The Wretched Truth About Restorations

Greetings Chris,

I have researched available motorcycle restoration shops on the East Coast and have found your shop one of the best suited for my project. I would like to determine if your willing and able to restore a vintage Yamaha 80 enduro shown in the pictures attached? If so, to what level of restoration are you capable of achieving? And how long would this take? Further, what ballpark pricing can you provide?

Regards,
Rob

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Rob,

Thanks for your note of inquiry – and the very flattering words about my shop and work.

First, I need to know that you know the First Law of Restorations; you will end up spending waaaaay more than the finished product will fetch on the open market – two to three times more is the rule of thumb – and the multiple is higher with smaller displacement bikes.

So let’s see if I can scare you off right now. Mechanical restoration/rebuilding will run $3k – half parts and half my time. Cosmetic restoration will be another $3k – about half for first-rate factory correct paint and decals and half for re-chroming which, when properly done, means stripping the old chrome from the part, filling the deeper rust pits and other defects with a conductive metal filler, a heavy layer of copper plate to fill the smaller pits, a layer of nickle to keep the copper from showing through the final layer of chrome. This process is sometimes called “triple chrome.” Better add another $1k to cover things like tires, seat re-upholstery, and this, that, and the other thing. That’s $7k – and no matter how realistically I think I am estimating time and money, everything takes longer and costs more than I had expected – even when I know this and take it into account. That may be the Second Law of Restorations; everything will take longer and cost more than even your worst-case estimate. A final bill of $8k could happen. And all this for a bike that will be worth no more than $3k when done – probably closer to $2k.

I have been doing this stuff long enough to have learned a few things; nobody ever complains about getting a bill less than they expected. Dealing with a panicky customer as the running estimate is regularly revised upward is no fun. I’d rather scare you to death right now.

I’ve just come in from the shop – 11pm – after an afternoon favor checking out a problem on my sweetie’s son’s bike turned into eight hours of pro-bono work – time for a bit of supper.

Cheers,
Chris
Existential Motorcycles TEL: 828-6839289 Web: http://www.existentialmotorcycles.com
Alexander, NC 28701

______________________

Greetings Chris,

Thanks for your carefully thought out email below. Your thoughts and details provided are worth close observation and consideration. With the economy in its current state and no prospects for any improvement in the foreseable years ahead, I must fully think through what makes sense for me moving forward. I will let you know if I decide to proceed in the coming months.

Happy Holidays and warm regards,
Rob

________________

Rob,

Thanks for taking my bucket of cold water over your head so well.

Now I can ethically add that there are many excellent non-monetary reasons/rewards for/from restoring a bike – all better reasons, in my way of reckoning, than money.

And it could be done in two stages; mechanics/functional restoration one year and the pretty bits the next.

But it will be expensive and time-consuming.

Under no circumstances should you compromise your financial health to take on a proper restoration. It sucks all the fun out of it – and the damned bike becomes the cause of it all. And I become the dealer man for whom you are stealing the children’s lunch money to feed your habit. Pure poison. If/when you do this, have the cash on hand and set aside.

I do take extensive notes as I work and lots of digi-pix. On long-term projects I send these as updates every day or so – kinda helps the customer come along for the ride – and adds considerable value to the results – builder’s notes and documentary pix impress the hell out of buyers. But most of all, it’s fun for everybody. I enjoy telling stories of the day’s work and it helps me to review my work and confess my sins. Yes, I break the code of the Mechanics’ Guild and freely admit that I make mistakes and, sometimes, really fuck things up. I’ve made just about every damned-fool mistake you can think of and broken every tool and part. But a funny thing happened – as the years rolled by I made fewer and smaller mistakes. I still make mistakes – sometimes even dumb ones – but for quite a while now (knock polished alloy) they have been non-catatrophic and recoverable errors. And every one still a lesson of some sort.

Cheers,
Chris

Existential Motorcycles TEL: 828-6839289 Web: http://www.existentialmotorcycles.com
Alexander, NC 28701

So you think you want a custom cafe racer?

