• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

GS550E Front and Rear Brake Caliper rebuild kit

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

Guest
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
 
MikeinSaudi said:
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
Click to expand...

Ebay. for a front example: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Suzuki-GS-...eal-repair-rebuild-kit-1978-1979/181937526491
(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.
 
salty_monk said:
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/_for...e-Upgrade-on-GS550E-GS750C-GS1000C&highlight=
Click to expand...

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 :)
 
roeme said:
If you need a complete new caliper...well, best look locally for a second-hand one (that's what I did).
Click to expand...

Roeme,

Thanks for taking the time to respond and the details that you passed are really helpful - much appreciated.
 
salty_monk said:
You can fit the twinpot caliper upgrade with a Honda Blackbird disk/rotor.... :)
Click to expand...

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
 
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.
 
roeme said:
Btw, can you provide some pictures?
Click to expand...

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
 
roeme said:
...I assume there's a newer and better caliper that is backwards compatible?
Click to expand...

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.
 
Grimly said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
steveb922 said:
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.
Click to expand...

That would be great to see Steve, thanks
 
Mike, if you look real close you'll see the left side of my twinpot calipers from a Ninja 650 (I have the MC from one as well). Someone had already swapped my stock single caliper set up for a dual caliper before I got the bike and I installed Salty Monk's adapters to it in 2011 or so

Antiquity by Scott Baker, on Flickr
 
cowboyup3371 said:
Mike, if you look real close you'll see the left side of my twinpot calipers from a Ninja 650
Click to expand...

Thanks Cowboy, (Scott)

I am actively considering this but rapidly running out of time at home before re-deploying back to Saudi later this month. Trying really hard to get the bike rideable before i go, managed to get it to start last weekend and have a buddy coming round tomorrow to help me progress with the electrics. I may have to leave any further upgrades until it get home next time...maybe January or February.

oh....(pause for effect) and God bless Chris Ledoux!
 
The earlier calipers fitted my 1980 perfectly - so you could use the later style on your 78 if you wanted. Straight swap.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

S
’79 GS850G caliper rebuilt kits
Replies
10
Views
98
salty_monk
salty_monk
martin_montreal
braided steel brake line (front)
Replies
2
Views
82
1978GS750E
1978GS750E
LeonAlistar
FYI - Single Caliper MC Rebuild Kit
Replies
0
Views
59
LeonAlistar
LeonAlistar
E
'79 GS850 - One Year Ownership & Maintenance Summary
Replies
3
Views
52
emlivings
E
NateDogg83
Old Bike, new rider, same ol' problems - 1980 GS550E
Replies
17
Views
192
gtem
gtem
Back
Top