Rear Caliper Replacement

[xavier]

Hi, I'm currently attempting to replace the rear caliper, I do have a quick question though :

 

Should I disconnect the battery before removing the brake line to the old caliper?

 

Thanks!

[xavier]

sorry another question, what spanner size is the bleed nipple? 11 seems too loose and 10's not going on.

[sparky Paul]

I wouldn't worry about the battery.

 

As for the bleed nipple, you are probably dealing with a corroded 11mm. Play it by ear, if you can tap a 10 mm socket onto the nipple and crack it, do that. You should probably get away with a loose spanner once cracked.

 

Alternatively, try imperial sockets. If it's tight, try tightening a fraction first, you may have to go back and forth a few times. Last resort is a bit of heat, but take care - you will damage the piston seals if you get carried away.

 

You might want to replace the bleed nipples if they are in poor condition, they aren't expensive.

Edited September 1, 2013 by sparky Paul

[xavier]

Thanks Paul, I'm replacing the caliper anyway so a bit of heat will be fine.

[xavier]

The saga continues, had everything loosened off to swap over this evening, old one off, put new one on but when it tightens up to the flex hose it's 180 degrees out of position. It needs to come round a 1/2 turn but I'll never get that on the caliper end. If I force the caliper in to place it'll twist the hose which I'm fairly sure I don't want to do. Not sure what to try now. Do I loosten the joint at the other end and tackle it that way? Difficult to see the other end for the 12 years of muck and rust on there!

[sparky Paul]

You need to crack the joint at the other end of the flexy. Careful with the heat there, or the flexy will pop.

Edited September 4, 2013 by sparky Paul

[bigdave982]

Try fitting tge flexi to the caliper before bolting it to carrier

I did and only had a very slight twist

[xavier]

Bigdave - have done that, there's very little flex in the rear hose and so effectively screwed the new caliper on to the hose. If I was to nip the hose up to the caliper it would be pointing completely in the opposite direction to where it should be (at the sky as opposed to the discs). The old one is spot on, typical!

 

Paul - will try heat. Did a google for alternatives but seems a sure thing I'll break the metal pipe if I try and undo the joint without applying any heat. I've also read that either the caliper should be disconnected or the bleed nipple opened to stop the flex hose bursting with dangerous results. I've ordered another flex hose up, at 6,50 I might as well replace it while I'm there! Also read that the joint is like a compression fitting so I should be able to connect up the caliper then screw in the other end using the nut on the metal pipe side, and get the thing lined up properly.

[Keithb]

I replaced my rear offside brake caliper last weekend as the piston would not wind back. Mine was also 180 degrees out but I managed to tighten the flexi hose onto the caliper a bit more with brute strength! After all the fitting (new disc and pads with caliper)   I had some friction which heated the disc far more than the others. I took it for some short runs and applied the handbrake to wear the pads in and it seems ok now.

[sparky Paul]

You could have a tentative go before applying heat, I've renewed all of the brake pipes on the Gal over the years, and all the joints have come undone surprisingly easily. If you do need a bit of heat, no need to go mad - there's not much metal there.

 

I've ordered another flex hose up, at 6,50 I might as well replace it while I'm there! Also read that the joint is like a compression fitting so I should be able to connect up the caliper then screw in the other end using the nut on the metal pipe side, and get the thing lined up properly.

 

Having a hose ready is a good idea, they are so cheap.

 

The joint onto the copper pipe is a standard M-F brake pipe union, so the pipe can be rotated 360 once the nut is cracked.

[xavier]

got the flexi off at the other end but the male nut on the metal pipe is not for turning! Don't want to force it, have all day tomorrow to play around with it so will hopefully get it moving then it should be easy to fit and tighten up in place.