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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | I needed to replace this sucker about 75,000 miles ago because early on I separated the caliper from the holder. Since that time it never was the same and it would rattle, but always worked. I dreaded the work because of the fuss people made about how they just couldn't get it done right, even after taking the bike to the dealer. So, the rear caliper was acting up, making noise after I replaced the rear shock and put everything back together. I've got a used caliper on the carrier with about 20 something thousand miles on it I got from ebay. So I decided on this nice sunny day to dive in and get the wife unit to help. She never got the call. I removed the rear assembly and put on the new, put on the banjo bolt, open the bleeder, put some fluid in the reservoir and pump the pedal a few times. I put a little more fluid in the reservoir, pumped, watched the fluid come out of the hose, and tightened the bleeder. Pumped the pedal a few times and it tightened right up. I decided to bleed out the fronts while I was at it and I could reach them. Tightened all down, topped off and I got brakes. All this in about 30 minutes time. My Vision likes me. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | I'm surprised this hasn't spawned some serious discussions. I took it for a test ride last night and it felt good not to hear the caliper rattling, or the wheel locking on hard braking. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 133
, AR United States | Sounds like another job well done. Did you have to remove anything else for access? |
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Visionary
Posts: 3773
Pittsburgh, PA | just wondering how much cabbage was a replacement caliper if you dont mind me asking.... i just replaced one on my CAR resently.. but there was a core charge refund... =) |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | I couldn't find my ebay history but I believe I got the assembly for around $75 which included the caliper and the bracket. It was used so there was no core. I don't know what the dealer would do with a new one.
BillyJoe, it's one of the easier things to replace, not considering the bleeding the system part. I pulled the axle out to the right side, having to pulled the pushrod swing arm bolt to all the axle to clear the exhaust. Then the banjo is removed, with a pan to catch the fluid. Slide the old assembly out, and slide the new one in. Attach the banjo bolt, push the axle back in and tighten everything down. I used a jack under the tire, with the bike on a Sears motorcycle jack on the second stop. |
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Visionary
Posts: 3006
San Antonio, TX | Chris,
Why didn't you do it sooner??
Stop procrastination soon!
RT |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | Unbelievable, I say. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. I once even lost the pad bolt and the pads fell out about 50 miles into 400 on a day trip to Winchester . I still rode the day without a rear brake. Truthfully, my biggest fear was undoing the line and then not getting it bled back up. I've read the numerous threads where folks would have this problem and thought there was something to it. As long as the bike stopped okay, I could put up with the rattling. I inspected it often. When I replace the shock I noticed it was looser than before so I knew it was time to replace, especially when it would chatter at slow speed. That was only for two days and then I knew it was now or never. A lesson on my part, and I push things to the limit with my "ride 'er until she blows" thinking. I find it hard not to ride, especially if I feel I can get away with it, so far I have. But I see it this way, I more afraid to clean my gutters than I am to ride under nearly any circumstance. Shame on me - and I know you're not afraid to call me out on it. As I say, Ride Hard, Ride Long, Ride Safe. I just need to listen to me... |
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Tourer
Posts: 573
Central Illinois | VARyder, I am always aware that my fears are almost always worse than reality. I can't begin to tell you how often fear has kept me from trying to do something but, and it is a big but, I almost always find that my fears were ill founded. The job almost always turns out to be far easier than I expected it to be. I suspect both of us can learn from the fact that there was really nothing to fear. Please join me in deciding that next time I will just go do what I was afraid to do. I bet that would be a good thing for you too. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | I hear you Oldman. It's like the first time I did my steering bearing, I just imagined that after I got done with the job, the Vision would be unrideable and I'd have to take it to the dealer to fix, leaving without a ride for months. I was able to do it reasonable quick and got it right after a few tweaks. Now I'm doing it in the dark. I find the Victory's an easy machine to work on. I'm just can't wait until it's clutch time. My case has never been opened. |
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Replaced rear caliper