Thank you so much, I purchased a brake piston removal tool and had the same issues as yourself and thought I'd wasted my money until I found your video with that handy tip about clamping it into a vice. Thank you so much as I have managed to remove 8 stuck pistons from a bike that's sat for 20years with that handy tip 😀
Hi Tamsen. Great videos! 53 years into my riding career I just acquired my first SV650S, a beautiful 2001 that’s been sitting in a garage under a tarp for 10+ years. It needs a lot of “Moto CPR”! I found your videos whilst looking for general SV information. You do great work, both from the perspective of an informed, engaged enthusiast and as a video producer! I hope you’ll continue to contribute to the SV community with more posts. Thanks for your work to date.
I've never had a problem using the brake piston removal pliers that grip the inner wall of the pistons, twist n pull and they'll pop out fine. Glad you got sorted, it's nice having a local bike shop for those frustrating times :)
Yeah I think if they had not been so corroded I would have been able to do that, but then I now know to service them more regularly than I have been doing so hopefully they will be easier next time! Southwest motorcycles have been amazing to me, Chris takes the mick a bit but then always comes through and helps me out so I enjoy the banter! (also the things he is mocking me for are things I have screwed up lol!)
Happy to see a new video from you and glad you are better and able to take advantage of this nice weather. I've been lucky removing pistons without any issues but I'll keep this kit in mind, looks very good.
Thanks Paul, more videos on the way! I think this tool will make removing the pistons easier, even when they are not quite so stuck so I am happy to have it in the garage.
Tamsen, I just need to let you know...you're a legend! haha. My brakes have taken so much abuse over winter and had the same issue. That worked a treat 😊
Not something I'd do myself but this is still useful knowledge (removing and cleaning the calipers was already much for my lazy self). The reste of your channel is just as impressive, I'll watch it later but for now, that's one my sub.
Thank you for explaining it my rear back brake was jammed period would not want to budge. Further investigation Justin's aren't opening up properly they're closed. Tried to bleed the brakes won't bleed go slow. I'm going to have to try to pull out the Pistons cylinders not pushing on the brake pads
Hello! Glad to see you healthy again. I love your videos - you really got me into doing a lot by myself on my SV! For me it is time to do a valve clearance check... It would be brilliant if you could make a video on how to do that? Thank you, Have a nice summer! Cosmin.
Yes, more videos to follow! My arm is healing, physio is going well and movement is returning (although far too slowly for my impatient self!) I hope you like the next lot of vids too! Thanks for watching!
Tamsen Cooper still having problems with my indicators not working and have given up on fixing myself after 6 attempts. Booked into the garage tomorrow.
If it turns out to be electrical, it can be such a pain to try and find the issue, hopefully you can find out what has caused it and then you will have that info if it ever comes up again. Let me know what the garage say, I would be curious to know the cause!
I am pleased you updated, it can be such a pain trying to figure that kind of issue out. Broken wire sucks, did they manage to locate where it was broken as that could be a mission to find. What exhaust do you have? Does it have any baffles?
I set out to refurbish my SV brakes a couple of months ago. I managed to get all the pistons out with just brute force. I really would not leave it as long as the manual might say to replace the seals. I think I got lucky but it took a few weekends to get everything back. Silly issue i had then was the pistons moved so smoothly i would not believe they would stop me but they do.
I was thinking exactly the same, the manual states it based on miles travelled rather than time, so I definitely left it too long between services! Smooth moving pistons is exactly what you want, but what I didn't cover off in the video was that I needed to change the bleed nipples too, I reused the old ones and they leaked slightly, next time I do the callipers I think I will just pick up spares before I start!
You both are incredible! I love how you take the time to explain things when you work on my bike. I recommend you both to all I come across. It is thanks to you I had fresh tyres on my bike to be able to make the track day I just uploaded the video for! Thanks for all you do xx
It was incredible!!!!! I managed to get the brakes sorted in time as well! I got the part from Anton Paris in the end. The new brake bleed nipple stopped the wearing leak, and then we didn't use the back brake at all on track! (mind you, I was glad to get it sorted!)
When I’ve had really corroded callipers ie after I crashed my bike an stripped the front end left my callipers in a tub. The shed developed a leak and filled tub with water, took four months to source second hand forks when it came to rebuilding callipers swapped bleed nipple for a grease nipple blanked banjo bolt hole and pumped pistons out…
Oh what fun we had 🙈 I really thought acetone would work lol. Pleased it came out in the end, I had the dynamite on standby just in case lol, but I knew you’d do it one way or another x
I am at the dynamite crossroads. I've tried reverse pliers, rubber protectors with channel locks and reinstalling the caliper (and coated the piston with brake grease AND pushed the piston back flush) to use the hydraulics. Maybe before detonating the TNT, I'll try tapping on the calipers and reinstall on the brake line. Hopefully, that will un-seize the piston. What's frustrating for me is I'll use my reverse pliers but the piston will come out to a certain point. I'm glad that you posted this vid and now I know about this piston removal kit. Thx.
