My front brake install, with pics.

[r2t2]

Excellent write up! About the only thing I do different is I use brake fluid to clean the pistons and seals. It cleans them and provides a bit of lubrication. Although I may try the dish soap method... A lot less toxic!

[jamiemac]

Excellent write up! About the only thing I do different is I use brake fluid to clean the pistons and seals. It cleans them and provides a bit of lubrication. Although I may try the dish soap method... A lot less toxic!

Brake fluid works good for that, but it will strip the paint off the caliper. Brake fluid is water soluble though, just be sure to clean it off fast.

[wildnphx]

wow, great thread. i m about to do the brake job and your thread is right on

thx

Thank you for taking the time to do such a great job explaining the process as I am also getting ready to replace mine.

Thx

[jaclaw]

Previous bikes have called for copper grease on the guide pins and the back sides of the brake pad (toward the pistons), C14 shop manual does not.  Is this a good practice anyway?     

[r2t2]

I've always applied a thin coat of anti-seize on all my brakes' guide pins. I have a real (mental) issue with dissimilar meatls in a hostile environment...

[qyetman]

Thanks for the great post and pictures. I am sure this will help all the diy guys!!!

[jamiemac]

Previous bikes have called for copper grease on the guide pins and the back sides of the brake pad (toward the pistons), C14 shop manual does not.  Is this a good practice anyway?   

It doesn't harm anything. I prefer not to, but other folks do. Just personal preference.

[jamiemac]

Update on the brake performance after 5000 miles. EBC pads are doing great. Very progressive feel, & fantastic stopping power. No noise above normal friction noise, & because of the thorough scrubbing of the piston, My calipers are retracting normally with no drag. The EBC pads are definitely a quality item.

[pistole]

On antilock brakes on some cars, You have to go through a special procedure to bleed the brakes. Most of those complicated systems were made by Bosch, & to say they sucked, would be an insult to things that suck.

Our bikes antilock system is of the solenoid type, & thankfully the solenoids are in the open position when not active, so the fluid will drain with no problem. The linked brake system should bleed the dame way, although, for the frt caliper that is linked to the rear brake, it's a good idea to check the fluid level in the rear master cylinder.

- thanks for that. How did you confirm that the abs on the c14 does not need a special procedure applied to the abs pump to enable bleeding ?

.

[jamiemac]

- thanks for that. How did you confirm that the abs on the c14 does not need a special procedure applied to the abs pump to enable bleeding ?

.

Logic. Accumulator type ABS systems are much too large & cumbersome to use on a motorcycle. There would be no place to put it, therefore, logic dictates it is a solenoid type. They are pretty much all the same.

Heheh...Also, it's in the service manual.

[drizoiu]

Hello Jamie,
  Thanks for that DETAILED brake installation and PICTURES TOO.
I have a 2009 C14 ABS.I replaced the disks in the front with EBC ones and after 4-5000 miles I am experiecing shuddering when I aplly the front brake and keep the pressure on the lever constant. Some say that the stock pads are causing that so I've replace them too. When I installed the disks there was a spacer that goes between the disk and thw wheel. Replacing the stock disks with aftermarket EBC ones do I have to leave the spacer there too???
 The reason I am asking is because the Repair BOOK sais that: " the air gap between the Sensor and the wheel speed sensor disc should be 0.7-0.9 mm and I don't have that air gap with the sensor mouted , only at the sensor seat(the hole where the senson goes) and it is about 0.7 only.
 Do you have any suggestions??? THANK YOU in advance for any of ideas

[jamiemac]

Hello Jamie,
  Thanks for that DETAILED brake installation and PICTURES TOO.
I have a 2009 C14 ABS.I replaced the disks in the front with EBC ones and after 4-5000 miles I am experiecing shuddering when I aplly the front brake and keep the pressure on the lever constant. Some say that the stock pads are causing that so I've replace them too. When I installed the disks there was a spacer that goes between the disk and thw wheel. Replacing the stock disks with aftermarket EBC ones do I have to leave the spacer there too???
 The reason I am asking is because the Repair BOOK sais that: " the air gap between the Sensor and the wheel speed sensor disc should be 0.7-0.9 mm and I don't have that air gap with the sensor mouted , only at the sensor seat(the hole where the senson goes) and it is about 0.7 only.
 Do you have any suggestions??? THANK YOU in advance for any of ideas

I haven't used the EBC rotors yet, but there is at least one person on the forum that has, because I remember reading about his install. I do believe he left the spacer out, but as a measure of safety, I would search for the post about EBC rotors. When you find Him, I would send Him a message, just to make sure. My memory isn't 100% on it.

