Brake seals, help please

**Postie** · 4th January 2006, 10:07

I saw a thread a little while ago where some one found a place that does o rings that fit brake callipers at a fraction of the price of bike shop prices.

i searched for the thread but to no avail. Does anyone know what i am talking about?

i need to rekit my callipers on my CBR400 NC23 but i'm not too keen to pay $30+ for a tiny ring of rubber if i don't need too.

Any ideas?

cheers

**Sniper** · 4th January 2006, 11:16

Use that blue thing under the lid of coke bottles. You are in NZ man, you need to fix things like they would. (PT)

Anyway, go to any plumbing place with the seal and see what they could do for you.

**geoffm** · 4th January 2006, 11:18

I matched up some at Brake and Transmission - the RD brakes used the same seals as some Ford. Having said that, it was not much cheaper than genuine OEM. There are aftermarket seal kits available, but not in NZ. You could try asking for them and see if anyone imports them, but I doubt it, from when I went through the exercise before.
Another alternative is a seal specialist like Seal House, who may be able to match up the seals
Geoff

**Postie** · 4th January 2006, 11:32

thanks guys.
i tried getting these seals since last week, no where has anything in stock as they never carry any stock, they all call Bluewing Honda who are all on holiday till the 9th, so anyone with a Honda who needs bits, in Auckland at least, is pretty much shafted till the 9th.

I have resulted in buying all my bits off shore now. One new brake rotor for the NC23 from a shop in auckland is $440 from Aussie, i can get two new ones from the UK for $582 plus about $30 for postage, or two second hand ones for $208 plus postage.
I also just bought a brand new pair of mirrors for $57.20, a brand new screen brace for $52 and an original decal set for $13, all up was 64 pounds (or $166.40 NZ)delivered to NZ.

**Motu** · 4th January 2006, 11:32

I don't see any problem with $30,that's what we pay for car kits,and they are a much higher volume sale item.

**imdying** · 4th January 2006, 11:41

Brakes in almost all bike calipers (especially of that era) are of the 1/8" square section oriing design. These are in common with practically every car on the road, and are easily interchangable. Fortunately for motorcyclists, many rear calipers off of cars have small pistons, which is where we can source our seals from

Let me know which part of the country that you're iin, and I'll let you know who is most likely to carry those parts. BNT probably would, but they're mostly into rebuild kits, not seperate parts. Any member of the NZBCSA will be able to help you, I'll let you know who's a member in your area.

The dust seals (half the width/section) of the main orings aren't so easy however. Thankfully, you won't need to replace them. If they've been distorted in size, or shape, discard them. If they still look ok, put them back in. They're just a dust seal, nothing more. The oring between halves, put that back in. They almost never give trouble, and usually only when the caliepr has been contaminated.

If your pistons are anything less than spotless (after you've scrubed them with a toothbrush and hot soapy water), you'll need to either have them stainless steel sleeved, replaced (new of manufactured by an engineer). This is because exactly like your forks, any pitting will pretty much rip the seal instantly. Leaking forks is pretty ghey, leaking brake calipers is fatal.

If you're in Christchurch, I could repair them this week for you. After this week, any Saturday morning would be ok (assuming you take them off and bring them into town for me).

All sizes of caliper piston seals are OUTSIDE diameter of the piston, the seals are NOT a tight fit on the pistons, but won't slide up and down without dragging). As an aside, I can have any machining you require done, for example resleeving of master cylinders. Some kits are available, the common Jap 1/2" and 5/8" kits for example... they're quite cheap too (<$20).

I do hope you're joking Sniper, I can't actually imagine anyone ever trying that... even the type of rubber matters, normal orings will die fairly rapidly (not to mention their lack of heat tolerance). I would have though a thread that pretty much amounts to a safety issue would have been outside the limits of your postcount+1.

**imdying** · 4th January 2006, 11:42

Originally Posted by Motu

I don't see any problem with $30,that's what we pay for car kits,and they are a much higher volume sale item.

After my experience with Honda OEM brake seals, I suspect he means PER RING

**Postie** · 4th January 2006, 11:44

Originally Posted by Motu

I don't see any problem with $30,that's what we pay for car kits,and they are a much higher volume sale item.

i'm not really bothered about $30, wouldn't be botherd if it was $60 or $130, just want to get some seals. I don't know how much they are as Bluewing are shut and none of the bike shops i have tried knows or are even willing to give me an estimate.
i was thinking of using condom ends.....

**cowpoos** · 4th January 2006, 12:08

Hi postie

**Postie** · 4th January 2006, 12:11

Originally Posted by imdying

Brakes in almost all bike calipers (especially of that era) are of the 1/8" square section oriing design. These are in common with practically every car on the road, and are easily interchangable. Fortunately for motorcyclists, many rear calipers off of cars have small pistons, which is where we can source our seals from

Let me know which part of the country that you're iin, and I'll let you know who is most likely to carry those parts. BNT probably would, but they're mostly into rebuild kits, not seperate parts. Any member of the NZBCSA will be able to help you, I'll let you know who's a member in your area.

The dust seals (half the width/section) of the main orings aren't so easy however. Thankfully, you won't need to replace them. If they've been distorted in size, or shape, discard them. If they still look ok, put them back in. They're just a dust seal, nothing more. The oring between halves, put that back in. They almost never give trouble, and usually only when the caliepr has been contaminated.

If your pistons are anything less than spotless (after you've scrubed them with a toothbrush and hot soapy water), you'll need to either have them stainless steel sleeved, replaced (new of manufactured by an engineer). This is because exactly like your forks, any pitting will pretty much rip the seal instantly. Leaking forks is pretty ghey, leaking brake calipers is fatal.

If you're in Christchurch, I could repair them this week for you. After this week, any Saturday morning would be ok (assuming you take them off and bring them into town for me).

All sizes of caliper piston seals are OUTSIDE diameter of the piston, the seals are NOT a tight fit on the pistons, but won't slide up and down without dragging). As an aside, I can have any machining you require done, for example resleeving of master cylinders. Some kits are available, the common Jap 1/2" and 5/8" kits for example... they're quite cheap too (<$20).

Thanks for you input mate, very helpfull. The pistons were seized in the calipers and the bike mechanic got them out but he had to use a bit of force and has marked the edges on the pistons, i know i will need to smooth these out so they don't damage the seals, is there a good way to test if the callipers are leaking once i put them back together.
i think rekitting the mater cylinder is a must too, the guy i bought the bike off had it sat round since March