Rear brake caliper removal?

[xman]

To clean up the pistons and replace the pads, I'm trying to take the rear caliper off the caliper bracket. All is still on the bike. I assume the large pin bolt cap unscrews off the pin. I have a 3/8 drive socket on it, and move it 10 degrees and it stops. It maybe the movement is the pin moving.

Can this be done this way, or does the bracket need to moved so the caliper is off the rotor?

Thanks for any help, Tom

[Bighead]

I think you will have to take the rear tire off to get the caliper off the mounting bracket. As far as that bolt it should turn more than what you describe.

[Chrisj CMA]

STOP!  You do not have to unbolt either of those PINS.....they are pins, the caliper just pulls off once you have it off the rotor.  You do not have to remove the rear wheel but you do have to undo the axle nut and pull the axle out far enough to rotate and remove the caliper and caliper plate from the rotor.  The rotor is the locking mechanism to keep the caliper on the pins of the caliper plate

[xman]

Thanks, I couldn't tell from the manual. I've done the rear service, so I've had the axel apart before.

[hubcapsc]

To clean up the pistons and replace the pads, I'm trying to take the rear caliper off the caliper bracket. All is still on the bike. I assume the large pin bolt cap unscrews off the pin. I have a 3/8 drive socket on it, and move it 10 degrees and it stops. It maybe the movement is the pin moving.

Can this be done this way, or does the bracket need to moved so the caliper is off the rotor?

Thanks for any help, Tom

There's people who do it by taking the caliper off the bracket, but I know I'd rather
pull the axle out enough to get the caliper+bracket out together. Jack it up till there's
no weight on the wheel, but it is still touching the ground, makes it easy for me... the
whole "mufflers are in the way" will rear its head I guess, but with it jacked to the
"neutral position" it is easy to take the shocks off and sink the bike down
on the jack until the axle will come out over the pipes... I took pictures last time
I did it  



Most of us have similar jacks... working like this prevents you from setting the jack
at a lock... the 1x crammed into the scissors is my lock... my bike would
certainly fall off my crummy old jack if I didn't use some kind of lock...

-Mike

[Bighead]

Ok slide the axel out far enough to remove it then BTW the rear wheel is 95 % off at that point

[Tfrank59]

To clean up the pistons and replace the pads, I'm trying to take the rear caliper off the caliper bracket. All is still on the bike. I assume the large pin bolt cap unscrews off the pin. I have a 3/8 drive socket on it, and move it 10 degrees and it stops. It maybe the movement is the pin moving.

Can this be done this way, or does the bracket need to moved so the caliper is off the rotor?

Thanks for any help, Tom

From one Tom to another, I wouldn't bother taking the caliper off unless I was going to rebuild it.  You can clean it up pretty good right on the bike and replace the pads without removing anything except the pads, although I'm guessing it's too late for that you've already got the caliper off 

[xman]

Here's what I did, pulled the shocks and lifted the bike so the axle dropped below the mufflers. Pushed the axle out just enough to slide out the caliper bracket. I had to take the pads out before I could split the two parts of the caliper. I cleaned up the caliper and pistons with brake cleaner. Lubed up the pistons and used a clamp to push them back in. I opened the brake fluid tank as the level will rise as the pistons are pushed in. For new pads the pistons need to be all the way in. It all went back together fine.

Thanks again Tom

[Chrisj CMA]

Here's what I did, pulled the shocks and lifted the bike so the axle dropped below the mufflers. Pushed the axle out just enough to slide out the caliper bracket. I had to take the pads out before I could split the two parts of the caliper. I cleaned up the caliper and pistons with brake cleaner. Lubed up the pistons and used a clamp to push them back in. I opened the brake fluid tank as the level will rise as the pistons are pushed in. For new pads the pistons need to be all the way in. It all went back together fine.

Thanks again Tom

Dropping the swing arm so the axle comes out below the exhaust is fine as long as you don't let it go down all the way so all the weight is on the U-joint.  A cargo strap from the lower shock mount (left) to the sissy bar is a good way to limit the travel of the swing arm to JUST what you need and not stress the U-joint