Greetings,

The following in the first installment of correspondence between me, a would-be cafe-racer builder, and one of his customers. The customer was so appalled at what was delivered to him that he forced the builder to bring the bike to me and pay me to put things right.

Caveat emptor!

Chris

_______________________________________

John and Casey,

This is the first in a short series of illustrated reports on my findings and work on your bike.

It will be difficult reading for both of you – and it is difficult work and writing for me. I began work on your bike last evening and had to quit after 1 ½ hrs. as what I was finding was making me increasingly angry.

In short, this bike was built/assembled by a dangerously incompetent person who should never be allowed to work on a vintage motorcycle again – unless they are willing to apprentice for a couple of years with someone who knows what they are doing.

Report – Initial Inspection:

Compression test: L = 190 psi and R = 175 psi. on a cold engine.

Since the spec on a new engine is 175 psi., these numbers suggest a substantial build-up of carbon on the piston crown and head. I will put a bore scope down the spark plug hole today and have a look. Also I’ll do a leak-down test. For the price of this bike – $7k – it should have a freshly-built engine, not just a freshly-painted engine.

The electronic ignition module is located in the worst possible place on the bike – directly in front of the leading edge of the rear tire with no intervening fender or other shield to protect it from the grit/crud/spray hurled at it by the spinning rear wheel. I will relocate it or shield it.

The front brake is dragging badly – and it’s a simple drum brake – the adjustment of the cable/actuating mechanism is just too tight. Again, no excuse for this. A simple pre-delivery inspection would have caught this. No bike should leave a shop with compromised brakes.

All three Phillips head screws for the cover on the centrifugal oil filter had seized and the heads stripped out. The rust pattern in the stripped screw heads shows that no attempt was made to remove the stripped screws and replaced with good ones so that the new owner could access/clean the filter. Which suggests that the person who built this bike did not clean the filter either.

Working carefully, I was able to remove all three screws in about 30 minutes. The pix below show what I found and how I fixed it. They also show the inside of the centrifugal filter and what I found in there – the usual black sludge but with lots of small bits of metal embedded in it – steel as it sticks to the head of a magnet. This probably comes from the transmission gears and suggests that it has been treated badly at some point in its past.

First I drilled out the heads of the stripped screws a bit and then hammered a 3/8” drive torx bit into the hole. Anoint with penetrant, heat with MAPP gas, and attach impact driver to the torx bit. One good whack with a 3 lb. Short sledge and voila. Well, almost. The threads of the top/left screw were stuck so badly that I just twisted the head off the screw shank. Fortunately, I was able then to carefully lift the cover off and then get a grip in the bit of shank protruding from the case.

And finally, two of the four bolts holding the footpegs to the frame were badly cross-threaded and one on the right side had jammed half way in and been left like that, here’s the pic.

Not only does the shoddy/dangerous workmanship offend me, I am dumbfounded by the fact that the person who assembled this bike did not think or care that anyone would notice.

I am posting this series of correspondence on my website – minus your names – as a bit of a caution to folks buying a custom-built bike and to those who think that capitalizing on the cafe-racer fashion is an easy quick buck.

John, I am roughing up you and your biz – and it’s got to hurt. But it’s the truth. If you can’t stand it, refund C’s money in full and get out of the biz. Otherwise, do the harder/right thing and take it and learn from it.

Sincerely,

Chris Finlayson
Existential Motorcycles
Alexander, NC

______________________

John and Casey,

This is the first in a short series of illustrated reports on my findings and work on your bike.

It will be difficult reading for both of you – and it is difficult work and writing for me. I began work on your bike last evening and had to quit after 1 ½ hrs. as what I was finding was making me increasingly angry.

In short, this bike was built/assembled by a dangerously incompetent person who should never be allowed to work on a vintage motorcycle again – unless they are willing to apprentice for a couple of years with someone who knows what they are doing.

