]

I just performed this periodic maintenance on my 2017 Kawasaki ZX-10RR. A few shared thoughts on my process:
1. I read the service manual several times for the corrext procedure, annotating torque specs, veeifying tools necessary, materials, supplies, etc.
2. I watch several YouTube videos on the procedure. Save the best videos for reference.
3. Be vedy methodical in your process for removal, parts accountability, cleaning, reassembky, installation, and torque specs.
Removal was the easy part, but I removed my calipers before I had all my brake caliper parts for reassembly. This was to ensure thorough cleaning. For cleaning, I set up a 3-Stage "station." Following a good toothbrush scrub down with soap and water, my first pan was for brake cleaner scrub. 30-60 seconds for my own procedure. Make sure you have thick nitrile gloves on. I sceubbed hard to rwmove brake dust with a toothbrush and blue dish scrungy pad. 30-60 seconds. Then I dunked it into my second pan of soapy water. Washed any residual brake cleaner off by hand and with a dust beush with 3 inch firm bristles. Last, I dunked in a pan of clean water. Massaged rhe entive brake caliper clean. Immediately upon removal, I used a MasterVac hot air blower and blew out any water. Got tge caliper 100% dey in all fluid chambers and body. Rwplacing tge fluid seals and duat seals on a mono block caliper sucks. But once you get the hang of it, it is easier. My most efficient means was to put my left index finger in behind the caliper to guide the seals in while my right hand fingers seated the seals in. Some I needed a pick tool to guide stubborn seals in. Once that was completed, I seated tge brake pads in. I had a hard time since I never did this. As I attempted to seat the pads down onto the spring, it kept sliding in on one side. So I used a 6mm hex key behind the brake pad to keep it from shifting in keeping it more in line as I seated the other side. Once the other side was seated into the grove, the hex key comes right out. Now, my big question is... what torque value are YOU using for the bleed valve? My seevice manual has to be incorrect. There is no way I can use 12 foot pounds on an 8mm hollow bleed valve. I will crush the bleeder. But that is what my service manual states. 12 foot pounds for the bleed valve. Banjo is 18 foot pounds. Caliper bolt 26 foot pounds. What should my bleed valve be?

[paulmessikommer]

Brilliant and straight to the point video ! I was scared to take the pistons out.(strong drag even after cleaning them on the calipers). Now I'm confident about it ! I will probably use the line to push them put as far as possible before disconnecting it.
thank you for the top content!

[jonathancolling]

Very concise video with super clear instructions !!! 10/10

[fletchers-rc]

Always love MC Garage series, AH is the best host on the interwebs!

[nickkapetanakis]

Your MC Garage how to videos are the best on the internet.  Hands down.  Another great job.

[scatcat]

I didn;t know that the seals had an orinetation.

kept on wondering why the piston kept ripping my seals when I was trying to push them back.

New seals have been ordered thanks for he tip!

[danstiurca]

This is precisely what I needed to know.
Very clear and straight forward.
Thank you for putting in the time to share your knowledge.

[THEGEEK]

Mates rebuilding cals, this is an excellent video to help him whilst I'm away 👍 like customer support for bikes

[redryder]

Great video Ari but shouldn't you use new crush washers for the banjo bolts when you reassemble I don't know if you mentioned that but I always thought that you were supposed to use new ones ?

[INNOVVDashCam]

Thanks for sharing the MC garage series, it's very useful to us. But we don't have so many professional tools if we want to rebuild the motorcycle's brake calipers.

[prostreetgsxr]

Great video! I would love to know more about how the lip on the seal helps pull the pistons back into place after the pressure is off. I just powder coated and rebuilt the calipers on my street glide and I tell you the high-pressure seal looked the same no matter which way I flipped it.

[drumilly]

Thanks for the video, some good tips that I haven't heard before.

[andrewb]

These videos have saved me so much money. Feels really good to do your own work and have your bike ride like new again after. Thanx Guys!