Topic: Cb550 caliper advice

[P.abrera]

Rehab'ing a mistreated cb550 front caliper. Needs a lotta love as you can see

[P.abrera]

Had a whoopsie with the bleeder, sheared off left half of itself stuck in there. Any suggestions on how to get it out?




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[P.abrera]

Will likely need a new piston too as this doesnt look like it'l clean up without some pitting.






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[Muckinfuss]

buy a replacement.  save the headaches.  If it was just one of those problems that you were fixing, that's one thing, but you're basically looking to re-manufacture a part with unknown results.  I've purchased just the 'working' part of the caliper for 70 bucks in nice shiny new condition.  Add a phenolic piston for 50 bucks with a new rubber and you're off an running.  You can also pay more for the whole assembly from David Silver.

[Tempast]

Sorry to derail, but aren't the 550 pistons stainless like the 750s?
What would be the purpose of using a phenolic piston? They're plastic and tend to seize and break on removal. I understand they can be significantly cheaper but the stainless ones should last almost forever if you don't leave the bike out and there's no water in the fluid.

[DavePhipps]

550 pistons were not stainless. The are chromed steel and very prone to corrosion. Phenolic and stainless pistons are the way to go.

[Tempast]

Ah, that's what I was thinking of. My dad got a stainless one for his 750.

[Muckinfuss]

just to note: phenolic is used in most race applications, both cars and cycles.  Several US cars/trucks have them as OEM standard equipment for many years now.  It is superior to stainless....don't kid yourself, stainless will also rust if given the opportunity.