Which Brake Lines? How to Clean and Install Lines/Calipers?

[silentRVF]

Hey guys,

I've just received my gold SP2 calipers and I'm about to order some new lines. The most I've ever done with brakes on a bike is change pads and give the pistons a bit of a scrub using brake cleaner and a toothbrush so I'm sort of new to it. Questions:
1) I've heard HEL lines can be a bit short and the coloured lines may fade after some time. I'm after some coloured lines so was considering Spiegler - anyone used their lines before?
2) What's the best way to clean the calipers properly? I'm thinking I should probably pull the pads out, spray the pistons with brake cleaner and scrub them with a toothbrush.. Should I use anything on the outside of the caliper besides a moist cloth?
3) How do I install the lines? Obviously bolting one end onto the master cylinder and the other ends to the calipers won't be rocket science, but I've never bled brakes before and I hear this is often a challenging process. Any good tips or guides for doing this??
4) I want to clean the pistons properly, but they are pushed back almost the whole way. Should I bolt the new lines on, bleed brakes, then pump the brakes to push the pistons out so I can give them a good scrub? Or is there an easier way to do this? (Will I be able to just pull the pistons out a little bit?)

I appreciate any and all help and advice
Cheers guys
Jonno

[micpec]

Jonno, do you have an Haynes manual? These can be bought from fleabay or similar sites You can find a few tips and tricks as to your whole bike maintenance, most of them DIY style Best money you can spend.

1) I have fitted HEL and Goodridge lines on few of my bikes. My experiences is that the HEL lines are short indeed, I fitted them on the standard NC30 calipers. Then I changed the set-up to Brembo 4-piston P30/34 gold line calipers but I then used some Bimota braided lines (these were long enough from MC to calipers, no issues had). On my mint NC35 I have fitted Goodridge braided lines on the standard NC35 calipers. But will change those calipers to gold SP1 or similar next season. On my project bike there are Spiegler braided lines already fitted on the standard NC35 calipers, Looks long enough, no fading at all, but all the braided lines I use(d) are with clear coating.

2) Brake cleaner is good for cleaning the calipers inside/outside, but remember not to spill any of this agressive fluid on any other parts. Can be a hard time then.

3) As for fitting, first detach the old lines, undo banjo bolts, check everything (all copper washers, banjo bolts etc. that comes with the new lines, if all okay and right quantity, then fit loosely the lines on the MC side and then also the lines on both caliper sides. Tighten them as per torque settings. Bleeding is another story to tell. DIY may take a long time (Haynes describes it all) and with a brake bleeder tools (for example the Mityvac) it may be easier to do it.

4) if you want to clean them thoroughly, then first get the pistons complete out of the calipers....some small air pressure is fine (if you have a air compressor or similar). This way you also can check all the seals and replace if needed. When no air pressure is available then the method you described is also possible but that is just a lot of extra work involved.

Hope this helps.

[silentRVF]

Hope this helps.

Very much so, thank you. Yes I have a Haynes manual and to be honest I haven't really looked what it says about this since I've been studying about 14 hours a day for the past 3 weeks. My last exam is tomorrow so I'll have a look what it says tomorrow. Might have to invest in a brake bleeding tool as you suggested..

I have an air compressor.. Do I just put it where the banjo connects to on the caliper and this will pump the pistons out?

Will it then be easy to put the pistons back in?

[micpec]

Hope this helps.

Very much so, thank you. Yes I have a Haynes manual and to be honest I haven't really looked what it says about this since I've been studying about 14 hours a day for the past 3 weeks. My last exam is tomorrow so I'll have a look what it says tomorrow. Might have to invest in a brake bleeding tool as you suggested..

I have an air compressor.. Do I just put it where the banjo connects to on the caliper and this will pump the pistons out?

Will it then be easy to put the pistons back in?

No worries. Studying is more important than this jobbie Brake bleeding tool is only good if you planned to do more maintenance work on the brakes, otherwise too much costs for the effort, you see

Be subtle with usingany air pressure to get the pistons out! Always face the pistons down to a clotch to catch it when it goes out of the caliper, and also to prevent it flies around as a projectile! If you clean and check'd each piston on any corrossion, pitch, edges on the surface, it may not be damaged, you can push it back in the caliper fairly easy. Also not forgot to check this time the seals...only a couple of quids but worth doing it while pistons are out.

And goodluck with exam!

[Neosophist]

As said, be careful with compressed air, you can send pistons flying across the room at high speed, crush fingers etc.

Put the air gun into where the banjo was and make sure it has a good seal.. a tiny blast of air will shoot out the easiest to move piston first.. i then slide this one back in a little bit to re-seal the caliepr and cable-tie it into place, so the other piston(s) will come out (repeating as necessary)

Then just remoe the table ties and pull the pistons out.