And no, I don't mean summer is on the way! Since buying the KZ I've done more work on my 'non-project' bike. It's been one thing after the other. So, where am I up to? Well, the Fazer had new front brakes and discs a couple of months ago after they started binding. Then the downpipes (and the bike looks fantastic now because of them). Well, last week was MOT time. I'd left it late - it was due on the Friday but I was going away on the bike on the Thursday, so naturally I waited until the Thursday to get it done. Actually, I couldn't do it any earlier as my back pads were worn to the metal just about and I was waiting on new ones being delivered.
The pads came on the Wednesday with a new set of piston seals - I wanted to give the callipers a good cleanup and rebuild. But I didn't have time for this on the Wednesday so I chucked the new pads in and hoped that would be enough to get through the MOT. Because the pistons were absolutely pitted (I don't think they've ever been done by the looks of them) I had some massive grab on the new pads. So much so, my disc was red hot to touch even after a short 3 mile journey - my pads were in constant contact with the disc. Now that's an MOT fail if it's grabbing too much, but even worse it's about £60 for a new rear disc if this one warps due to the heat.
Still, there was nothing I could do at the moment. I didn't have time to clean them properly, and I'd just used my last squirt of brake cleaner. Uh oh. I need the bike to go away for a rally. I think I spent the whole day praying for it to pass - and it did, with two advisories: Grab on the front and the rear, albeit just 'slightly' according to the MOT certificate. A red hot brake disc told me it was a bit more than slightly.
So that brings me to last night - I'd decided to totally rebuild and clean the rear calliper, and also give the front pistons a clean up whilst I was on. When I got the rear calliper off I knew it was going to be a different story. I don't think the calliper had ever been touched, and it wouldn't shock me if the old pads I replaced were the originals too. I managed to get one piston out using the hydraulics and proceeded to spend the next 90 minutes cleaning the calliper and the piston. The worst bit was installing a new dust seal - the piston seal went in easy enough, but the dust seal was a pain. There was so much crud in the groove - but that wasn't surprising considering I had to peel the old one out. If it was left in there any longer I think it might have had plans to merge with the calliper and become one.
Anyway, cleaned up, new seals in, time to get the piston in. This is awkward, very tight to manoeuvre. I had to force it, which just isn't right. As soon as I connected it up to the hydraulics it started oozing brake fluid. Not bad enough I couldn't get the other piston out, but bad enough that it was too dangerous to ride in that condition. I cracked on with the second piston which didn't take as long, but the dust seal was just as much a pain. This piston went back in as expected. Time to get the first out again and see what had happened - my guess was the seal had folder or popped out a little. In fact, what had happened was the seal had had a chunk removed when I forced the piston back. Oh s***. Think, think, think. Old seal! Where did I put it? There it is. Quick clean up and it looks like new - hopefully it works like new. This time the piston went in much much better. Connect it all back up to the lines, and bleed it up. Fill up the reservoir (with the last of my brake fluid - it really looks like I wasn't organised for this job!) and give it a try.
Brilliant! Brakes that work, and release. The back wheel is spinning much freer now, the only drag being caused by the chain. But I'm not happy about having to reuse the old seal. I've marked the reservoir up and will keep an eye just to make sure it's not leaking fluid anywhere. Unfortunately, this process took a little while longer than expected, so I didn't get to do the fronts. However, they only need a quick clean so shouldn't take an hour on Thursday.
But what about the KZ I hear you ask. Well, I have done something on it. I tested the solenoid, which is fine - that means the issue lies with the starter motor. So I gave it a few taps with a big spanner while trying to start, and there were glimpses of life. Wicked! I need to get the starter motor out and clean it up. This on it's own gives more issues though - the KZ uses JIS heads on the casing (JIS are like Philips heads): an absolute pain to use after 30 odd years of no movement. I've been hitting the heads with penetrating oil, and have purchased an impact driver ready. But I am doing something to it at least. I just need to get my front brakes sorted on the Fazer, and then hopefully I can start and spend some time and effort on the KZ.
The pads came on the Wednesday with a new set of piston seals - I wanted to give the callipers a good cleanup and rebuild. But I didn't have time for this on the Wednesday so I chucked the new pads in and hoped that would be enough to get through the MOT. Because the pistons were absolutely pitted (I don't think they've ever been done by the looks of them) I had some massive grab on the new pads. So much so, my disc was red hot to touch even after a short 3 mile journey - my pads were in constant contact with the disc. Now that's an MOT fail if it's grabbing too much, but even worse it's about £60 for a new rear disc if this one warps due to the heat.
Still, there was nothing I could do at the moment. I didn't have time to clean them properly, and I'd just used my last squirt of brake cleaner. Uh oh. I need the bike to go away for a rally. I think I spent the whole day praying for it to pass - and it did, with two advisories: Grab on the front and the rear, albeit just 'slightly' according to the MOT certificate. A red hot brake disc told me it was a bit more than slightly.
So that brings me to last night - I'd decided to totally rebuild and clean the rear calliper, and also give the front pistons a clean up whilst I was on. When I got the rear calliper off I knew it was going to be a different story. I don't think the calliper had ever been touched, and it wouldn't shock me if the old pads I replaced were the originals too. I managed to get one piston out using the hydraulics and proceeded to spend the next 90 minutes cleaning the calliper and the piston. The worst bit was installing a new dust seal - the piston seal went in easy enough, but the dust seal was a pain. There was so much crud in the groove - but that wasn't surprising considering I had to peel the old one out. If it was left in there any longer I think it might have had plans to merge with the calliper and become one.
Anyway, cleaned up, new seals in, time to get the piston in. This is awkward, very tight to manoeuvre. I had to force it, which just isn't right. As soon as I connected it up to the hydraulics it started oozing brake fluid. Not bad enough I couldn't get the other piston out, but bad enough that it was too dangerous to ride in that condition. I cracked on with the second piston which didn't take as long, but the dust seal was just as much a pain. This piston went back in as expected. Time to get the first out again and see what had happened - my guess was the seal had folder or popped out a little. In fact, what had happened was the seal had had a chunk removed when I forced the piston back. Oh s***. Think, think, think. Old seal! Where did I put it? There it is. Quick clean up and it looks like new - hopefully it works like new. This time the piston went in much much better. Connect it all back up to the lines, and bleed it up. Fill up the reservoir (with the last of my brake fluid - it really looks like I wasn't organised for this job!) and give it a try.
Brilliant! Brakes that work, and release. The back wheel is spinning much freer now, the only drag being caused by the chain. But I'm not happy about having to reuse the old seal. I've marked the reservoir up and will keep an eye just to make sure it's not leaking fluid anywhere. Unfortunately, this process took a little while longer than expected, so I didn't get to do the fronts. However, they only need a quick clean so shouldn't take an hour on Thursday.
But what about the KZ I hear you ask. Well, I have done something on it. I tested the solenoid, which is fine - that means the issue lies with the starter motor. So I gave it a few taps with a big spanner while trying to start, and there were glimpses of life. Wicked! I need to get the starter motor out and clean it up. This on it's own gives more issues though - the KZ uses JIS heads on the casing (JIS are like Philips heads): an absolute pain to use after 30 odd years of no movement. I've been hitting the heads with penetrating oil, and have purchased an impact driver ready. But I am doing something to it at least. I just need to get my front brakes sorted on the Fazer, and then hopefully I can start and spend some time and effort on the KZ.