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Sorry if this seems like a stupid question.Hi all,
I need to replace the seals & pistons in a 2010 Elixir R caliper.
Any tips on how to get the pistons out without a compressor?
Is it possible to just squeeze them out as far as they'll go with the lever before splitting the caliper and pulling them out with pliers?
Or what happens if I keep pumping the lever? Won't they eventually pop out anyway?
Zip tie one in place, pump the opposite one out. Replace it. Repeat on opposite side. You may have to top fluid up between piston removals
If they're still attached to the bike you can just pump them out with the brake lever.
However you'll have to be very careful or you'll only get one out of each caliper.
To get them both out you'll have to hold back whichever one starts to move first and keep pulling the brake lever to get them both to pop simultaneously.
If they are in pieces and you are desparate then they are ceramic and crack. Hit them with a chisel/screwdriver.
Start gently.
This worked for me on one that was really stuck but I only did it as a last resort.
Track pump, using a plastic airbed adaptor in the hose fitting. Zip tie the piston on that side while you blow the other out, split the caliper, remove the zip tie, then press the caliper half onto a piece of innertube to seal the port while you blow the piston out.
Years ago, I needed to get a piston out of a 2CV caliper and a mates Dad came up with this mad cap idea for holding a bike pump adaptor hard against where the brake pipe went in and pumping away with bike pump. We s****ed at this right up until the point when the piston shot out and took the bulb in the garage with it!
Yup, successfully done it with a track pump using blu-tack as a seal!
Aye, takes far less pressure than you'd think (armed with an air compressor I fired a piston from a motorbike brake right over my house, glad that didn't hit me!)
Thanks guys!
Piece of cake in the end using a tyre pump (decent volume one) and a tip for blowing up air beds and the like.