cleaning the seal grooves in front calipers

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  • exdirtbiker
    Forum Sage
    • Aug 2011
    • 1579
    • 2 miles from exit 89: Brick NJ

    #1

    cleaning the seal grooves in front calipers

    My 80 GS1000G has rust on both front caliper pistons. The bores in the calipers look great.
    New piston kits getting ordered.
    The grooves in the calipers that the seals go in have "aluminum crud"... badly.

    Any advice for getting them clean enough to let a new seal ..err... seal ???

    (BTW- seal kits are $19 each or more... new piston kits are $22, and they come with the seals ! WRONG- ( sort of ) -- see correction below
    Last edited by exdirtbiker; 06-01-2016, 05:59 PM.
    1980 GS1000G - The Beast - GOING... GOING... yup, it's gone. I'm bikeless !!! GAaaahh !!!
    1978 KZ1000C1 Police - GONE !
    1983 GPZ750, aka ZX750A1 - restored, fresh paint... Gave it back, it was a loaner !!!
    Check My Albums for some of the 30+ headaches I've dealt with

    I know -JUST- enough to make me REALLY dangerous !


  • steve murdoch
    Forum Guru
    Past Site Supporter
    • May 2004
    • 8492
    • St. Catharines, On.

    #2
    I use a Dremel rotary with the brass wheel brush.
    The $5.00 dental picks kit from HF is useful as well.
    2@ \'78 GS1000

    Comment

    • Nessism
      Forum LongTimer
      GSResource Superstar
      Past Site Supporter
      Super Site Supporter
      • Mar 2006
      • 35793
      • Torrance, CA

      #3
      Be sure to replace the brake lines while you are in there if your bike still has the originals.
      Ed

      To measure is to know.

      Mikuni O-ring Kits For Sale...https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ts#post1703182

      Top Newbie Mistakes thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=171846

      Carb rebuild tutorial...https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac...d_Tutorial.pdf

      KZ750E Rebuild Thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...0-Resurrection

      Comment

      • loud et

        #4
        Originally posted by steve murdoch
        I use a Dremel rotary with the brass wheel brush.
        The $5.00 dental picks kit from HF is useful as well.
        I also use these, and the stainless steel version.
        Note: please wear safety glasses. These small wire wheels throw lots of small wires. They will stick right in your skin,, face, Fly right through your clothes etc.....
        Great tool though aside from the potential for blindness. Haha

        Comment

        • Wingsconsin
          Forum Sage
          Past Site Supporter
          • Jan 2013
          • 1725
          • Sussex Wisconsin

          #5
          Originally posted by steve murdoch
          I use a Dremel rotary with the brass wheel brush.
          The $5.00 dental picks kit from HF is useful as well.
          Originally posted by loud et
          I also use these, and the stainless steel version.
          Note: please wear safety glasses. These small wire wheels throw lots of small wires. They will stick right in your skin,, face, Fly right through your clothes etc.....
          Great tool though aside from the potential for blindness. Haha
          ​YES to all this...

          Comment

          • exdirtbiker
            Forum Sage
            • Aug 2011
            • 1579
            • 2 miles from exit 89: Brick NJ

            #6
            piston.JPG
            Correction: $20+ for new Suzuki piston with the seal kit. It's #1 on the Suzuki 'fiche. Bikebandit wants almost double price? maybe typo?
            Suzuki OEM seals are less than $10 for both. the seals plus piston cost $11 or so more.
            The K+L seals are $18+ without piston.
            I'm buying OEM.

            And thanks guys, I'm going to find my brass brushes now :-)
            Last edited by exdirtbiker; 06-01-2016, 06:01 PM.
            1980 GS1000G - The Beast - GOING... GOING... yup, it's gone. I'm bikeless !!! GAaaahh !!!
            1978 KZ1000C1 Police - GONE !
            1983 GPZ750, aka ZX750A1 - restored, fresh paint... Gave it back, it was a loaner !!!
            Check My Albums for some of the 30+ headaches I've dealt with

            I know -JUST- enough to make me REALLY dangerous !


            Comment

            • 850 Combat
              Forum Guru
              Past Site Supporter
              • Sep 2006
              • 6018
              • Spokane, WA, and Hampden, ME

              #7
              I made the same discovery as to the K&L pricing vs OEM pricing. I have used the K&L kits though. Sometimes, the original O rings appear to be perfectly suitable for reuse, once they are thoroughly cleaned (it isn't easy to get the crystalized brake fluid off of them), but I have never tried that. Not yet...
              sigpic Too old, too many bikes, too many cars, too many things

              Comment

              • Steve
                GS Whisperer
                • Jun 2005
                • 35925
                • southwest oHIo

                #8
                Originally posted by loud et
                These small wire wheels throw lots of small wires.
                I use a stainless wire wheel, too, but only at the LOWEST speed.

                The wires are less likely to fly if the speed is kept lower.

                If the speed goes up, I tend to find wires in my shirt sleeves for quite some time later.

                .
                sigpic
                mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
                hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
                #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
                #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
                Family Portrait
                Siblings and Spouses
                Mom's first ride
                Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
                (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

                Comment

                • philosopheriam
                  Forum Mentor
                  Past Site Supporter
                  • Oct 2013
                  • 730
                  • Aurora, IL

                  #9
                  Handheld soda blaster with grocery-store grade baking soda - works like a charm, will get the bores and grooves squeaky clean without damaging them.
                  Cogito ergo sum - "I think, therefore I am"
                  Ren? Descartes

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