[MAN OF BLUES]

Excellent write up! About the only thing I do different is I use brake fluid to clean the pistons and seals. It cleans them and provides a bit of lubrication. Although I may try the dish soap method... A lot less toxic!

Brake fluid works good for that, but it will strip the paint off the caliper. Brake fluid is water soluble though, just be sure to clean it off fast.

nice writeup Jamie,
but I have to add a word of caution here about using brake fluid for anything other than filling the sealed brake system....
Never use brake fluid to lubricate and or clean the brake pistons unless you intend to completly disassemble, clean, and re-assemble the parts in a clean and dry state. You can use it as an assist if you are "polishing" the pistons to remove pits and corrosion, but you must compleltly clean the parts using Brake-Kleen afterwards.....never use it as an assembly lube.
Brakefluid is hydgrophobic, and will suck up moisture, and hold it wherever it exists, therefore if you lube the piston and seals, the area that is exposed to the environment WILL corrode, invisibly inside the piston /bore that you cannot see on the outboard side of the sealed cavity.
not good.

[Conrad]

nice writeup Jamie,
but I have to add a word of caution here about using brake fluid for anything other than filling the sealed brake system....
Never use brake fluid to lubricate and or clean the brake pistons unless you intend to completly disassemble, clean, and re-assemble the parts in a clean and dry state. You can use it as an assist if you are "polishing" the pistons to remove pits and corrosion, but you must compleltly clean the parts using Brake-Kleen afterwards.....never use it as an assembly lube.
Brakefluid is hydgrophobic, and will suck up moisture, and hold it wherever it exists, therefore if you lube the piston and seals, the area that is exposed to the environment WILL corrode, invisibly inside the piston /bore that you cannot see on the outboard side of the sealed cavity.
not good.

Hey MOB, you mean hygroscopic right?   

I doubt that the brake fluid has any fear of water...

[jamiemac]

nice writeup Jamie,
but I have to add a word of caution here about using brake fluid for anything other than filling the sealed brake system....
Never use brake fluid to lubricate and or clean the brake pistons unless you intend to completly disassemble, clean, and re-assemble the parts in a clean and dry state. You can use it as an assist if you are "polishing" the pistons to remove pits and corrosion, but you must compleltly clean the parts using Brake-Kleen afterwards.....never use it as an assembly lube.
Brakefluid is hydgrophobic, and will suck up moisture, and hold it wherever it exists, therefore if you lube the piston and seals, the area that is exposed to the environment WILL corrode, invisibly inside the piston /bore that you cannot see on the outboard side of the sealed cavity.
not good.

Definitely a good post. Thanks for the additional info!

[jamiemac]

Hey MOB, you mean hygroscopic right?   

I doubt that the brake fluid has any fear of water...

Or has rabies! LOL

[pasini510]

I too have expirencing some shudder when i apply front brake. On another website , COG Grumpy Goat talked about using a 10 mm allen and brake cleaner to free up the Rivets that hold the disc to the carrier. It seems that they are spring loaded. I did this,and my front brakes are great now and I have minimal shudder. Its 5 times better than before and it took all off 30 minutes to do. 

[jamiemac]

I too have expirencing some shudder when i apply front brake. On another website , COG Grumpy Goat talked about using a 10 mm allen and brake cleaner to free up the Rivets that hold the disc to the carrier. It seems that they are spring loaded. I did this,and my front brakes are great now and I have minimal shudder. Its 5 times better than before and it took all off 30 minutes to do. 

Cool post! Great info.

[jamiemac]

My EBC brakes now have about 7K miles on them now. Still working as good or better than new. No brake dragging when moving the bike around in the driveway. Cleaning those brake pistons is important.

[elektradw]

Reading your post and I decided better check my EBC pads after about 15K. Good thing I did as the pads were worn pretty much to their service limit. Cleaned pistons and calipers  per your instructions and installed new EBC pads and ready to go. Thanks for the post and the wake up call.