Report – Initial Inspection:

Compression test: L = 190 psi and R = 175 psi. on a cold engine.

Since the spec on a new engine is 175 psi., these numbers suggest a substantial build-up of carbon on the piston crown and head. I will put a bore scope down the spark plug hole today and have a look. Also I’ll do a leak-down test. For the price of this bike – $7k – it should have a freshly-built engine, not just a freshly-painted engine.

The electronic ignition module is located in the worst possible place on the bike – directly in front of the leading edge of the rear tire with no intervening fender or other shield to protect it from the grit/crud/spray hurled at it by the spinning rear wheel. I will relocate it or shield it.

The front brake is dragging badly – and it’s a simple drum brake – the adjustment of the cable/actuating mechanism is just too tight. Again, no excuse for this. A simple pre-delivery inspection would have caught this. No bike should leave a shop with compromised brakes.

All three Phillips head screws for the cover on the centrifugal oil filter had seized and the heads stripped out. The rust pattern in the stripped screw heads shows that no attempt was made to remove the stripped screws and replaced with good ones so that the new owner could access/clean the filter. Which suggests that the person who built this bike did not clean the filter either.

Working carefully, I was able to remove all three screws in about 30 minutes. The pix below show what I found and how I fixed it. They also show the inside of the centrifugal filter and what I found in there – the usual black sludge but with lots of small bits of metal embedded in it – steel as it sticks to the head of a magnet. This probably comes from the transmission gears and suggests that it has been treated badly at some point in its past.

First I drilled out the heads of the stripped screws a bit and then hammered a 3/8” drive torx bit into the hole. Anoint with penetrant, heat with MAPP gas, and attach impact driver to the torx bit. One good whack with a 3 lb. Short sledge and voila. Well, almost. The threads of the top/left screw were stuck so badly that I just twisted the head off the screw shank. Fortunately, I was able then to carefully lift the cover off and then get a grip in the bit of shank protruding from the case.

And finally, two of the four bolts holding the footpegs to the frame were badly cross-threaded and one on the right side had jammed half way in and been left like that, here’s the pic.

Not only does the shoddy/dangerous workmanship offend me, I am dumbfounded by the fact that the person who assembled this bike did not think or care that anyone would notice.

I am posting this series of correspondence on my website – minus your names – as a bit of a caution to folks buying a custom-built bike and to those who think that capitalizing on the cafe-racer fashion is an easy quick buck.

John, I am roughing up you and your biz – and it’s got to hurt. But it’s the truth. If you can’t stand it, refund C’s money in full and get out of the biz. Otherwise, do the harder/right thing and take it and learn from it.

Sincerely,

Chris Finlayson
Existential Motorcycles
Alexander, NC

John and Casey,

This is the first in a short series of illustrated reports on my findings and work on your bike.

It will be difficult reading for both of you – and it is difficult work and writing for me. I began work on your bike last evening and had to quit after 1 ½ hrs. as what I was finding was making me increasingly angry.

In short, this bike was built/assembled by a dangerously incompetent person who should never be allowed to work on a vintage motorcycle again – unless they are willing to apprentice for a couple of years with someone who knows what they are doing.

Report – Initial Inspection:

Compression test: L = 190 psi and R = 175 psi. on a cold engine.

Since the spec on a new engine is 175 psi., these numbers suggest a substantial build-up of carbon on the piston crown and head. I will put a bore scope down the spark plug hole today and have a look. Also I’ll do a leak-down test. For the price of this bike – $7k – it should have a freshly-built engine, not just a freshly-painted engine.

The electronic ignition module is located in the worst possible place on the bike – directly in front of the leading edge of the rear tire with no intervening fender or other shield to protect it from the grit/crud/spray hurled at it by the spinning rear wheel. I will relocate it or shield it.

The front brake is dragging badly – and it’s a simple drum brake – the adjustment of the cable/actuating mechanism is just too tight. Again, no excuse for this. A simple pre-delivery inspection would have caught this. No bike should leave a shop with compromised brakes.

