Topic: help a poor newb!

[red_haint]

  Ok, i already typed this and hit the wrong button and lost it!GRRR. long story short, I need to either replace/rebuild the front calipers (piston is toasted as well) or get a complete front end.  Any input is appreciated. Oh, 78 750 SS.

[scunny]

first off to show I know or don't know, aren't your brakes meant to be in front of the legs ?
depends on how buggered your calipers are, I presume you are in the states so if a kit wont do you will find no shortage of replacements on evil-bay

[Rsnip988]

i was wondering the same thing about the front of the forks rather than the back....

I'd look to e-bay or the dealer (only as a last resort) to see if you can find a rebuild kit, i not

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/HONDA-CB750-CB-750-BRAKE-CALIPER-KIT-78-77-FREE-SHIPPIN_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ35592QQihZ003QQitemZ130058047722QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/78-HONDA-CB500-CB550-CB650-CB750-FRONT-BRAKE-CALIPER_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ35592QQihZ003QQitemZ130058940384QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

so under $40 caliper and kit worst case scenerio on E-bucket (ebay)

[red_haint]

I can honestly say, without a doubt, i have no clue as to where the brakes should be! That is where they were when I got it, and I doubt the guy I bought it from did any moves, as he couldn't even clean the carbs w/o messin it up, which is another project in itself.....

[Rsnip988]

oh dont worry, the carbs are easier to clean/rebuild than you think,

its mot losing pieces thats the hard part

[putnaja1]

Is it one caliper or both that have issues?  I'm assuming you've disassembled them and verified what is needed?

At any rate, you can easily get the parts needed and rebuild your brakes..  If those are in fact Honda calipers, look in the FAQ section on parts suppliers..  Both eBay and places like DavidSilver Spares (UK) and Westen Hills Honda (USA) probably have new in stock replacement pistons..

Good luck, and keep us posted- people here have been there and done that, etc.  You'll get your brakes good as new!

Jason

[dusterdude]

i think the f calipers go behind the legs

[Rsnip988]

well heck he can go with the suicide brakes (none up front)  if he doesnt feel like finding tthe parts

[spitfire]

Yep calipers should be there.

[eldar]

yeah gripper are on the back. What you should do is get some calipers for an 82 cb750 and put those on. A member here did that. They work better than the F brakes do since they are  dual piston calipers.

[Bodi]

You don't say what the brake problem is, so maybe there's something seriously wrong?
I assume you have them apart, or you couldn't know the piston is "toasted".
Anyway, parts are available - some or all from Honda. You should get an OEM master cylinder rebuild kit and the caliper piston seals from Honda or an NOS dealer. Check the master reservoir cover gasket and replace it if it's dodgy. The pistons should be available either from Honda/NOS or from an aftermarket catalog a bit cheaper, replace if pitted where the seal rides. I would install a set of braided metal brake lines, plenty of suppliers like Earls - the rubber hoses will be past their service life by now... new rubber lines are available if you like them. Clean everything really well, especially the caliper piston seal grooves. Bleeding a dual disk setup is interesting (!) but not impossible.

[crazypj]

Those are late model DOHC forks, wheels, brakes. (maybe F2 as well, I forget?) Set up is correct. The sliding pins for calipers are probably sticking which makes fork try and twist when you apply brakes (does 'interesting things' to handling) The pads also stick in caliper when the stainless slider/pad shims steel react with alloy of caliper and squeezes the pad. Clean everything up, anti seize it and you'll be good for a year or two
PJ

[red_haint]

well heck he can go with the suicide brakes
And think of the weight savings...I could go a little faster


Do you know if those 82 dual piston calipers bolt right in? 

Oh, the major problem with the brakes is that some funny guy put brake GEL in the lines rather than fluid.  The master needs to be built as well, matter of fact i'm pulling the whole brake system, gonna clean it all out, then replace the line with braided stainless after rebuilding the whole setup.

[johnny-from-bel]

Brake gel how long ago did you change brake fluid. Brake fluid tend to soak up water and turn into gel.

[Bob Wessner]

Brake gel how long ago did you change brake fluid. Brake fluid tend to soak up water and turn into gel.

Actually, there is such a thing as brake gel, but I don't think it goes into the fluid system  . It's smeared on the back of the pads to quiet them.

[Steve F]

well heck he can go with the suicide brakes
And think of the weight savings...I could go a little faster

That reminds me of a joke where the old lady takes her car to the garage to have her antique car's brakes fixed.  The mechanic said "we couldn't fix your brakes, so we made you horn louder".
Back to the topic, the "gel" you refer to is really bad fluid, just minutes away from clogging up everything in your brake system.  A total clean-out is in order.

[red_haint]

Right now i'd say the bike has sat for at least 2 years, but the tabs on the plate say '91, so who knows.  I just got all the brake parts off, except the hoses as they will be replaced with new.  When I went to pull the rear brake setup off, i looked in the resevoir and found only air so quite the change from front.

I like the loud horn joke....sounds like my first brake job a few years ago....

[scunny]

red_haint  seems like you have a sense of humour so welcome to the mad house. keep us posted on your explorations, and give us pics, we like pics 

[red_haint]

mad house, sounds like my kinda place then! But I suppose we must be off our rocker to spend all the money on old bikes when new ones work just fine, but not much class. 

I am trying to gut the rear master cylinder, got the clip off, but everything I see shows that the 'pump' looks the same as the front master, is this right? the dang guts are all screwed up, using dental tools to clean the stinkin thing!