GS550E Front and Rear Brake Caliper rebuild kit

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  • Guest

    #1

    GS550E Front and Rear Brake Caliper rebuild kit

    Hi everyone,

    Does anybody know of anyone selling an 'overhaul'/'rebuild'/'service kit' for the 1978 GS550E front and rear brake calipers?

    i have (as we are all instructed) searched this and other forum threads and cannot find anything. My front and rear are in pretty crappy order so i thought that perhaps do a complete refresh of all moving parts.

    Any thoughts, links, recommendations gratefully received.

    Thanks as ever
  • Grimly
    Forum Guru
    Past Site Supporter
    Super Site Supporter
    • Sep 2012
    • 5771
    • Ireland

    #2
    CMSNL have them for your year.
    Beware, it's the crappy hockey-puck earlier caliper and if you're happy with that, best of luck.
    Dave
    '79 GS850GN '80 GS850GT
    Only a dog knows why a motorcyclist sticks his head out of a car window

    Comment

    • Guest

      #3
      Originally posted by Grimly
      CMSNL have them for your year.l
      Thank you Dave always appreciate your replies mate. CMSNL do seem to take the *@%^$*@%^$*@%^$*@%^$ on price

      Comment

      • roeme
        Forum Sage
        Past Site Supporter
        • Jul 2015
        • 1206
        • Switzerland

        #4
        Originally posted by MikeinSaudi
        Hi everyone,

        Does anybody know of anyone selling an 'overhaul'/'rebuild'/'service kit' for the 1978 GS550E front and rear brake calipers?

        i have (as we are all instructed) searched this and other forum threads and cannot find anything. My front and rear are in pretty crappy order so i thought that perhaps do a complete refresh of all moving parts.

        Any thoughts, links, recommendations gratefully received.

        Thanks as ever
        Ebay. for a front example: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Suzuki-GS-5...9/181937526491
        (Can recommend this seller, bought from him before, contacted me to verify that I _really_ got the right kit, because 550E '78/'79 models are different between countries).

        If need new pistons (been there), I had good experience with https://www.wemoto.com.

        If you need a complete new caliper...well, best look locally for a second-hand one (that's what I did). Parts houses and/or regular suppliers do price such parts/assemblies dearly.
        #1: 1979 GS 550 EC "Red" – Very first Bike / Overhaul thread        New here? ☛ Read the Top 10 Newbie mistakes thread
        #2: 1978 GS 550 EC "Blue" – Can't make it a donor / "Rebuild" thread     Manuals (and much more): See Cliff's homepage here
        #3: 2014 Moto Guzzi V7 II Racer – One needs a runner while wrenching
        #4: 1980 Moto Guzzi V65C – Something to chill

        Comment

        • roeme
          Forum Sage
          Past Site Supporter
          • Jul 2015
          • 1206
          • Switzerland

          #5
          Originally posted by Grimly
          CMSNL have them for your year.
          Beware, it's the crappy hockey-puck earlier caliper and if you're happy with that, best of luck.
          https://www.cmsnl.com/suzuki-gs550-1.../BLCK0004.html
          ...I assume there's a newer and better caliper that is backwards compatible?
          #1: 1979 GS 550 EC "Red" – Very first Bike / Overhaul thread        New here? ☛ Read the Top 10 Newbie mistakes thread
          #2: 1978 GS 550 EC "Blue" – Can't make it a donor / "Rebuild" thread     Manuals (and much more): See Cliff's homepage here
          #3: 2014 Moto Guzzi V7 II Racer – One needs a runner while wrenching
          #4: 1980 Moto Guzzi V65C – Something to chill

          Comment

          • salty_monk
            Forum LongTimer
            GSResource Superstar
            Past Site Supporter
            Super Site Supporter
            • Oct 2006
            • 14003
            • London, UK to Redondo Beach, California

            #6
            You can fit the twinpot caliper upgrade with a Honda Blackbird disk/rotor....

            There are a couple of different calipers you can fit.

            1980 GS1000G - Sold
            1978 GS1000E - Finished!
            1980 GS550E - Fixed & given to a friend
            1983 GS750ES Special - Sold
            2009 KLR 650 - Sold - gone to TX!
            1982 GS1100G - Rebuilt and finished. - Sold
            2009 TE610 - Dual Sporting around dreaming of Dakar..... - FOR SALE!

            www.parasiticsanalytics.com

            TWINPOT BRAKE UPGRADE LINKY: http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...e-on-78-Skunk/

            Comment

            • roeme
              Forum Sage
              Past Site Supporter
              • Jul 2015
              • 1206
              • Switzerland

              #7
              Originally posted by salty_monk
              You can fit the twinpot caliper upgrade with a Honda Blackbird disk/rotor....

