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VFR800 ABS Help! How to push front brake pistons back in without removing caliper?


speedball73

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Hi,

 

i have looked through the various maintenance guides as to the method you all are using for pushing the front brake pistons back on a 6th gen VFR with ABS without removing the front caliper.....is it possible or are you guys just removing the caliper?

 

Thanks,

 

speedball

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I assume this is to ease brake pad replacement? If so, I just wedge a thin blade screwdriver between the rotor and the outer brake pad and pry them apart. You don't really need much extra clearance. Alternatively, you can just press the caliper inboard.

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As Lorne just said, you can use something like a thin screwdriver.  It's good if you can find a second person to help you.  You get all set to apply force with the screwdriver then you direct your "helper" to ease the caliper bleeder ever so slightly open.  Have a paper towel or rag ready because a little bit of brake fluid will come out of the caliper bleeder when you push the pistons back into the caliper.  Replace any lost fluid at the reservoir afterwards.

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Well thanks for the suggestions - Lorne you said “just press the caliper inboard” - do you mean just using your hands? I found they didn’t move much doing that.....

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1 hour ago, speedball73 said:

you said “just press the caliper inboard” - do you mean just using your hands?

Yep, just using hand-power. You are correct that it can take a bit of effort, as well as being awkward, so prying with a screwdriver is preferred. 

 

 

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I would be very cautions about pushing in the calipers against the rotors or using a screwdriver to pry the caliper open against the rotor as well. you do not want to bend the rotor or gouge the surface with the screwdriver. 

 

A bent rotor - even slight - will cause a very unsettling brake pulse. Rotors aren't cheap

 

your better off taking the calipers off.

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The simplest way is to connect a bleed hose & catch bottle to the calliper. Loosen the bleed nipple then using both hands grip the calliper and the disc & squeeze them together. There is NO pressure when you do this. 

 

Now change pads, then top up the master cylinder reservoir with fresh brake fluid. Then pump the lever until brakes are firm. 

 

Job jobbed 👍

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What Mohawk said.

 

 

 

Unless your pistons look like this...

IMG-20190813-WA0007.jpeg

 

 

The pads on my VF400 above have a wee gaps that allows prying between rotor and pad (so not coming near the piston)

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Thanks for all the help and suggestions, I got it done by pushing the caliper against the rotor with a combination of one new and one old pad in there, difference between new and completely worn pads seems like 4mm of pad material, so yeah you don’t need to move it much.

I didn’t have a helper so decided against the bleeding method but I think next time that’s what I’ll do.

Appreciate this great forum as usual.

-speedball


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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