Advice on shovel front calipers rebuild - Harley Forum

superglide65 · #1 03-19-2009, 01:29 AM

my old superglide is finally braking down, pun intended, with calipers sticking and locking up front wheels.

it's a 79 and back brakes long since replaced but still original front calipers on twin dual discs, ya know the type.

i'd like to just rebuild them if possible but does anybody know where to get kits? does anybody still do it anymore?

thanks for any help

wojo

unclepsycho · #2 03-19-2009, 01:43 AM

Hi wojo

I looked on Motorcycle Parts, Motorcycle Accessories by BikeBandit.com ... and it looks like they have a breakdown of a brake caliper with part numbers and prices. maybe that will help.

good luck and have fun

unclepsycho · #3 03-19-2009, 01:55 AM

Oh by the way, quite a few of us here on this forum do rebuild calipers still... sometimes when the rubber parts are hard to find, I have taken them outif the caliper apart, and 'massaged' them in brake fluid and re-installed. but brakes are nothing to go that cheep on. so hopefully Bike Bandit will have the right parts. if not, maybe another one of us here can help out with another source.

frisco-rigid · #4 03-19-2009, 03:24 AM

Hey Super

Everything you need (seals, o-rings, pistons, etc.) to re-build the calipers should be available at any sickle shop, maybe even including HD,, and in most catalogs-----Custom Chrome, Drag Specialties, Dennis Kirk, my fav Jireh Cycles, etc etc etc..

Re-building calipers is Un-believebly easy.. Go ahead on..

superglide65 · #5 03-19-2009, 10:05 AM

thanks guys. it's problably just an o ring and i think i'll take it apart and down to the local shop for parts, if not get them at bikebandit. i can't imagine the piston should be shot but i might have to replace that dust boot on top of the o rings.

appreciate the advice. looks up an aftermarket caliper and was stunned to see what they want and that they make four and six piston calipers. is this the space shuttle we are trying to stop or a motorcycle and one 30 pounds overweight rider (me!)? seems like they overkill on things these days but maybe i'm getting too old.

all best,

glide

evoKENevo · #6 03-19-2009, 11:09 AM

If your calipers are really shot go ahead and rebuild them. But,I've found that in most cases where a puck seems to be seized I can just give the caliper a good solid whack or two with a rubber hammer (driving the puck inward)to free it up...noting that it could be just from fluid getting sticky around the puck. Which,of course, would be as good a reason as any to change your old brake fluid and re-bleed the system,etc.

superglide65 · #7 03-19-2009, 01:15 PM

i love the rubber hammer idea and will give it a try. it reminds me of my uncle elvern growing up in the country, as he always whacked the hell out of everything before he tore it apart and half the time it worked, ha ha.

thanks for the advice, all! hope to be riding again by tomorrow!

evoKENevo · #8 03-19-2009, 04:22 PM

Yeah,Super....like I said it USUALLY works for me

too. And,just thought I'd add (if necessary) that the simplest and most effective way Ive found to change the fluid out is to just bleed the old stuff out (as you would for air) and just keep adding the new stuff to the master-cylinder as you go...no need to disassemble and reassemble anything, unless you need new pads...which BTW could also be part of your problem.