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Fixing a sticky pis...
 

[Closed] Fixing a sticky piston without popping the piston out - spacer?

 PJay
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[#908622]

The last time I tried to clean up a sticky piston on my LX brakes I managed to pop a piston out and lose the fluid (it was fortunately fixable). I was wondering about some sort of spacer that would allow the pistons out, but not enough to leave the caliper body.

I've got a yellow spacer but that's for keeping the pistons retracted with the pads out, so's no good for getting at the pistons. The red spacer that acts as the rotor whens the wheel's out but the pads are in doesn't really allow the pistons out far enough, and I doubt that dripping mineral oil of the pistons with the pads in is a good idea. With the pads out I'm not sure that the red spacer would be wide enough to stop the pistons popping out (I don't want to try).

I did wonder about sticking a couple of old pad backs together (although when I tried just using the pads one piston overpowered the other they came out uneven). Does anyone know what sort of width spacer I'd need to make to allow access to the bulk of the piston bodies without allowing the to pop out?


 
Posted : 29/09/2009 5:51 pm
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Funnily enough I just sorted out a sticking piston on my shimano brakes today. Basically just took pads out and clamped the moving piston in the caliper with some pliers whilst feathering the brake lever to get the stuck one out far enough (about 5mm) without it popping out all the way. Quick wipe with an earbud dipped in chainlube round the formerly stuck piston, then squezed it back in with pliers (you can also lever it back in with a plastic tyre lever). So long as you go very steady with the brake lever you should be able to get the stuck piston out far enough to clean it. Make sure you push it back in evenley as well.

Don't know of any suitable spacers for the job though.


 
Posted : 29/09/2009 6:25 pm
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Pop the pads out, use a screwdriver or one of those metal 'DH' tyre levers through the caliper to hold on piston in and pump the brake until it's out far enough.
Clean with Stendec type silicon spray and push in and out a few times until it's free.


 
Posted : 29/09/2009 7:49 pm