Is it time to replace them? (Caliper bolt hanger pin)

[Sidekick]

For me, the condition of the length of the pin was never an issue. They always cleaned up well. I disagree with Dave about installing them dry. I know they arrive from the factory without anything on the pin, or on the backing plates, but we get a lot of muck, salt and grime chucked up off the road in the Uk. For me it is rust prevention rather then lubricant. Without it, they rust in very little time.

The issue with the pad pin has always been the state of the hex socket. Tightened to spec at 18Nm, they can become too tight to remove without affecting the soft metal. I learned that lesson the hard way, twice, on my ST1100 when they required major surgery to get out when the socket rounded off. The first sign of any movement on removing, I'd throw the pin away. That usually happened after 3-4 removals.

Whether those pins had an O ring, I cannot remember. I know now that they should have had one. Certainly, without, the narrow end is free to oscillate and I suppose this may result in the pin being harder to remove ? Both of my 1100s were second hand and I never had a Honda manual for these, so I doubt that I would have checked for an O ring if they were missing.

I don't have that problem on the A9. I modified a front pad pin to fit the rear caliper - and they do need modification !

Do you mean that you would also use some grease between the backing plates and the pads, If yes, what kind?

 

[SMSW]

I think that the "hard plating" is the key.
You can polish these pins nicely and make them pretty, but they will rust as soon as you reinstall them.
Maybe some anti seize could slow down the process a little bit, but without plating they will score and rust in matter of days.
I don't know the kind of metal they are made with but definitively not the hardest steel!

Yes the pins will corrode, but you should get more than a week or two out of them, until the new pins arrive. At least your bike will not be down for lack of parts. A hard plating has to go over a hard substrate. Think of chilled chocolate icing on a cake. If there is not substantial support, not much pressure will dent the substrate, cracking the plating, er...icing. Normal pad movement would destroy the plating if the pin itself is too soft.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

Can I just polish and lube or should I replace them?

If that is an actual picture of your pin, and they are about like that, then my answer is yes to both of your questions.

Clean and polish, lube with a high temperature silicone based brake lubricant, reinstall. Order new ones and go ride until they come in and until you feel like/get around to changing them.
Your used, cleaned up, polished and lubed ones are not going to explode, break, cause brake failure, spontaneously combust or do anything else of concern any time soon.
Go ride.

 

[Sidekick]

I am guessing that a caliper radial design would require less maintenance due to the presence of 2 symmetric pin holders.
Balancing the force between 2 pins would also mean a better angular friction and less scoring...
Out of curiosity, does anybody has experienced that kind of caliper?