New Boxflyer Brake Video

[MikeB60]

Great brake inspection and bleeding video 

 

[MachineJoe]

Another well done video from Boxflyer. Thank you for all the time spent in putting these instructional videos out to everyone. Great Job !!!!

[Scotto336]

Good video Brad.  Thanks.  I like the shoelace trick!  One comment FWIW; if the pistons aren't removed or calipers completely drained, then the portion of them that slides through the seals is already lubricated from brake fluid.  If you are putting new pads on then the outer part of the piston will go in a bit farther, but the seals are already coated with a film of brake fluid.  I've personally never lubricated the pistons for  this procedure though I do wet the seals with a touch of brake fluid when doing a full disassembly with seal replacement.  My concern is the possibility of unneeded lubrication migrating onto friction parts when things get heated up or the oil acting as a magnet for crud that might cause seal wear/damage.  If someone does feel the need to lube the outside of the piston I would suggest wiping it off afterwards so there's just a very thin film left in place.  That's just my 2 cents.

 

[wbw6cos]

He does wipe off the excess assembly lube.   He does a final clean-up and double checks everything.   Sometimes that is not shown in the video, but he did mention that he wipes off the excess, if any.

[MachineJoe]

I just completed this afternoon the brake cleaning, lube and fluid change per this video. I am amazed at the ease of moving the pistons after they are cleaned and lubed.

I agree, cleaning any excess lube afterwards is essential to prevent crud accumulation and the lube migrating to unwanted area's but all that's covered in the video.

 

[Scotto336]

No, he did not wipe off the piston surfaces that he lubed, just the face of the pistons with them pushed in and the caliper surface. Any residual oil can and will collect debris.  

[9Mary7]

18 hours ago, Scotto336 said:

No, he did not wipe off the piston surfaces that he lubed, just the face of the pistons with them pushed in and the caliper surface. Any residual oil can and will collect debris.  

 

On 4/6/2024 at 6:31 PM, wbw6cos said:

Sometimes that is not shown in the video,

 

[JCtx]

I just put a little bit of WD40 on one of the shoe laces after 'polishing' the pistons, then cleaned the excess with another dry lace, and pistons went in easy too. I don't like using lube on exposed areas where is not absolutely needed, so didn't use any on the pads, springs, or pins. But I did polish the pins, so they're slippery. I live in the desert, so any lube becomes an oily mess in short order, making it worse. Manual didn't call for lube in those places, by the way.

[Scotto336]

That sounds like a good way to go JCtx, especially in the desert.  I do put a dab of moly paste on the pins once I polish them but I don't live in the desert.  I put the pins in my drill for polishing.

[JCtx]

Yeah, the pads have absolutely zero issue sliding over a smooth pin, so no need for lube there. And neither where the pads put pressure on the calipers when braking. Without any lube, there's no crap accumulating anywhere. I also have the inclination to lube everything, but learned it's not always the best thing to do. Ha ha. But I obviously do it where needed. Take care.

[Scotto336]

Just for clarity, none of my comments are meant to throw any shade on Boxflyer.  I’m a big fan of his videos and my contributions to the community will never come close to his.  He offered to do my cam timing for free!!  I’ve worked as a mechanic and mechanical engineer for over 44 years and I’ve found that those in this space never agree on all things.  Any disagreement I might have comes with full respect.   

[JCtx]

Absolutely in agreement. I'm a mechanical engineer too, and for this aspect of the job there is no right or wrong; it all depends on your individual circumstances. Like I mentioned before, I used to err on the side of 'lube everything' too, but it's not always the best option where I live (windy and dusty all year). But the worst that happens if you do, is you have to clean the mess. So definitely no harm at all; it's just personal preference. Or personal level of OCD. Ha ha. For me, I'd absolutely trust somebody doing a job with that level of detail. Really wish Boxflyer was closer to me, to watch him do a perfect valve job on my bike.

[Scotto336]

Me too JCtx!  He's about a 4 hour ride away from me.  It is tempting...