All three Phillips head screws for the cover on the centrifugal oil filter had seized and the heads stripped out. The rust pattern in the stripped screw heads shows that no attempt was made to remove the stripped screws and replaced with good ones so that the new owner could access/clean the filter. Which suggests that the person who built this bike did not clean the filter either.

Working carefully, I was able to remove all three screws in about 30 minutes. The pix below show what I found and how I fixed it. They also show the inside of the centrifugal filter and what I found in there – the usual black sludge but with lots of small bits of metal embedded in it – steel as it sticks to the head of a magnet. This probably comes from the transmission gears and suggests that it has been treated badly at some point in its past.

First I drilled out the heads of the stripped screws a bit and then hammered a 3/8” drive torx bit into the hole. Anoint with penetrant, heat with MAPP gas, and attach impact driver to the torx bit. One good whack with a 3 lb. Short sledge and voila. Well, almost. The threads of the top/left screw were stuck so badly that I just twisted the head off the screw shank. Fortunately, I was able then to carefully lift the cover off and then get a grip in the bit of shank protruding from the case.

And finally, two of the four bolts holding the footpegs to the frame were badly cross-threaded and one on the right side had jammed half way in and been left like that, here’s the pic.

Not only does the shoddy/dangerous workmanship offend me, I am dumbfounded by the fact that the person who assembled this bike did not think or care that anyone would notice.

I am posting this series of correspondence on my website – minus your names – as a bit of a caution to folks buying a custom-built bike and to those who think that capitalizing on the cafe-racer fashion is an easy quick buck.

John, I am roughing up you and your biz – and it’s got to hurt. But it’s the truth. If you can’t stand it, refund C’s money in full and get out of the biz. Otherwise, do the harder/right thing and take it and learn from it.

Sincerely,

Chris Finlayson
Existential Motorcycles
Alexander, NC

Too cool for words

Value, Price and Values; “What’s it worth?” Nothing – nothing compared with a good meal, warm clothes, a lover’s touch, a stranger’s smile. Nothing at all.

To: chris@existentialmotorcycles.com
Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2012 7:40 PM
Subject: Suzuki 1974

Hi Chris I saw your Craiglist add, I have a 5900 mile tc100, I have attached a short movie showing the bike. I replaced the carb and the coil. it will start, but has a oil leak in the middle seal, I would love to keep the bike, but I dont believe I have any of the tools it would take to completely dismantle the motor. I have a new Gasket for it. If you were looking to purchase it how much is one worth. I have some new parts for it and the original owners Manuel, and a service manual. I got it without certificate of ownership so there is no known title for it.

Thanks for your time, To clear my mind how much to fix it?

Andy

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An engine’s tale

John & Nate,

If resurrecting moribund old Honda engines is holy, then I’m on my way to sainthood. Did you know this one was seized? Not badly, as it turned out, and only on one side.

The attached pix will show you what I found as I went along.

See that one spark plug hole has been stripped, drilled out for an insert, and that has been buggered so that no plug was in the hole – for quite a while judging by what I found inside.

The heads of the screws holding the alternator cover in place were long gone. At the point of the picture, I had cut a slot in the heads of two with a small cold chisel sized to fit the blade of one of my impact driver bits. That moved them. If it hadn’t, there was one more possible move before drilling them out.

Now, with a 14mm socket on the end of the crank, I am sure that the engine is stuck.

The head came off relatively easily as I have been anointing all the fasteners with PB Blaster for the past few days.

I cleaned the debris out of the stuck cyl/piston and covered it in a pool of PBB to soak overnight. This afternoon I placed a 1″ hardwood dowel atop the piston and gave it a short stroke with 2lb. brass hammer. Tapping alternately the top of one piston and then the other eventually began to move the piston and soon I had it free enough to pull the cyls. up off the pistons.

