How many folks clean the brake pistons and keep them clean ?

[eemsreno]

Hello Steve,
BTW, let's catch up and go ride next year !

I'm following along on your WYBDR group ride for next year.

 

[OldRider]

I take a Scotch pad and cut a 1/4 strip off the side, wrap it around the piston and saw it back and forth. It makes the piston shine like a diamond in a goats a$$. Only takes a few seconds per piston.

 

[LostDonkey]

Never.

 

[Checkswrecks]

My bike needs maintenance?

 

[MattR]

Yep, I ride the bike all year round and clean the pistons up at least 3 times per year. Next year I will be replacing the piston seals and the master cylinder piston and seals.


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[Streethawk]

Hello Everyone !

I personally don't do this all too often, but with the Tenere and all the road grime, mud, dirt, I probably should do it more often. I recently threw on a new set of pads, and in the process of doing so I cleaned all the pistons. I did not pull them out of the bore, but cycled them in and out to clean all the piston surfaces. I proceeded to clean all nine of them with soap and water.

The reason I ask this is because after I did this service the pistons move in and out WAY smoother and don't feel stuck or sticky any longer. Probably more than half of mine were stiff or "stuck", after cleaning they are all butter smooth in and out. The feel of the brakes now feel a lot better as well. It's probably a general maintenance situation but I thought it provided a better brake feel and performance and wanted to pass along the info for others to keep in mind.

Even if you don't need new pads, you can always pull the brake off and clean the pistons. If you choose to do this, you might want to look up a You-Tube video on a "how to" cycle those pistons back and forth, so you can clean all the garbage off off them. Its probably going to be added to my once a year maintenance that I like to do on my 'major service'...

I used a tooth brush, dish soap, and hot water. It's cleans them up excellent. I then had a hand pump sprayer filled with hot water to rinse the junk & soap off..... Kind of dried everything off with a shop towel or paper towel.

Really easy job to do, and I feel makes a difference, thought I would share !

I do the same thing a handful of times throughout the year. At a minimum, whenever the wheels are removed. Only thing different I do is after the drying portion. After drying, I use a small acid brush with brake grease on it, to massage the dust seal a bit. I also use silicone paste on the slider pins, slider pin rubber boots and the bleeder screw rubber dust cap. I'll wipe again to ensure there's no excess grease to serve as a dirt magnet.

To help avoid rubber parts damage, I typically only use (non-chlorinated) brake cleaner as needed, when rebuilding brake components (when all the rubber parts are removed).

Excellent post and as always, thanks for sharing Tabasco!

 

[~TABASCO~]

My bike needs maintenance?

Are these yours ??? LOL Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha ! ! !


Ive actually have seen some about this bad... When I point it out, the owners answer is almost always the same.... "I didn't even know, everything works just fine...."

 

[Travex]

Hello Everyone !

I personally don't do this all too often, but with the Tenere and all the road grime, mud, dirt, I probably should do it more often. I recently threw on a new set of pads, and in the process of doing so I cleaned all the pistons. I did not pull them out of the bore, but cycled them in and out to clean all the piston surfaces. I proceeded to clean all nine of them with soap and water.

The reason I ask this is because after I did this service the pistons move in and out WAY smoother and don't feel stuck or sticky any longer. Probably more than half of mine were stiff or "stuck", after cleaning they are all butter smooth in and out. The feel of the brakes now feel a lot better as well. It's probably a general maintenance situation but I thought it provided a better brake feel and performance and wanted to pass along the info for others to keep in mind.

Even if you don't need new pads, you can always pull the brake off and clean the pistons. If you choose to do this, you might want to look up a You-Tube video on a "how to" cycle those pistons back and forth, so you can clean all the garbage off off them. Its probably going to be added to my once a year maintenance that I like to do on my 'major service'...

I used a tooth brush, dish soap, and hot water. It's cleans them up excellent. I then had a hand pump sprayer filled with hot water to rinse the junk & soap off..... Kind of dried everything off with a shop towel or paper towel.

Really easy job to do, and I feel makes a difference, thought I would share !

This is an outstanding post which I couldn't agree with more. Granted, the S10 will power through pretty much everything regardless of gunk, but who really wants it there... Especially when you're as far out as you'll be on your next trip.