Tamsen Cooper I fitted the Hel braided lines and fully serviced my calipers using your videos as reference. I have to say the brakes are now spot on. Thanks once again for helping us all by taking the time to make these. All the best Paul
Thanks for another really useful video Tamsen. Just out of interest is your day job any way related to engineering/mechanics or are you purely self taught?
I have taken over a dozen brake pistons apart over the last 18 months as part of my refurbishment hobby and the only thing of any use is a Hand Pressure Test machine, used by plumbers, ebay maybe £25. Every caliper had issues, the machine has up to maybe 700psi of pressure.......email me for details....if unable to find
You have total control over the whole process, every second, every millimetre. You need a few fitments to get a fitting for the brake fluid nipple but easily sorted. And although I had lots of brake calipers that deserved the bin thay were that stuck, I never had one failure
Yeah, I got mine from Robinsons foundry online. They actually have an offer on pistons at the moment so ended up getting them for less than I expected!
Hi, Can you give me a link to the suppliers of the piston removal tool ? I'm not able to find the item on Robinsons foundry online as noted on a previous comment. I don't see a tools section on their web page. Any supplier's details will be appreciated. I'm living in Ireland.
I like Robinsons Foundry online as they have especially clear diagrams of the parts, so I find it easy to make sure I have ordered the right part. I am pleased the video was helpful, thanks for watching!
Tamsen Cooper more than helpful. All calipers currently being reconditioned in the local mechanics 👍👍 Front forks being done next. Keep em coming.... awesome and easy to follow presentation of a complicated topic 👌🏻👌🏻
To next time, here's a tip. Buy a set of cheap universal master cylinder/lever/handle.. put it together with a brake hose..as on your bike...and press it out,..just like you would with it sitting on the bike..
I'm having the opposite problem with my GS500. I'm changing my brake pads and now the pistons won't go back in, to fit the new pads. Any suggestions, anyone!?
Have you tried putting a bit of brake fluid around the pistons to act as lubricant to help them slide back in? It is also worth checking the seals are back in as they should be and not twisted or out of the little groove they sit in. Let me know what works when you get it sorted!
I ended up taking the caliper off my bike so I could get a c clamp on it, and then push the pistons back in. They're almost completely back in! But now I think I've got air in my lines via the bleeder valve...
Please increase the volume of your talking. A lot. That should be easy to do in your video editing software. I keep jumping because of how loud other stuff is after I've turned your videos up enough that I can hear you. Including the sound clips at the beginning and end of your videos. I really appreciate all your videos. They've been very useful. I'm working on restoring a badly neglected '00 SV650.
Thanks for your comment Ernest, I know you are Polish and your English is very good, but I am not sure what you mean? Can you try saying it again in a different way?
if there is someone out there that could translate into Russian, that would be amazing! thanks for watching the videos, i hope you enjoy them. если есть кто-то, кто мог бы перевести на русский язык, это было бы потрясающе! спасибо за просмотр видео, я надеюсь, вам понравится.
Thank you so much, I purchased a brake piston removal tool and had the same issues as yourself and thought I'd wasted my money until I found your video with that handy tip about clamping it into a vice. Thank you so much as I have managed to remove 8 stuck pistons from a bike that's sat for 20years with that handy tip 😀
Hi Tamsen. Great videos! 53 years into my riding career I just acquired my first SV650S, a beautiful 2001 that’s been sitting in a garage under a tarp for 10+ years. It needs a lot of “Moto CPR”! I found your videos whilst looking for general SV information. You do great work, both from the perspective of an informed, engaged enthusiast and as a video producer! I hope you’ll continue to contribute to the SV community with more posts. Thanks for your work to date.
Great to hear! Thanks for taking the time to comment, it really means a lot!
I've never had a problem using the brake piston removal pliers that grip the inner wall of the pistons, twist n pull and they'll pop out fine. Glad you got sorted, it's nice having a local bike shop for those frustrating times :)
Yeah I think if they had not been so corroded I would have been able to do that, but then I now know to service them more regularly than I have been doing so hopefully they will be easier next time! Southwest motorcycles have been amazing to me, Chris takes the mick a bit but then always comes through and helps me out so I enjoy the banter! (also the things he is mocking me for are things I have screwed up lol!)
Happy to see a new video from you and glad you are better and able to take advantage of this nice weather. I've been lucky removing pistons without any issues but I'll keep this kit in mind, looks very good.
