I cracked the treads whilst the fork was still together, but now I can’t unscrew it from the cartridge inside, the internals just keep spinning. The Kawasaki service manual says I need a special tool to hold the cartridge, with a 19.5mm square socket on the end…
I don’t want to have to buy one of these tools. Perhaps I could make something by squashing a bit of copper pipe in a vice or something similar?
Second Conundrum
I have split the calipers from my fireblade, but I can’t get the pistons out. Any tricks for this? I imagine a compressor would be great for this but sadly I don’t have one… hmmmmmm
Conrad, I took the forks apart on a Ninja I owned and found that a piece of small angle iron did the job. I filed the tip of it down to sit in the recess. Not gret but did the job.
The pistons should come out by using two angled prybars placed back to back inside the piston to create an outward force and thus allowing you to rotate the pistons and walk them out. I’ll try to post a piccie in a minute to show what I mean!
I usually work my pistons out before I split the caliper . Doof is sport on with you now needing opposing bars to do the job of piston pliers . Or you need something you can jam in the back so you can turn them out . A plug and wedge can do that job . 2 bits of wood . one straight one a wedge shaped to get a good grip on the piston .
Fork problem I also solved with wood . Alll mine needed was a peice of wood pushing on the internals to create enough friction to allow the allen bolt to come out . I sat the wood stick on the floor dropped the fork over it so it went up inside and then pushed down as I unscrewed .
Oooo its tech drawing night I would if I was doing it trying it that way prefer 2 bits of flat bar one straight one with a knuckle . They squeeze like pliers then, and you can wedge a bit of wood or something in the hole behind the straight one to move it towards the middle of the caliper and help get a better grip .
I would have liked to get the pistons out before I cracked the calipers open, but what I find usually is just one piston fires out and then all pressure is lost.
I will try something along the lines of the two pry bars. I’ve seen those tools on ebay but I thought I’d try and do it for free.
The angle iron is a great idea for the forks! I will try shoving various bits of metal and wood down inside to see what I can trap. Doing the bolt back up is also a slight concern, hopefully the reverse process will do fine
You carefully balance the pushing out procedure with old pads and bits of wood , get enough of each piston sticking out so you can grip em with the moleys and some old innertube … Bits of wood mmmm, I do like bits of wood ,they make good tools
Mole grips and bits of innertube… Now why didn’t I think of that!
come to think of it, I’m sure I’ve seen a pair of reverse clamp mole grips somewhere along my travels… Now they would be perfect for easing out the pistons…
Scorch, I’ll take some more pics and keep this thread updated for you
oooo be careful with mole grips mate, very easy to chew the edge of the pistons which then tear the dust seals. Bits of inner tube are very thin and wont offer much protection, like using a condom with a nipple clamp to stop it hurting… dunno where that analogy came from… scary!!!
Like the drawing thread… you’ve had my contribution for this week
Always be careful … and always double over the inner tube . If its double layer it stops any damage as slight slippage slack is take away between the rubber rather than driving the mole grips teeth through the rubber . There is usually a tide line on the pistons where the seals stop when its fully seated . Usually there is 4 or 5 mm of the piston that never sinks into the seal ,so if you get a slight nick on the edges cos you made an arse of it ,you usually get away with it .
. Doof is sport on with you now needing opposing bars to do the job of piston pliers . Or you need something you can jam in the back so you can turn them out . A plug and wedge can do that job . 2 bits of wood . one straight one a wedge shaped to get a good grip on the piston .
I would if I was doing it trying it that way prefer 2 bits of flat bar one straight one with a knuckle . They squeeze like pliers then, and you can wedge a bit of wood or something in the hole behind the straight one to move it towards the middle of the caliper and help get a better grip .
