Removing the rear caliper. 02 ST1300, NON abs

Interesting...the OP dropped off the radar.
Wonder if he was able to sort through all the issues, or more likely, gave up and threw in the towel :doh1:
I hope that spring on the caliper pin didn't jump off and put an eye out :rofl1:
I sent a couple PM's to him, offering to assist him in any way possible, but he never responded.
 
A picture paints a thousand words, I know it's an old clique but that photo is the reason why I avoid anything that has any evidence that anyone [at all] outside of plugs and an oil change has ever pulled a wrench on. Three bikes and three vehicles later it's working for me.
I know there's a lot to be said for choosing something well maintained over something with low miles but has been neglected too long but there's not always an easy way to know how bad anything might have got before any repairs or maintenance was done, what got [can I say... no, probably not] modified, and what all got heat soaked beforehand.
Talking to guys coming out of various trades it seems we're getting back to rote methods in technical service training vs meaningful understanding, which worked well enough in the early 1800s but doesn't equip anyone to mess with these linked braking systems, unless you just replace everything.
 
I think if anyone is looking at an old bike, then they have to be prepared with the thought - if anything can go wrong, it probably has already - and I will ned to fix it.

I recently had that experience with my brother's bike. Told him I'd sort it for him. A1996 CBS/ABS/TCS ST1100. About 30K on the clock. It was OK for about 5,000 miles and then it wasn't.
Rear brake seriously dragging. Worked out what might be the problem and totted it up.
I was lucky to get away with 7 new pistons, full set of seals, new brake lever spring and circlip and a new split pin for the SMC linkage.

Talk about one problem leading to another. The brake pedal wasn't returning. The pivot 'bearing' was bone dry and corroded. A winter of riding later it was stuck on. Rear brake got hot, overheated, melted seals, wore pads down. On top of that the linkage in the SMC was not moving freely. I took it off and got it home - I couldn't move either of the pivots. The SMC itself was fine - just the pivot assembly. That poor rear pad didn't stand a chance.

A bit of TLC and got the pivot moving freely. I know how that goes together again - but it makes absolutley no sense when it is in your hand ! A bit of makeshift 'reaming' of the brake pedal shaft and 'bearing'. Standard clean up of calipers (which were remarkably gunge free), a pair of 2/3 used pads from my 1300 (same fit) and a dawn to dusk re-assembly job and refill and bleed and he was good to go. Except that his MOT had run out while it was in pieces. He got it booked in for a couple fo days later, so his first test ride was carried out en-route. Passed.

But I'm looking at it and thinking - this needs doing, that needs doing. I used to love my 1100s but I was always working on them. I quite enjoyed it - but I'm 18 years older now - I don't miss it.
 
jfheath said:
I think if anyone is looking at an old bike, then they have to be prepared with the thought - if anything can go wrong, it probably has already - and I will ned to fix it.

I recently had that experience with my brother's bike. Told him I'd sort it for him. A1996 CBS/ABS/TCS ST1100. About 30K on the clock. It was OK for about 5,000 miles and then it wasn't.
Rear brake seriously dragging. Worked out what might be the problem and totted it up.
I was lucky to get away with 7 new pistons, full set of seals, new brake lever spring and circlip and a new split pin for the SMC linkage.

Talk about one problem leading to another. The brake pedal wasn't returning. The pivot 'bearing' was bone dry and corroded. A winter of riding later it was stuck on. Rear brake got hot, overheated, melted seals, wore pads down. On top of that the linkage in the SMC was not moving freely. I took it off and got it home - I couldn't move either of the pivots. The SMC itself was fine - just the pivot assembly. That poor rear pad didn't stand a chance.

A bit of TLC and got the pivot moving freely. I know how that goes together again - but it makes absolutley no sense when it is in your hand ! A bit of makeshift 'reaming' of the brake pedal shaft and 'bearing'. Standard clean up of calipers (which were remarkably gunge free), a pair of 2/3 used pads from my 1300 (same fit) and a dawn to dusk re-assembly job and refill and bleed and he was good to go. Except that his MOT had run out while it was in pieces. He got it booked in for a couple fo days later, so his first test ride was carried out en-route. Passed.