This was likely a newly-built engine on its first overbore – the bores are roughly 64.25 mm. and have no taper or ovaling. The pistons are straight and square too. But the machinist who did the boring did not leave sufficient piston/cyl. clearance – the pistons are larger than nominal spec – and the engine had a light seizure – or two. The next thing that happened was that whoever responded to the seizure got that plug cross-threaded and stripped – or perhaps the heat of seizure stuck the steel plug hard in the alloy head.

The man with the wrench is already pissed off. His brand-new engine has just puked and now he’s gone and made things even worse. Out comes the hand-held power drill and a heli-coil insert. And you can guess the rest. The poor beaten bastard just dropped his tools and walked away leaving that cyl. open to the atmosphere.

Every engine – every machine – tells me stories about it’s history. My work is kind of archaeology – digging into the past, interpreting the traces/evidence of those who have gone there before.

I’ve 3.5 hrs. in so far inc. researching best available prices for pistons/rings/pins, tensioner, cam chain, etc. The only set of NOS Honda pistons I could find in the US was fouth-over (last overbore) and with rings sourced from elsewhere would have been more $ than the set I have ordered from the place in the Netherlands I have used before with satisfaction. They also had the best combo price for the tensioner body/small roller and the big roller. But their cam chain was twice what I can get a good one for here. The parts were 219 Euros which is around $290. With shipping it’s about $320.

Cheers,
Chris

Existential Motorcycles TEL: 828-6839289 Web: http://www.existentialmotorcycles.com
Alexander, NC 28701

Cleaning/lining a gas tank

If it’s not leaking, just clean and de-rust it and put a filter in the fuel line to the carbs. The risks of a less-than-perfect lining job are greater than the benefits – on a non-leaking tank. If the liner starts to come off, it’s pretty much curtains for the tank.

The right way to clean a tank is to first mechanically remove as much rust/crud from the inside as possible. Get a length of light chain – the stuff sold in hardware stores in bulk for hanging lights and so forth is ideal. The length is not important – 3-6ft. is fine. Some folks use a large handful of nuts/bolts – which works – but it can be hard to get them all out again. The chain is easy.

Put the chain in the tank with a quart/liter or so of kerosene. Lay a plastic shopping bag over the filler hole and then close the cap. This keeps the kero from finding its way out the vent in the cap. Now shake the tank turning it this way and that. So it until your arms get tired and then set it aside. Repeat this a number of times until the rust and crud has been scoured away and the metal is clean and bright. Extract the chain and drain off the kero/crud solution. Rinse with fresh kero until it comes out clear. Pour in a quart or so of Evap-o-rust or similar de-rusting solution. They are all based on phosphoric acid which chemically converts iron oxide – rust – to a moderately inert ferric phosphate. I use Milkstone Remover – a dilute solution of phosphoric acid sold through Tractor Supply for cleaning dairy lines. I mix it 1:5 with water – making six gallons – in one of those large blue plastic storage totes from Kmart/Target/etc. Now I can fill a tank with de-rusting solution and let it sit for a day or so. This stuff is highly reusable – and you can just toss smaller rusty bits in the tote. At this weak concentration, the acid is completely safe – you can put your bare hand in it. If you have a cut or nick, it will sting just a little bit.

Here’s a bit from Wikipedia on the chemistry:

“Phosphoric acid may be used as a “rust converter”, by direct application to rusted iron, steel tools, or surfaces. The phosphoric acid converts reddish-brown iron(III) oxide, Fe2O3 (rust) to black ferric phosphate, FePO4.

“Rust converter” is sometimes a greenish liquid suitable for dipping (in the same sort of acid bath as is used for pickling metal), but it is more often formulated as a gel, commonly called naval jelly. It is sometimes sold under other names, such as “rust remover” or “rust killer”. As a thick gel, it may be applied to slopi ng, vertical, or even overhead surfaces.

