Changing front brake pads

Hoping to do the job tomorrow-I want to remove both front calipers to clean etc.-I only see reference on this forum to the method whereby it's not necessary to remove the caliper-just the pin and the pads supposedly fall out. The bolts that hold on the calipers are not easily discernible to me-can some kind soul take me through the steps involved in removing the caliper entirely ?
cheers

They are pretty simple. Maybe someone can post a PDF from the service manual for you. I just did mine, lots of sludge behind the pistons. I recommend taking the pistons & seals out (New seals are about $5 a set), and cleaning up everything real good. Unscrewing the Banjo bolt, and working on the calipers on a bench is the easiest. Be sure to use new copper washers on the banjo bolt when reassembling.

This may be more than you were looking to do.... your call.

Front pads are very easy.

First step I'd suggest is to push the pistons back into the caliper, just push the outside of the caliper onto the disc on its sliding pins and the the pistons will be pushed back by the pad.

Next unscrew the caps over the caliper pins, I have taken to using an impact screwdriver for this as the caps and heads are pretty soft.

Next unscrew the pad pins and slide these out, the old pads will probably just fall out. Clean up the pad pin and remove any corrosion, then add a little copper slip to it.

De-glaze the disc with a scotchbrite pad and brake cleaner.

Slip the outer pad into place, make sure the far end goes into the locating tabs, then slip the pad pin in to hold it. If the pin does not slip in easily, the far end of the pad is probably not in the right place. Now repeat with the inner pad, again make sure to get the far end into the locating tab, then move the pin in the rest of the way and screw this in, followed by the cap (put a little copper slip on this also).

Brake pad changing time is a good time to give the caliper some love, and I would actually suggest taking the calipers off the forks/discs, cleaning the pistons (scotchbrite pad/toothbrush) before pushing them back into the calipers, and cleaning and re-greasing the sliding pins.

regarding the bolts, there are two on the right fork that require a 12mm socket. They are the ones attached to the fork tube, they should be pretty obvious. On the left side there are two bolts with allen internal hex heads, the one on the top is a 6mm allen and the bottom one is a 5mm allen. When you pull the calipers off the disks, be careful on the left one and pay attention to the orientation of the collar that fits into the anti-dive unit.

On each caliper there is a slotted screwdriver cover over the pad retaining pin. Use a screwdriver to remove that, and the pad pin is (I think) another 5mm allen.

Many thanks guys-will report back on how it went. My friend Bush suggests I get a service manual so I don't have to keep bugging you all !!
cheers and ride safe.

canoodle said:

Many thanks guys-will report back on how it went. My friend Bush suggests I get a service manual so I don't have to keep bugging you all !!
cheers and ride safe.

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Well, I didn't quite put it THAT way, but I think most would agree that having the manual takes a lot of guesswork out of the equation.

I bought a Honda service manual right after I got my 1100. It is easy to read and follow, but a bit brief. The videos and comments from this group certainly made the hard spots easier for me.

dwalby said:

regarding the bolts, there are two on the right fork that require a 12mm socket. They are the ones attached to the fork tube, they should be pretty obvious. On the left side there are two bolts with allen internal hex heads, the one on the top is a 6mm allen and the bottom one is a 5mm allen. When you pull the calipers off the disks, be careful on the left one and pay attention to the orientation of the collar that fits into the anti-dive unit.

On each caliper there is a slotted screwdriver cover over the pad retaining pin. Use a screwdriver to remove that, and the pad pin is (I think) another 5mm allen.

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+1!.........agree fully! That's the easiest way of replacing brake pads.

dwalby said:

On each caliper there is a slotted screwdriver cover over the pad retaining pin. Use a screwdriver to remove that...

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I've always had to use an impact driver to get the cover off of the pad retaining pin, even when I use anti-seize on the threads.

mcthorogood said:

I've always had to use an impact driver to get the cover off of the pad retaining pin, even when I use anti-seize on the threads.

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The pin ain't goin' anywhere once torqued, so the cover does not need to be wrenched on, just snugged up, for easy removal next time.

Bush said:

The pin ain't goin' anywhere once torqued, so the cover does not need to be wrenched on, just snugged up, for easy removal next time.

