Brake Caliper Maintenance?

[Bigfish]

need some input....

I'm about to put all new brake lines and clutch line on my rt.

I'm thinking this may be an opportune time to service my calipers.

Is it pretty basic? is it worth buying replacement parts and rebuilding or just buy all new.

Looking for advise from those who have gone through a rebuild.

pretty sure they are not retracting smoothly.

My RT mileage is 104,000.

 

also, anything special to do on clutch while I've got it completely drained?

 

Thanks!

[AnotherLee]

Bigfish -

I went thru this and you might find helpful info here.

[Bigfish]

thanks Lee.

I remember watching something on YouTube on an install and there was a special way the seals had to go on. I'll start searching again for that video.

 

BTW, how did yours work out... what did you end up doing on the rear?

[TimberGuy]

Not sure if you'll find the same challenges as my 1100RT rebuild, but I had few options for brake calliper rebuild. It came down to choice of 3:

- take apart existing, clean, put back together and hope for best (not at all good for my project).

- buy full new callipers from BMW (sticker ouch).

- buy rebuild kits from BMW (didn't find them anywhere else).

 

My units were in rough shape when I took them apart - pitted, stuck, weak seals, etc.

 

I ended up with rebuild kits from BMW dealer, although pricey, and happy with results. Kit had seals and plungers for both front and rear (one kit for each calliper). No luck finding rebuild kits anywhere else for the callipers on the 1100. Replacement callipers from Bremco don't even exist according to the rep I talked with twice. Didn't see any reason to purchase new units from BMW since I could get rebuild kits.

[AnotherLee]

BTW, how did yours work out... what did you end up doing on the rear?

Long story short: I had used rear caliper parts from Beamerboneyard leftover from a previous repair. Salvaged a pair of pistons from that. Those plus a repair kit with new seals from BMW had me back on the road in good shape.

[eddd]

 

Are you sure it is the calipers not retracting, or maybe the master cylinder issues? I had 175,000 on mine, 135,000 and 130,000 on the two I parted out and none of the calipers were sticking. I did need to rebuild my master brake cylinder somewhere along the way.

[Twinsig]

You might be able to dismantle & clean em up, seals & guide pins. One of my fronts & the rear was dragging, it worked.

210k.

A steel pick works wonders on some of those parts, one straight end/one 90/angled end.