After treatment, the black ferric-phosphate coating can be scrubbed off, leaving a fresh metal surface. Multiple applications of phosphoric acid may be required to remove all rust. The black phosphate coating can also be left in place, where it will provide moderate further corrosion resistance (such protection is also provided by the superficially similar Parkerizing and blued electrochemical conversion coating processes).”

If the tank is still solid and leak-free, just use it as is but fill it with Stabil-treated gas if it’s going to sit unused for more than a couple of weeks.

If, however, you want or need to line the tank, your work has just begun.

Rinse the tank well with water – several times – to remove all traces of acid. Now dry the inside with compressed air or a hair dryer on low heat. You can speed up things by shaking/blowing most of the rinse water out and putting the tank in a slow oven – about 120-150 degrees F – for a couple of hours. Shake the tank – if you can hear any liquid inside, it’s not done yet.

Now let the tank cool, if you have used the oven method of drying, and then pour a quart of acetone in. Replace the cap and shake well turning the tank over and round about. This does two things; it picks up and eliminates any remaining traces of water and leaves the surface squeaky clean for max adhesion of the line.

The coating should be applied immediately. The acetone washed metal will flash-rust very quickly. Use a liner that is explicitly resistant to the ethanol that is present in most gasoline these days. Good liner is expensive – Caswell’s and POR-15 are said to be very good. I use Red-Kote, and industrial tank liner available through some auto parts stores for around $60/gal. I thin it with MEK – nasty nasty stuff put the only thing that will thin this stuff – and give the tank a thinned wash coat first to ensure that it penetrates every tiny nook/cranny/pore. It needs to air-dry for a couple of days before applying the second un-thinned coating – which needs to dry several days before contact with gasoline. The nice thing about having way more liner than you need is that you can pour lots into the tank to ensure that the coating reaches/covers everything – but you must take pains to ensure that all of the excess drains out so that what remains dries completely before contact with fuel.

If you are using a coating, you must either first remove the petcock and plug those holes or use a crummy old petcock as the sacrificial plug. Also make sure you put a layer or two of plastic between the filler cap and the hole before closing the cap. Otherwise, the liner can plug the vent hole in the cap and your tank will not flow gas to the carbs.

Tuning pilot air screws

NOTE: the following is for twin cyl. engines – and singles too.  Fours will not idle on one cyl. so an external tachometer is needed to fine-tune them.  But, in general, just setting the screws to the spec listed in the service manual will be just fine.

The Wretched Truth about Vintage Motorcycles

So You Think You Want a Vintage Motorcycle?

The following is a text I have written to be read and signed by everyone who buys a vintage bike from me. Common sense is, apparently, no longer common. Too often recently I have sold a bike to a customer only to have them call me that night/next day because it is weeping oil or won’t start – or this that or the other thing. These folks have bought a 30-plus year-old machine bike expecting it to be as thoughtlessly reliable as a new bike.

So here is;

The Wretched Truth About Buying and Living with a Vintage Motorcycles

You are buying a geriatric machine designed and built 30-plus years ago during the Golden Age of American consumptionism. Much like computer technology today, motorcycle technology in the ’60s/’70s was evolving at a furious rate. A conservative design-life back then was 10 years. None of the designers, engineers or buyers dreamed that these bikes would be in use for more than a few years.

But they are – and we have to think of them and live with them much as we would with a geriatric human. Think of your cranky old grandmother.

We treat our old folks very differently and expect different things of them than we do people in their prime. Our old folks need a lot more of our time, patience, and help than do our friends. They have their “little ways.” So do our vintage motorcycles. Some will not start unless a specific series of steps is taken – and taken just so.

About the bikes I sell:

I am in this crazy vintage bike biz for the long-run. By now I am essentially unemployable so this is the only gig I’ve got. It does not serve my interest to rip anyone off. Au contraire mes amis – I go to some lengths to ensure that a buyer gets a good deal – or “good count” as some of us used to say way back when. I’ll waive a delivery charge or give a copy of the service manual or a special tool that I have two of or a box of spare parts.