But I'm looking at it and thinking - this needs doing, that needs doing. I used to love my 1100s but I was always working on them. I quite enjoyed it - but I'm 18 years older now - I don't miss it.
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Vehicle troubles increase with both age and the complexity of the vehicle. We are especially at the mercy of all the little electronic decision makers in most every system on the bikes. Confounding that is the full dress suit on both our ST's. Some proportion of us never look there until there is a problem.....usually caused by not looking under her skirt. Don't clean it regularly enough? you will have corrosion related problems and surprise leaks from fuel, oil, water and vent hoses. Get a manual and DO the suggested inspections/maintenance mentioned on the little mileage schedule. Not criticizing anyone, I have good friends who don't care for working on bikes.....they simply trade them off much quicker than many of us do. As for me, I prefer long term relationships, keeping them 'til it just isn't practical for me to keep up with.
 
Igofar said:
Did anyone else spit coffee on the keyboard when they saw his picture?
Bent guide dowel, displaced rubber grommet, what appears to be a damaged rear piston, and wait for it..........
what the heck is that rusty coiled spring on the pad retaining pin???? :doh1:
That picture speaks volumes about how someone (hopefully prior owner) knew absolutely nothing about the brake system, and was trying to jury rig stuff to keep the rear brake from locking up.
I'll bet anyone here a donut and a cup of coffee that the SMC on this bike is completely trashed as well.
Keeping fingers crossed that our OP won't try to ride the bike before its completely gone through and deemed safe.
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Yea, it's funny how a supposedly frozen piston goes in when the brake hose is off. :thumb:
 
WJHamel said:
Yep. I figured that out. I have the caliper off and now realize i need to go buy an air compressor. smdh. You think a 160PSI compressor will blow those pistons out?
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You don't need a compressor, just put the brake hose back on and slowly pump the brake. When a piston is siezed badly compressed air sometimes doesn't work.
 
Al st1100 said:
Yea, it's funny how a supposedly frozen piston goes in when the brake hose is off. :thumb:
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And I really enjoyed the cheap purple Chinese brake pads from eBay :rofl1:
What is sad, is this poor guy probably knows enough about brakes to think he’s right, but not enough to know that he’s wrong.
He’s probably going to drop it off at a shop, where some young kid will damage it further because he’s never seen or worked on one.
 
Igofar said:
What is sad, is this poor guy probably knows enough about brakes to think he’s right, but not enough to know that he’s wrong.
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Yes - probably. And I know that isn't a negative statement about him - you don't know what you don't know. It's a big step to take.

Anecdote: My wife related this story of how as a kid she had proudly demonstrated that not only could she count to a hundred, but could count to a thousand.
It's a boring one sided conversation, but she triumphantly reached the magic number - the biggest number imaginable - and basked in the accolades from doting parents and friends.

Her uncle, who was a headteacher, waited for the fuss to die down and said quietly, but clearly "One thousand and one". She remembers clearly this feeling of barriers being torn down and a wealth of knowledge yet to be discovered opening up in front of her.
 
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Igofar said:
And I really enjoyed the cheap purple Chinese brake pads from eBay :rofl1:
What is sad, is this poor guy probably knows enough about brakes to think he’s right, but not enough to know that he’s wrong.
He’s probably going to drop it off at a shop, where some young kid will damage it further because he’s never seen or worked on one.
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Its not enough to laugh at his predicament and mock his mechanical ability, but then you have to add that if he takes his bike to a shop, they're likely going to screw it up on him. (I think you may have forgotten your trademark:rofl1: at the end of that last sentence) I cant imagine what the OP thinks now or why he has disappeared.
 
Nobody was mocking his ability, I even sent several messages offering to assist, and point out things because they might have been new to him on a bike he has never owned or worked on.
And was only pointing fun at the things that are normally found on these bikes, when purchased used, and sold as “in great condition “ “ready to ride across county” that I see on a weekly basis on bikes that come through the garage.
And just for you….:rofl1:
 
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