Shame; Johns of Romford - Honda

I guess I am shaming their technique rather than their service although I’m sure a few of you will not see a problem with this I think it deserves a heads up seeing as they are supposedly a professional garage (& a Honda garage at that). I’d only expect this advice from a small back garden shed type mechanic.

I went in there a few weeks back to pick up some Honda caliper seals, whilst in there I asked them where I can find some pick tools local to them. (Like theses: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=pick+hook+tools&client=safari&hl=en-gb&prmd=sivn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi_6PmHh6XNAhVGVRoKHWQhAKQQ_AUICCgC&biw=375&bih=559)

They asked me why and said I do not need them, they’re a waste of money. I need a piece of wire wool between the grooves and run it round with a screwdriver… They then said “that won’t get it perfect but it’l do and it’s how we do it and we charge for it”

Personally I think that is very poor, for the sake of a tool that only costs a few quid and makes the job so easy, for them to say ‘it will do’ and pretty much confirm the caliper a will need to be cleaned again sinner than they should is shocking…

Anyway- rant over…

So what do you actually require the pick tools for ?
Seal removing or cleaning

My above is that same as any piston/bored article metallic implements should not be used for cleaning any contaminants of their surface .wooden or plastic yes but nothing that can physically scrape its surface .
Soak in brake cleaner or even fluid and use a scrubbing brush to agitate and then a toothpick or similar to disturb hardened lumps and repeat

My above is that same as any piston/bored article metallic implements should not be used for cleaning any contaminants of their surface .wooden or plastic yes but nothing that can physically scrape its surface . Soak in brake cleaner or even fluid and use a scrubbing brush to agitate and then a toothpick or similar to disturb hardened lumps and repeat TimR
basically never use some harder than the material your trying to clean

Aren’t you being a little harsh? Most of the dealers I’ve experienced would only ever go there if one of the brake calliper pistons was sticking, if it was seized they’d turn you upside down and empty your pockets for a proper full on calliper rebuild including replacement pistons.

Back to getting the job done in the past I’ve used a trusty old dental pick to remove seals or you could fabricate you own pick from whatever you have laying around. Use the pick to pick the seal not to lever it, levering the seal is likely to scratch the finely machined surface of the calliper internals, not a good idea. Clean the calliper bores, seal grooves and pistons with washing up liquid and water applied by an old tooth brush dry off thoroughly and finish with a goodly spray of brake parts cleaner.

As I said a few of you would not see a problem with this…

Personally- I think it’s a pretty poor method, but that’s because I was taught a different method…

Make of it what you will…

Just to clarify, we are talking about cleaning off the built up crud here?

Using the wire wool and a flat blade screwdriver or tooth brush, soap, water and brake parts cleaner methods the built up crud is worn down to remove it and only light contact over a fairly broad area of the machined parts is necessary. On the other hand to pick the built up crud off with a sharp point requires the point to be inserted beneath the crud or scraped through it with a very real risk of scratching the surface of the machined parts due to the reduced area of contact of the sharp point.