I sell bikes in all sorts of conditions – from boxes of parts to ready to ride. I describe each accurately/honestly/fairly. That is its current condition. I can’t predict the future. Vintage bikes can fail at any time – anything from a minor nuisance like a turn signal switch to a catastrophic engine failure. Japanese production quality control was already pretty good back then but I have seen parts break in perfectly maintained engines due to an unseen/undetected flaw in the basic casting of a machined part.

page 1 of 2.

Buyer’s signature and date: ___________________________________________________
Have I made myself clear?

Here’s a precis:

I describe my stuff honestly. I give my customers a good/fair deal. There is no warranty of any kind. If it breaks tomorrow, I will fix it – at my usual shop rate.

Now, if you want to complete this purchase, please fill in the following info and sign your name in blood.

Motorcycle being sold: ________________________________________________________

Buyer: _____________________________________________________________________

Address: ___________________________________________________________________

State: _____________________________________________________________________

Telephone: ________________________________________________________________

Email: _____________________________________________________________________

I have read and understood the foregoing and agree in all respects.

Signature: __________________________________________________________________

Date: ________________________

The Politics of Language – a moto-free bit of rather gloomy new year froth

Contention: Reality – daily/lived/meaning-full reality (what “everybody knows”)- is produced/reproduced/challenged/defended/changed through language – and particularly through every-day thought-less language.

Here’s an off-the-top-of-my-head example:

“He’s unconstrained by the facts.”

“He’s a compulsive liar.”

Same facts, different realities.

Here’s a reverse example:

“Muslim fundamentalist”

It used to mean a very strict and pious old man.

Now it means “terrorist” which means “legitimate target” which is a thing and not a fully-paid-up member of the human tribe.

One more example (addendum 12/31/11)

The here-and-now meaning of “Marxist” is subjugation of the individual to the will and whim of the State apparatus – generally an oppressive/totalitarian State.   Karl Marx would be horrified at much of what has been done in his name.  Marx was a humanist – a historically-informed romantic/utopian.  The dignity and fulfillment of the individual within a complex society was his main concern.  He accurately saw and foretold the subjigation of the individual, social life, and, eventually, the apparatus of State itself/the government to the heartless self-legitimating logic of capital.  Greed is good. (G.Geko)

Who chooses the language we use? Language is power, yes – the power to create reality. It happens every day – every time you write or speak or hear or read language. Who chooses the language we use? Do you like the reality they have chosen for you?

Let’s all pay a bit more attention this new year,
Chris

Rehabilitating disc brake calipers

Kelly,
The pitting is due to accumulated water in the hygroscopic DOT 3/4 brake fluid finding its way through the chrome plating on the surface of the pistons to the steel of the piston itself and rusting it. The aluminum alloy of the caliper body is unaffected.

I have found that a piston with mild pitting can be re-used. If you can send me a few pix of your pistons, I can tell you whether I would re-use or replace them.

The most common problem with old/neglected disc brakes is drag – the pistons not retracting fully when the lever is released. I almost never see fluid leaking past the piston due to seal failure around the piston. The drag is caused by crud building up behind the sealing ring and forcing it too tightly against the piston. I remove the seal and clean out the crud from the seal groove with a dental pick or similar tool. Also clean any crud stuck to the back of the seal. Nine times out of ten, this restores the brake to good working order – with no need for stupidly expensive parts – e.g. $30 for a rebuild kit which is just the rubber o-ring/seal.

If the pistons are stuck in their bores, you can remove the caliper from the disc but keep all the hoses hooked up and use the lever to pump the pistons out of their bores. Alternatively, a grease gun fits the tip of the bleeder screw like it was made for it. Blank off the brake line hole with a short bolt and crack the bleeder screw a 1/2 turn or so. I have yet to fail to move a stuck piston with this method. If you have a caliper with more than one piston, you will have to devise an ad-hoc method to hold one in place while the other is removed. A small C-clamp often works.

All of this can be prevented if the brake fluid is changed once in a while.

Cheers,

Chris