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Yep, I always put that cover back on very gently. If it ever falls off because it wasn't tight enough, I'll consider it an unsprung weight reduction farkle

Done and dusted-thanks to all for the assistance-went ok-took about 1/2 hr for both sides-removed the entire caliper-left one a bit trickier than right-but worked out well-just hope the el cheapo brake pads I bought on line for $16 ( 4 pads) are up to the job-feel ok so far. Are the rear pads same as front ?

Yes the rear pad change procedure is the same as the front.

Do you need to remove the wheel for the right fork? (As sat on bike) as I went to remove it the other day, and couldnt see any bolts on the outside of the caliper. They look like they are inside of the wheel?

StuartKeith said:

Do you need to remove the wheel for the right fork? (As sat on bike) as I went to remove it the other day, and couldnt see any bolts on the outside of the caliper. They look like they are inside of the wheel?

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On the 2-piston caliper models (non-ABSII) the fork without anti-dive has two bolts with 12mm heads that attach into flanges on the back of the fork tube. The anti-dive fork has a couple of allen head bolts holding the caliper on.

What Doug said. The ST1100 brake calipers are of the common single action type. No opposing pistons. The caliper body simply slides on two pins; one on its body, the other on the bracket. Remove the two bolts which mount the bracket to the right fork leg. Then remove the pads if you haven't already. Then gently pull the caliper body away from the bracket being careful not to tear the rubber boots covering the slider pins. Check the pins for corrosion and lube them with high temp silicone grease. HTH

Recommend you get a Honda Service Manual if you intend to do your own maintenance on your ST.

Edit. If you have the wheel off you can leave the bracket mounted. You can't pull it apart until the pads are removed though. Same drill for the left caliper. Two hex-socket bolts mount that caliper's bracket to the fork slider.

John

The other thing to look out for when replacing or cleaning pads is rounding of the caliper pin allen head. If this becomes stripped it's a hassle to remove and replace. I ordered 3 pins and replaced the rear and front right caliper but the left was too rounded. After fussing with a small grinder to create (unsuccessfully) a slot in the pin head I just pulled the wheel and used a vise grip to turn the pin and remove it. Also, the allen socket I've been using for for about 10 years is worn and this contributed to the rounding issue, so I've replaced it as well.

Another thing is the torquing of the pin itself. Don't have my manual handy but I think it's 130 in/lbs and I've seen comments that this is unnecessarily tight and a lower number, say 90 - 100, would be sufficient and result in fewer seized or stripped pins. Any thoughts on this?

ReSTored said:

Another thing is the torquing of the pin itself. Don't have my manual handy but I think it's 130 in/lbs and I've seen comments that this is unnecessarily tight and a lower number, say 90 - 100, would be sufficient and result in fewer seized or stripped pins. Any thoughts on this?

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I just give it a snug turn with very little leverage and that's it. Never had one come loose. I never measured it, but I suspect even if it started backing out it would hit the threaded cover before it came out far enough to slip out of the hole in the brake pad.

TerryS said:

First step I'd suggest is to push the pistons back into the caliper, just push the outside of the caliper onto the disc on its sliding pins and the the pistons will be pushed back by the pad.

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I know you did the work already... but I'd put the above step as number 2, not first.

First, before pushing the piston back in caliper try and clean the piston off a bit... what works great for me ( a tip I learned here ) is to take an old large shoe lace , dampen with some brake fluid, feed it thru and then " saw " the piston with it. ( pulling back and forth ) Work your way around to get the entire surface.

It takes a lot of the crud off before it goes in, helps save the seal.

canoodle said:

Done and dusted-thanks to all for the assistance-went ok-took about 1/2 hr for both sides-removed the entire caliper-left one a bit trickier than right-but worked out well-just hope the el cheapo brake pads I bought on line for $16 ( 4 pads) are up to the job-feel ok so far. Are the rear pads same as front ?

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Did you get the Volar Kevlar brake pads ?? If so, the set I installed on my bike are working great and wearing well. I just checked the pad thickness - I'm good to go for my Great Lakes SS3K that I will be doing next week.