Removing break pads - 03 gsxr 750

[slinky]

I'm having trouble undoing the allen bolt that holds the break pads in - it just won't budge. I've tried holding the allen key with an adjustable cresent to get some leverage - but it just slipps, so no luck.
Am i missing something? Is there something else i should be undoing first? i can't see anything obvious.
Bikes done about 15,000 kms - and i think they are the original pads.

Any suggestions on why its so tight - or how to get it undone.

last resort is to take it to a shop, but i've just recently moved to melbourne and haven't sorted out a reliable(by reference) shop to take it to.

EDIT - NEXT QUESTIONS. - 07/11/2007

ok - after a few taps and sticking one of the hollow pipes from the tool kit over it, it eventually cracked. Only to find i had miss-read the markers, the brakes still have some meet on them.

BUT. I was taking them off because at low speed and braking lightly they were making a screech/wrench noise. When i took the cover off to check how much meat they had on them i found that one of them was moving(when the brakes are NOT applied). And just last night i found that the others slightly move aswell, but the first one significantly more then the others. The movement is perhaps upto 1 mil horizontal, and maybe 3-5 mils vertical(pivoting on the allen bolt running through the top)

Is this normal? Is it anything to worry about?
There aren't any shims - should there be?

[Cajun]

well see if you can get an allen key socket and try it, but it shouldn't be that tight, have you made sure the calpier is bolted to forks and tried loosing it there before taking it off the forks?

[nodrog]

check that it doesnt have a circlip on the otherside, i know that on my RSVR it wasnt actually a bolt, it was just a pin with a circlip on the other end, cant remember what it is like on my GSXR.

[slinky]

well see if you can get an allen key socket and try it, but it shouldn't be that tight, have you made sure the calpier is bolted to forks and tried loosing it there before taking it off the forks?

Now you have confused me? I'm not removing the whole brake caliper, just removing the brake pads.

[Cajun]

Now you have confused me? I'm not removing the whole brake caliper, just removing the brake pads.

well to get the pads out you will need to take the calpier off the bike.
to get at them

[slinky]

check that it doesnt have a circlip on the otherside, i know that on my RSVR it wasnt actually a bolt, it was just a pin with a circlip on the other end, cant remember what it is like on my GSXR.

I had a look for something else and couldn't see anything, but ill double check tonight and make sure that i haven't missed anything.

[slinky]

well to get the pads out you will need to take the calpier off the bike.
to get at them

ah i see - so i can't just drop the pads out?
will i need to completely remove the caliper or just loosen it?

[dhunt]

I'm having trouble undoing the allen bolt that holds the break pads in - it just won't budge. I've tried holding the allen key with an adjustable cresent to get some leverage - but it just slipps, so no luck.
Am i missing something? Is there something else i should be undoing first? i can't see anything obvious.
Bikes done about 15,000 kms - and i think they are the original pads.

Any suggestions on why its so tight - or how to get it undone.

last resort is to take it to a shop, but i've just recently moved to melbourne and haven't sorted out a reliable(by reference) shop to take it to.
I'm pretty sure that the 750 is the same as the 600's. So just the one allen bolt. All I can suggest is try tapping your allen key with a hammer. Or as canjun suggests get an allex key socket to enable you to get more leverage.

[dhunt]

ah i see - so i can't just drop the pads out?
will i need to completely remove the caliper or just loosen it?
You don't have to do this but it can make life a little easier. I've not bothered but what you'll need to do is push the pistons back in order to get the fatter (new) pads in.

[slinky]

I'm pretty sure that the 750 is the same as the 600's. So just the one allen bolt. All I can suggest is try tapping your allen key with a hammer. Or as canjun suggests get an allex key socket to enable you to get more leverage.


You don't have to do this but it can make life a little easier. I've not bothered but what you'll need to do is push the pistons back in order to get the fatter (new) pads in.

Unfortunately my tools are limited to the suzuki tool kit that came with the bike, but im sure i can find something else to tap the allen key with. Otherwise il see if i can find someone who owns some allen sockets.

cheers for your advice guys.

[boomer]

spray some wd40 or whatever else you call the shit over here, then get ya allan key, put an extension pipe/bar on the end and voila.. done!

[slinky]

spray some wd40 or whatever else you call the shit over here, then get ya allan key, put an extension pipe/bar on the end and voila.. done!

Is it smart to have that stuff near your brakes? Ill see what i can find in the tool kit that i could use in the way of extensions.