Thanks Paul, more videos on the way! I think this tool will make removing the pistons easier, even when they are not quite so stuck so I am happy to have it in the garage.
Tamsen, I just need to let you know...you're a legend! haha. My brakes have taken so much abuse over winter and had the same issue. That worked a treat 😊
Never has a disfunctional rear brake stopped me from riding. Zip tied it to the subframe 😉
There is a reason why you have to change the brake fluid every 2 years. Great job 👌
Not something I'd do myself but this is still useful knowledge (removing and cleaning the calipers was already much for my lazy self).
The reste of your channel is just as impressive, I'll watch it later but for now, that's one my sub.
Thank you for explaining it my rear back brake was jammed period would not want to budge. Further investigation Justin's aren't opening up properly they're closed. Tried to bleed the brakes won't bleed go slow. I'm going to have to try to pull out the Pistons cylinders not pushing on the brake pads
Hello! Glad to see you healthy again. I love your videos - you really got me into doing a lot by myself on my SV! For me it is time to do a valve clearance check... It would be brilliant if you could make a video on how to do that?
Thank you, Have a nice summer!
Cosmin.
Great idea- I shall add that to my list of videos, I love the suggestions so thank you!
Good to see you back and hope the arm is healed well. More videos to follow I hope
Yes, more videos to follow! My arm is healing, physio is going well and movement is returning (although far too slowly for my impatient self!) I hope you like the next lot of vids too! Thanks for watching!
Tamsen Cooper still having problems with my indicators not working and have given up on fixing myself after 6 attempts. Booked into the garage tomorrow.
If it turns out to be electrical, it can be such a pain to try and find the issue, hopefully you can find out what has caused it and then you will have that info if it ever comes up again. Let me know what the garage say, I would be curious to know the cause!
Tamsen Cooper broken wire somewhere down the left side of the bike. Fail on the MOT also. Throttle grip loose and exhaust too loud.
I am pleased you updated, it can be such a pain trying to figure that kind of issue out. Broken wire sucks, did they manage to locate where it was broken as that could be a mission to find. What exhaust do you have? Does it have any baffles?
I set out to refurbish my SV brakes a couple of months ago. I managed to get all the pistons out with just brute force. I really would not leave it as long as the manual might say to replace the seals. I think I got lucky but it took a few weekends to get everything back. Silly issue i had then was the pistons moved so smoothly i would not believe they would stop me but they do.
I was thinking exactly the same, the manual states it based on miles travelled rather than time, so I definitely left it too long between services! Smooth moving pistons is exactly what you want, but what I didn't cover off in the video was that I needed to change the bleed nipples too, I reused the old ones and they leaked slightly, next time I do the callipers I think I will just pick up spares before I start!
Thanks for the shout out to us both 👍
You both are incredible! I love how you take the time to explain things when you work on my bike. I recommend you both to all I come across. It is thanks to you I had fresh tyres on my bike to be able to make the track day I just uploaded the video for! Thanks for all you do xx
Tamsen Cooper just watched it looked great fun , I'm a little jealous as thruxton never do track days
It was incredible!!!!! I managed to get the brakes sorted in time as well! I got the part from Anton Paris in the end. The new brake bleed nipple stopped the wearing leak, and then we didn't use the back brake at all on track! (mind you, I was glad to get it sorted!)
No use of the rear brake I thought you'd be backing it in MOTO 2 style 👍👍
Another epic video Tamsen, well done!
Great tip there Tamsen, have the rear caliper from my SV on the bench with a stuck piston - i'll be trying one of those tools :)
I hope it works! Let me know how you get on!
Great video and I like your honesty! I never heard of South West Motorcycles but I will be sure to give them a visit :)
Thank you for your video, it saved me a load of time messing around.
When I’ve had really corroded callipers ie after I crashed my bike an stripped the front end left my callipers in a tub. The shed developed a leak and filled tub with water, took four months to source second hand forks when it came to rebuilding callipers swapped bleed nipple for a grease nipple blanked banjo bolt hole and pumped pistons out…
Oh what fun we had 🙈 I really thought acetone would work lol. Pleased it came out in the end, I had the dynamite on standby just in case lol, but I knew you’d do it one way or another x
I am at the dynamite crossroads. I've tried reverse pliers, rubber protectors with channel locks and reinstalling the caliper (and coated the piston with brake grease AND pushed the piston back flush) to use the hydraulics. Maybe before detonating the TNT, I'll try tapping on the calipers and reinstall on the brake line. Hopefully, that will un-seize the piston.
What's frustrating for me is I'll use my reverse pliers but the piston will come out to a certain point.
I'm glad that you posted this vid and now I know about this piston removal kit. Thx.
