Brake caliper seals

[fester2au]

Guys anyone got a trick to getting the dust seal back in the brake caliper around the piston. I never had problems before but blowed if I can get the rear one back in at the moment. Tried pursuading it in around the piston but could not get it to sit into the lip of the caliper. Tried putting it in first but not much luck. Tried hanging it off the end of the piston and getting it in the lip first but it keeps popping off so I can't hold it on to then get it aroound the top of the caliper. In desperation I thought I could maybe push the piston through it and it would stretch around it enough. All I managed to do was pinch the edge of it in the groove and tear it pulling it down into the bore so now it might even be interesting getting the piston back out. Hopefully I have enough air pressure to still get it out. I have been lubing it with brake fluid as I'm out of rubber grease but not sure rubber grease would make much differnce either.

Anyone got any tips for when I go buy another new seal.

[NutterGQ]

i usually put the rubber into the grove on the caliper, then feed air into the caliper through the oil hole, as soon as you put piston on top of seal it forms a seal and actually goes around the piston and your done, I never got shown this method it come to me one day many many years ago when I was stuck but ive used it ever since as its piss easy.

[fester2au]

Nutter are you talking about the actual piston seal that is done inside the caliper of the dust seal that sits in the top lip and also clips intot he lip of the piston so it goes up and down with the piston. This is the one I'm referring to. Is that what your pocess refers. Will give it a go also. Must be just a larger difference in bore size to top of piston lip that I have not encountered before making it quite tight.

[NutterGQ]

Yeah I'm talkin the one that clips into the caliper and piston, so if your finding it tricky to get it over the piston, you clip it into the caliper, get a mate to feed compressed air very slowly into oil feed using standard air blower, as soon as you put piston on top you'll see it inflate and pop over...

[fester2au]

Yeah done worked a treat. Had some other tips but they involved the missus too much. Holding pressure on the piston and getting her to inflate worked. Other way round was no good cause as soon as she saw the seal bag up she'd flinch and release pressure on piston and let it rooster sideways and let air out .Now all I need to do is get another seal kit for the one that I stuffed initially.

Thanks man, must remember that one.

[love ke70]

is this on a gq?
i didnt have an issue putting it around the piston, and then into the caliper, was a pain the ass, but if you worked around with a little screw driver pushing the clip in, all was well

[NutterGQ]

like i say back when i was learning i was told to be patient and use a screwdriver, but I'm not patient so i worked out this way, seems to do the trick, and once you get the hang of it is pretty quick, glad it worked for ya.

[love ke70]

next time im gonna try your way, sounds much easier, im always keen to do something the easy way

[NutterGQ]

lol all good, ill be frucked if i remember what made me try it....maybe it was the bourbons talking.

[fester2au]

This was on a 80 series and the poke in with a little blade was doing nothing I couldn't even get it to start around the front where you have access. The air thing was brilliant, probably takes about 10 seconds and no risk of pinching the seal which is pretty easy even if you are careful. Gotta lube it though, don't think it would be as easy if you tried it dry or just with brake fluid. Get some rubber grease every time or maybe the wifes KY.

[NutterGQ]

lol i use brake fluid but ky could work

[Green80]

There is a proper brake caliper assembly lube available, also some of the rubber greases available are designed for suspension rubbers & other applications & are too thick & sticky to use in brake hydraulics (the Castrol red rubber grease for one)