[boomer]

Is it smart to have that stuff near your brakes? Ill see what i can find in the tool kit that i could use in the way of extensions.


as long as you don't go spraying the shit all over .. you know like when you've got the mrs bent.. oh wait..

Yeah be careful bro ;)

[FROSTY]

sometimes TIGHTENING a fraction then backing the bolt out will do the trick

[slinky]

sometimes TIGHTENING a fraction then backing the bolt out will do the trick

CHeers frosty - will give that a go also.

[Max Preload]

Are you sure you're not actually trying to disassemble the caliper's split housing?

Post a photo.

[riffer]

Sometimes the bloody thing won't move no matter what you do.

It appears to me that Suzuki brakes appear to be made of differing metals causing that stupid bolt to weld itself to the caliper.

I've ruined two trying to get them out with mole grips after every other trick failed. And they cost $35 each to replace :shutup:

From now on, I'm going to grease the bolt and hold it in place with a circlip on the end instead of just doing it up tight.

Sometimes it pays to have someone more experienced help. See attached pic.

[Kwaka14]

If someone's used loctite on it sticking the pointy head of a soldering iron in the socket for a minute or so will soften the loctite then just use the allen key

[ManDownUnder]

Allen key and hammer.

Hit the allen eky on the end (like it was a nail and you're tyrying to nail it in) a few times... hard enough. This helps break up and corrosion or loctitie/whatever holding it in.

Then allen key into the head and apply "a little too much" force. I'm not saying stick a pipe on the allen key and go for it - but high tensile bolts will handle more oomph than normal bolts, and a high tensile bolt it used there for a reason. So they can do the fucker up tight to make sure your breaks don't fall off.

Of course checking for (and removing) split pins or other physical restraints from the other end of the allen screw is important too...

[slinky]

ok - after a few taps and sticking one of the hollow pipes from the tool kit over it, it eventually cracked. Only to find i had miss-read the markers, the brakes still have some meet on them.

BUT. I was taking them off because at low speed and braking lightly they were making a screech/wrench noise. When i took the cover off to check how much meat they had on them i found that one of them was moving(when the brakes are NOT applied). And just last night i found that the others slightly move aswell, but the first one significantly more then the others. The movement is perhaps upto 1 mil horizontal, and maybe 3-5 mils vertical(pivoting on the allen bolt running through the top)

Is this normal? Is it anything to worry about?
There aren't any shims - should there be?

[Max Preload]

ok - after a few taps and sticking one of the hollow pipes from the tool kit over it, it eventually cracked. Only to find i had miss-read the markers, the brakes still have some meet on them.

BUT. I was taking them off because at low speed and braking lightly they were making a screech/wrench noise. When i took the cover off to check how much meat they had on them i found that one of them was moving(when the brakes are NOT applied). And just last night i found that the others slightly move aswell, but the first one significantly more then the others. The movement is perhaps upto 1 mil horizontal, and maybe 3-5 mils vertical(pivoting on the allen bolt running through the top)

Is this normal? Is it anything to worry about?
There aren't any shims - should there be?

By horizontal, you mean movement in the direction of the axle centerline - right and left when sitting on the bike? Probably a bit excessive in terms of retraction of the caliper pistons.

Not sure what you mean by vertical - sure you don't mean radial ie. outwards from the axle radially?

Like I said, post a few good pictures. They're worth a thousand words, as the saying goes.

[slinky]

By horizontal, you mean movement in the direction of the axle centerline - right and left when sitting on the bike? Probably a bit excessive in terms of retraction of the caliper pistons.

Not sure what you mean by vertical - sure you don't mean radial ie. outwards from the axle radially?

Like I said, post a few good pictures. They're worth a thousand words, as the saying goes.

Sorry - horizontal, being left and right. Vertical, being up and down but on the same angle as the brake caliper.
Does that make sense?
the Main question is should i be worrying about the movement of the brake pads?

[Max Preload]

Sorry - horizontal, being left and right. Vertical, being up and down but on the same angle as the brake caliper.
Does that make sense?
the Main question is should i be worrying about the movement of the brake pads?

3.5mm is excessive - they'll knock as they slide forward when the brakes are applied. They should be a snug clearance fit at the ends of the pads.

[slinky]

Road the bike into work today as someone at work used to ride and he said he'd comment on the brake pads - he seams to think the movement is fine, and is not as much as i had made out to be.
Also on the way to work there was no screeching/wrenching sound - tho its only a short ride, so will take a longer trip home and see how it goes.
So taking the pad out and putting it back in must have done something?? :s