THANK YOU FOR AN ANSWER AND A TRANSACTION WHEN I WILL HAVE SV IN GARAGE I WILL RECEIVE HEALTH AND I WISH
Looking forward to hearing all about your new bike!!
A job well done there Tamsen good video.
Thanks Paul, appreciate your nice comments and hope you like the future videos!
Tamsen Cooper I fitted the Hel braided lines and fully serviced my calipers using your videos as reference. I have to say the brakes are now spot on. Thanks once again for helping us all by taking the time to make these. All the best Paul
Ah that is great stuff! Thanks for taking the time to drop a nice comment!
Nicely done
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for another really useful video Tamsen. Just out of interest is your day job any way related to engineering/mechanics or are you purely self taught?
Hi Tamsen. Glad the shoulder got better. Piston broke again eh? ...I do that.
Thanks! Yeah I am pleased to be on the mend!
What if you use the brake handle itself to pump oil inside before disassemble?
I have taken over a dozen brake pistons apart over the last 18 months as part of my refurbishment hobby and the only thing of any use is a Hand Pressure Test machine, used by plumbers, ebay maybe £25. Every caliper had issues, the machine has up to maybe 700psi of pressure.......email me for details....if unable to find
I shall go and take a look for that now...
You have total control over the whole process, every second, every millimetre. You need a few fitments to get a fitting for the brake fluid nipple but easily sorted. And although I had lots of brake calipers that deserved the bin thay were that stuck, I never had one failure
Can you recommend a good source for the piston kits and the bolts you added to the calliper in the early video?
Yeah, I got mine from Robinsons foundry online. They actually have an offer on pistons at the moment so ended up getting them for less than I expected!
First thing I do whenever I buy a used bike or car is flush all fluids. Most people never flush anything. I've never had brake problems in 32 years.
Very good advice, although it was me that serviced them last but clearly left it too long between services!
Hi, Can you give me a link to the suppliers of the piston removal tool ? I'm not able to find the item on Robinsons foundry online as noted on a previous comment. I don't see a tools section on their web page. Any supplier's details will be appreciated. I'm living in Ireland.
Hi tamsen, thanks for the vid. Where do you order your parts from?
I like Robinsons Foundry online as they have especially clear diagrams of the parts, so I find it easy to make sure I have ordered the right part. I am pleased the video was helpful, thanks for watching!
Tamsen Cooper more than helpful. All calipers currently being reconditioned in the local mechanics 👍👍
Front forks being done next.
Keep em coming.... awesome and easy to follow presentation of a complicated topic 👌🏻👌🏻
front forks, I have just picked up a service kit so that is on my list of videos to make!
Tamsen Cooper 👍👍🤘🤘
Thanks for your sharing👍👌😊
To next time, here's a tip.
Buy a set of cheap universal master cylinder/lever/handle.. put it together with a brake hose..as on your bike...and press it out,..just like you would with it sitting on the bike..
ordered a kit just now!!
Brilliant!! Drop me a message and let me know how you get on!!
I'm having the opposite problem with my GS500. I'm changing my brake pads and now the pistons won't go back in, to fit the new pads. Any suggestions, anyone!?
Have you tried putting a bit of brake fluid around the pistons to act as lubricant to help them slide back in? It is also worth checking the seals are back in as they should be and not twisted or out of the little groove they sit in. Let me know what works when you get it sorted!
I ended up taking the caliper off my bike so I could get a c clamp on it, and then push the pistons back in. They're almost completely back in! But now I think I've got air in my lines via the bleeder valve...
Hi Tams.. just come across your site.. Are you a bike mechanic by trade?
Mark.....Down here in Australia 😁
Please increase the volume of your talking. A lot. That should be easy to do in your video editing software. I keep jumping because of how loud other stuff is after I've turned your videos up enough that I can hear you. Including the sound clips at the beginning and end of your videos.
I really appreciate all your videos. They've been very useful. I'm working on restoring a badly neglected '00 SV650.
Another way to try pop the piston is an air compressor
FOR THE WEEK I WILL BE A HAPPY POSITIONER SV650S 2002 HOW DO I WILL SUSPEND - HELP YOU? :)
Thanks for your comment Ernest, I know you are Polish and your English is very good, but I am not sure what you mean? Can you try saying it again in a different way?
Cracking tip, now get out and ride :)
Hell yeah!!!!!!
epic
Fully tp
Кто нибудь начните уже делать переводы на русский!!))
if there is someone out there that could translate into Russian, that would be amazing! thanks for watching the videos, i hope you enjoy them.
если есть кто-то, кто мог бы перевести на русский язык, это было бы потрясающе! спасибо за просмотр видео, я надеюсь, вам понравится.
Tamsen Cooper очень!
Z