Trouble mounting MikesXS Early caliper

[pslaughter]

Thought I would post to see if anyone else has had trouble with Mikes early OEM dual piston brake caliper. I tore my old one down and was going to have to get new pistons, the o-ring set and a new set of pads-$77. I looked and saw that for $90 you get all that, plus a new OEM caliper, so I went for it. Now I cannot for the life of me get it onto the rotor!
I have a 76C so the caliper goes on the back of the forks and I can get the stud into the hole in the fork, but then I don't have enough clearance to push it away from the spokes and swing it down onto the rotor. I know the original was hard to get off, but it didn't take more than a minute of finessing. This one I've tried over and over and I can't see how it will fit.
Anyone have any ideas? I'll try and post some pictures after work today of the parts that are getting in the way. The caliper looks almost exactly the same as the original, but the two halves don't line up as well as...

Thanks,
Paul

 

[arcticXS]

Thought I would post to see if anyone else has had trouble with Mikes early OEM dual piston brake caliper. I tore my old one down and was going to have to get new pistons, the o-ring set and a new set of pads-$77. I looked and saw that for $90 you get all that, plus a new OEM caliper, so I went for it. Now I cannot for the life of me get it onto the rotor!
I have a 76C so the caliper goes on the back of the forks and I can get the stud into the hole in the fork, but then I don't have enough clearance to push it away from the spokes and swing it down onto the rotor. I know the original was hard to get off, but it didn't take more than a minute of finessing. This one I've tried over and over and I can't see how it will fit.
Anyone have any ideas? I'll try and post some pictures after work today of the parts that are getting in the way. The caliper looks almost exactly the same as the original, but the two halves don't line up as well as...

Thanks,
Paul

On my 1975 RD350, which I believe has the same caliper, it was never possible to remove or mount the caliper with the wheel mounted. So remove the wheel, then mount the caliper, insert the pads and push the pistons back enough for the disc to slot in, remount the wheel. Then bleed the caliper until the lever is firm, finally check the brake is not dragging and that there are no brake fluid leaks. Check fluid level in the reservoir, test the brake a few times, then go for a test ride!

 

[XSLeo]

In the book they say you can remove the lower bolt and rotate the caliper on the top bolt to get it off.
On my 75 I never could get it off that way. Removing the wheel works.
Leo

 

[pslaughter]

Leo,

That's how I got the original off, so I figured the new one (pretty much identical) would go on the same way. Guess I'll have to follow the advice of you and arctic and take the wheel off...

 

[gggGary]

Might have worked with old worn out pads not so much with new thick pads? Had to remove the wheel to do the 73 caliper. Having to do that sucks, don't it?

 

[jd750ace]

My SV's wheel won't come off with the brakes mounted. Guess it cuts both ways.

 

[pslaughter]

I'm a total idiot. It was bolted up to mount for a different year! The 76 has the caliper on the rear of the fork, whereas earlier years had it on the front of the fork. I was looking at it today and realized, there's no way it'll work! Of course now I can't get the dang bolts to come off so I can swap them. They must've loctited them, because after wailing on it with a breaker bar while it was vised up, I still haven't gotten the bolt to budge (I've gotten the stud out).

In case you don't what I mean, here's the part:

And here's how it should mount on my 76:

I think that if MikesXS is going to sell this as a left/right side caliper, as it is listed, it should at least be possible to get the bolts off!

 

[gggGary]

Use a heat gun on the stud bolt, try again. Probably has locktight on it.