              There are a couple of different calipers you can fit.

              https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...00C&highlight=
              Ah, the twinpot upgrade - no, I had something like a bolt-on, no-modification needed, just translating a caliper from later models in mind.
              Model designations are a bit mushy for these years around here, hence my confusion. My GS550's, in other countries might have an 'E' designation (and it's punched on the frame),
              but have dual discs at the front, and have been assigned a 'D' or 'DC' designation in Germany/Switzerland. Makes it quite hard to find the correct literature. But thanks to the dual discs, guess I don't need the twinpot upgrade
              #1: 1979 GS 550 EC "Red" – Very first Bike / Overhaul thread        New here? ☛ Read the Top 10 Newbie mistakes thread
              #2: 1978 GS 550 EC "Blue" – Can't make it a donor / "Rebuild" thread     Manuals (and much more): See Cliff's homepage here
              #3: 2014 Moto Guzzi V7 II Racer – One needs a runner while wrenching
              #4: 1980 Moto Guzzi V65C – Something to chill

              Comment

              • Guest

                #8
                Originally posted by roeme

                If you need a complete new caliper...well, best look locally for a second-hand one (that's what I did).
                Roeme,

                Thanks for taking the time to respond and the details that you passed are really helpful - much appreciated.

                Comment

                • Guest

                  #9
                  Originally posted by salty_monk
                  You can fit the twinpot caliper upgrade with a Honda Blackbird disk/rotor....
                  Thanks Salty,

                  i had a really good look at that thread and maybe next time....i am rebuilding this bike having bought it in boxes! So i am trying to keep the price of things i throw at it to a minimum. Once its working and ridable then i will put more money into the project.

                  Thanks again

                  Comment

                  • roeme
                    Forum Sage
                    Past Site Supporter
                    • Jul 2015
                    • 1206
                    • Switzerland

                    #10
                    Btw, can you provide some pictures? It takes quite a bit for a caliper to be unusable. As long as the sealing grooves and threads are fine, they should be recoverable.
                    #1: 1979 GS 550 EC "Red" – Very first Bike / Overhaul thread        New here? ☛ Read the Top 10 Newbie mistakes thread
                    #2: 1978 GS 550 EC "Blue" – Can't make it a donor / "Rebuild" thread     Manuals (and much more): See Cliff's homepage here
                    #3: 2014 Moto Guzzi V7 II Racer – One needs a runner while wrenching
                    #4: 1980 Moto Guzzi V65C – Something to chill

                    Comment

                    • Guest

                      #11
                      Originally posted by roeme
                      Btw, can you provide some pictures?
                      Hey Roeme,

                      Sure will, spent the day in the workshop (i am on holiday just now having been stuck in Saudi for 8 months) but i have been building benches for my wife in her part of the workshop. I will get back out tomorrow and take some pics and post them up.

                      Thanks again guys

                      Comment

                      • Grimly
                        Forum Guru
                        Past Site Supporter
                        Super Site Supporter
                        • Sep 2012
                        • 5771
                        • Ireland

                        #12
                        Originally posted by roeme
                        ...I assume there's a newer and better caliper that is backwards compatible?
                        Not certain about the 550E, but the other ones with that caliper / fork leg(s) are a bolt-on upgrade for the 80-onwards better calipers.
                        Dave
                        '79 GS850GN '80 GS850GT
                        Only a dog knows why a motorcyclist sticks his head out of a car window

                        Comment

                        • Guest

                          #13
                          Originally posted by Grimly
                          Not certain about the 550E, but the other ones with that caliper / fork leg(s) are a bolt-on upgrade for the 80-onwards better calipers.
                          I'm pretty sure the situation is the same for the 550s. I have both types of caliper in the workshop - if I get a minute I'll see if they fit the same fork leg.

                          Comment

                          • Guest

                            #14
                            Originally posted by steveb922
                            I'm pretty sure the situation is the same for the 550s. I have both types of caliper in the workshop - if I get a minute I'll see if they fit the same fork leg.
                            That would be great to see Steve, thanks

                            Comment

                            • hampshirehog
                              Forum LongTimer
                              Past Site Supporter
                              • Oct 2007
                              • 12675
                              • Hampshire. UK

                              #15
                              If you need new pistons go stainless and they're done forever. I've bought a good few from this guy - excellent quality, service and price:
                              79 GS1000S
                              79 GS1000S (another one)
                              80 GSX750
                              80 GS550
                              80 CB650 cafe racer
                              75 PC50 - the one with OHV and pedals...
                              75 TS100 - being ridden (suicidally) by my father

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