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Cleaning gel out of old brake components

Discussion in 'Tech' started by eppy01f4i, Jan 5, 2020.

  1. eppy01f4i

    eppy01f4i Well-Known Member

    I have an old set of R6 calipers and a master I want to use, they are gelled up. Any way of cleaning them without ruining all the seals?

    TIA
     
  2. DaveB

    DaveB Just Riding Around

    If they have been sitting long enough to gel up no way I would trust those seals.
     
  3. eppy01f4i

    eppy01f4i Well-Known Member

    I was afraid of that, guess I’ll rebuild the calipers and toss the stock master.
     
  4. ducnut

    ducnut Well-Known Member

    That stuff is all super-easy to clean and seal kits are cheap.

    Pay attention to seal orientation (the flare goes toward the fluid) and which go where (square seal is usually the outer dust seal and the flared seal is usually the inner).

    Master cylinder rebuild kits usually include the entire guts. When you disassemble, lay it all out on a paper towel, so you get everything installed in the correct order.

    I lubricate all seals with a very light film of petroleum jelly, when assembling. It’ll keep the seals from twisting and dragging.

    Brake cleaner and a brass brush are what I use to clean everything of sludge.
     
    eppy01f4i likes this.
  5. DonTZ125

    DonTZ125 Purveyor of Neat Toys

    You lube with *what*?!?! Brake fluid only! The ONLY thing that should touch brake seals is brake fluid!
     
    TurboBlew and Motofun352 like this.
  6. ducnut

    ducnut Well-Known Member

    Just a light film; not a dab, glob, or any more than that.

    Brake fluid not being finish friendly and having a tendency to creep, I use petroleum jelly.
     
  7. DonTZ125

    DonTZ125 Purveyor of Neat Toys

    There are some grades of silicone grease that can safely be used with brake system components, but *any* contact by a petroleum product can cause serious degradation of the EPDM seals. Don't do it!
     
    TurboBlew and ducnut like this.
  8. TurboBlew

    TurboBlew Registers Abusers

    eppy01f4i likes this.
  9. eppy01f4i

    eppy01f4i Well-Known Member

    Thanks gang, didn’t even know the sold rebuild kits for the OEM masters, glad I don’t have to trash it.
     
  10. vosnick52

    vosnick52 Well-Known Member

    I just rebuilt my 05 gsxr 1000 calipers and was really easy to do. I used oil to lube the seals and pistons.
     
  11. DonTZ125

    DonTZ125 Purveyor of Neat Toys

    ZOMG ...

    Please, before you have a catastrophic failure at speed, get another set of seals and do it again. Lube with silicone grease or brake fluid - *NEVER* with oil.
     
    YamRZ350 and TurboBlew like this.
  12. vosnick52

    vosnick52 Well-Known Member

    Sorry man I uesd RBF 600 brake fluid, not motor oil.
     
    DonTZ125 likes this.
  13. SPL170db

    SPL170db Trackday winner

    I've never understood the people who are averse to following what the service manual tells you with respect to rebuilding the brakes and only lubing the pistons and seals with fresh brake fluid. Brake fluid is slippery as shit and works just fine to get everything reassembled, and I don't know about anyone else but I've never had an issue with pistons and seals coated in brake fluid before reassembly causing an enormous mess, or even a minor one by "creeping" onto finished surfaces. Once everything is seated back into the caliper simply wipe off any excess brake fluid that weeped before reinstalling everything.

    Unless you're doing this with the brake fluid bottle when putting everything back together I don't see the issue :D

    [​IMG]
     

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