Vacuum bleeder worth having?

Gordon...

I was thinking about this last night, instead of sleeping. I'll have to see what I can rig up or what my gun has for tips. I was planning to first reassemble the caliper and place something as a thin barrier between the pistons, and try to get them to each move toward the other like in the second video. Then if that didn't work, I'd try each half. I'll be sure to wrap in in that case. I'll keep you posted.

Thanks thus far!

TC
 
From your description of the lines and fittings I am guessing your pistons will be a serious fight. The grease gun method may be the only thing that works. I have not had to fight out both pistons on an early brake (yet) But getting the second piston free may take a new trick or two. By the time I get through a system like this I marvel that I had been trusting my life to such a mess.
 
Get one piston moving, then clamp/strap the "mover" so you can focus on freeing the opposite one. Go slow, don't pry things :) The grease gun will work great.
 
Guys, I found a conical rubber fitting for my air gun, so I'll be trying that on each half. Might put each half in an old hiking sock and try to pop some air in each fluid hole.

TC
 
Here's how I did an early caliper that had one piston frozen in place. With the caliper assembled and bleed nipple in tight, blow air into the line hole. If one piston is stuck, only one will move out. If they're both crusty, they may move just a little and stop. You'll need to squeeze them back in (I use a C clamp) and hit them with the air again. Spray brake cleaner on them and just keep working them in and out, eventually one will come out. When one comes out, you need to direct all the air to just the remaining one. Split the caliper, put a small sheet metal "patch" over the crossover hole, and bolt the caliper halves back together. Now air can be fed into either half through the bleed or line hole and not cross into the other side. Now you can blow the remaining piston out.

If you don't have a grease gun, how do you grease the fittings on your bike???? Get one, they're less than $20.
 
Thanks, twins. I might end up trying what you're suggesting. After I tried air, my local bike shop was also unable to get them out. They tried gratis. I can't expect them to try too long for free. They're recommending hooking them up to the new system when I get things together, and pumping them out. Wouldn't I have a huge mess, though, if that worked?

I'm going to go pick up the caliper now. I have not tried the grease gun yet.
 
Yes, that will make a mess, lol. So does the grease gun. I've gotten many sticky and totally frozen ones out just using air. If they don't budge, try squeezing them in 1st with the C clamp to break them free and get them moving. If yours are that stuck, that's why your brake sucked. The early 2 piston caliper is actually considered by many to be a better stopper than the newer one piston unit - when it works properly that is, lol.

How come I can do this at home in my garage and a genuine motorcycle shop can't do it at all? I'd be looking for another shop I think.
 
twins, I picked up a grease gun and a 14 oz. grease cartridge. If it comes to that, though, will I need a particular grease fitting to get the grease onto the caliper? Pitch? Thread? Size? Any info helpful. I'm wondering how that would work.

Before I do that, I'll try to get them to move back in with a C-clamp and try the air again.

Not going to work on this any more tonight... need to decompress the brain a bit.
 
Let me know if you need a donor caliper I have a tx500 in the back of the shop I can grab one off for you
 
RF, is it a complete, ready to install caliper that will fit a '73 TX? I may have to go that route, possibly. I'm trying to determine if a new early caliper from Mike's will work; it looks exactly like mine.

TC
 
It is a complete caliper I would rebuild it as the bike has been at idle for 20 years. It's yours for the cost of shipping if you want it. I believe they are the exact same caliper
 
Thank you for this. It's a possibility, but if it comes to that, I'd need to be certain that it would fit. Also, I was at least using my brake; with yours, sadly, since it's been sitting static, I could wind up in the same place with that one too. I'll keep you in mind, though... this issue could have my bike out of commission for the rest of the season unless I can come up with a solution.

TC
 
Just bumping this for a grease gun fitting question:

I need to try the grease gun trick on my caliper this weekend, but does anyone know if I need - or can get - a grease fitting that I can thread into the caliper's inlet to inject grease?

Thanks muchly!

TC
 
I wouldn't go there unless the air method fails. Like I said, I've never needed to resort to it and I've had calipers that were totally frozen.
 
Well, my first order of business tomorrow (Saturday) will be to split the caliper again and try to get them to move in (or at all) with a c-clamp, and then try the air again. Failing that, I'll have to try grease, or try to hunt down a new caliper.

twins, btw... in a worst case scenario, would you have any idea if Part #08-6008 would fit my '73? This looks exactly like my caliper, but says 74-76. I'm wondering why it's advertised as "early" but not as fitting pre-74.

Cheers and thanks!

TC
 
I think it will. According to Yamaha's part # listings, your caliper was used from '72-'75 and also on other models like the 250, 350, 500, and 750. I'd grab that one from RF since he's offering.

http://www.boats.net/parts/detail/yamaha/Y-306-25810-0A-00.html

I really think once you get the pistons moving a bit, it will come apart. They won't move much when you squeeze them in initially but they don't have to. You're just breaking them free, then the air can move them.
 
twins and Gary, thank you for this. I'm keeping RF's kind offer on the burner in case my efforts are unsuccessful. What's odd, twins, is that on the link you provided, '73 TX650 is not listed as one of the models that it fits... only the 500 and 750. Strange.

Meanwhile, I'll try your tips, twins. I found them referenced here, too (on my actual caliper!), in case you're interested. He seems to move them back to get the seals out with a pick.

I really do appreciate all the help thus far, guys... just having a bit of a struggle with this. :p Sorry...

TC
 
Last edited:
Have you ever heard of drilling a small hole in the caliper and using a punch to pound the piston out? Thread the hole and use Loctite and a set screw / grub screw to seal the hole.

Tom
 
Tom, no I had not heard of that until I saw it referenced in the article I linked above, and now that you mention it.

What size hole are we talking, Tom? I have no threading tools, so I'll only go there if I have to.
 

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