Hello all. Hope that you're enjoying this riding weather . I need to replace the rear brake pads on my Trophy 900 (probably guessed that already from the title) and was hoping someone here had an idiot's guide for that. Looked online but can't find much, just a vid or two on Youtube for similar looking brakes. My usual mechanic is too busy to do the job and I get the feeling from him that it's too small a job compared to how much work he has on. Got the pads and like the idea of doing it myself so any help you guys could give a noob like me would be appreciated. Many thanks.
Hi Drob and welcome. If no-one more familiar with your bike comes up with anything for you, I'll work out a plan for you. Can you give it 24hrs?
Hi, it's an easy job look here I know it's a different bike but the process is more or less the same. Main thing with all maintenance/ mechanics is prepare, take your time, leave plenty of time and never try to do anything half an hour before your meant to meet your mates for a ride out! Good luck Or wait for biggys tutorial as his will probably be more bike specific
Thanks for the responses. Am working nights over the weekend so I'm just about to get some sleep and will look at your vid crispey, cheers. Hopefully all the tools in my Triumph kit are present, the models are similar and if I understand the video I may give it a shot before work. Otherwise, thank you for the offer thebiglad. I'd love your help if I haven't posted success in 24 hrs.
It you can take several close-up pictures of the calliper and it's fixing points I should be able to work up a "How to........"
Here are the pics thebiglad. I don't have a tool for the star-shaped screw attaching the caliper to the frame, is that a polydrive? Hope the tool is easy enough to find. Too late to go to Halfords now so won't be doing this tonight. Hope these are enough photos for you, if not then please let me know. I also took a picture of the brake disc as it's showing marks that aren't on front one. The pads are pretty worn down so would you say using the rear brake is causing this? Hope that it's not seizing. The top screw holding the caliper on was pretty loose and I had to tighten it by hand, not good. Thank you for the encouragement MetalliKarl .
OK Drob, here goes : You will need : Torx (star shaped ones) bits of appropriate size; Allen bits of appropriate size; Copper grease; G cramp to compress calliper pistons; Normal mechanicking tools. Method : Slacken the two Torx bolts - do not remove yet; Slacken the two Allen bolts - ditto. Next you need to push the calliper pistons back into the calliper. You do this by firmly gripping the calliper with both hands and gently but firmly rocking towards the wheel then out again. Do this several times.The calliper should move quite easily now, so remove the Torx bolts completely and lift the calliper out and away from the disc. Take care to avoid damaging the brake pipe. Now remove the two Allen bolts that hold the brake pads into the calliper and carefully remove them, noting the position of any spring plates. At this stage I normally wash the calliper with hot soapy water and a toothbrush. Also clean the Allen screws. We are now at the stage of preparing to install the new pads and re-install the calliper. IT IS VITAL that you compress the calliper pistons back into the calliper until they are flush with it. I generally use a G cramp but just use whatever you've got. Once the pistons are fully home, it is time to install the new pads. Use some copper grease on the back of the pads to reduce squeal - just a smear mind, not the whole pot !!! Now install the new pads, plus any spring plates into the calliper and re-install the clean Allen bolts and just snug them up for now. Spread the pads apart so you can slide the calliper assembly over the brake disc, then re-fit the Torx screws. Tighten the Torx and Allen bolts to the correct torque settings, pump the rear brake pedal several times to allow the new pads to settle in - AND THE JOB IS DONE; CON GRAT U LATIONS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
thebiglad, thanks so much for this. Wish that I could tell you of my success but haven't done it yet. Got everything together to do it tonight but found the right silencer is in the way. After staring at it for a few minutes, I thought better to seek more advice. Here's some pics of my exhaust and connections: Am I going to have to take the whole exhaust off the frame or is there a simple way to get the silencer off (that I'm not seeing)?
It looks like the exhaust can is held on by one bolt on or near the rear footrest and one bolted exhaust clamp.
Yeah, looks like the bolt by the footrest is also keeping the pillion rail attached. There's another torx screw in there too, might need to buy more tools as I only got the socket to fit the caliper. Give it a go tomorrow .
Let us know how you get on would you? If you run into problems, take more pics and I'll try and help.
Hey! Kind of hoping you're keeping an eye on this thread. Left the job until this afternoon and things were going fine until I decided to see how the brake pedal affects the caliper pistons. When I took the caliper off the bike the pistons were all the way down and didn't think I'd need the g-clamp. Pushed the pedal a couple of times, the pistons started rising and now they won't go back in. Tried the g-clamp on it and put a fair bit of pressure on it but they won't budge. Am worried that I'll break the caliper if I tighten the clamp too much. Any ideas?
Hi Drob, are both pistons still within the calliper? Assuming they are, then whilst holding one piston still press the other piston into the calliper slowly but firmly. If you use a G-cramp to push the pistons in, install the old pads back into the calliper (as something to press against) and a piece of wood on the outside of the calliper (to protect it) where the G-cramp will press. Then gently screw the G-cramp in, leaving time for the pistons to budge between pushing efforts - think birthing of babies or any other human activity to eject something. Doing it like this you will be able to press the pistons back in, without damage to the calliper
Yeah, they are both in the caliper. They moved a little since last writing and now are pushed upwards at the same level as each other. Pushing one down moved the other up but they need a lot of force with the clamp to do that. Will try putting the old pads back in and see what that does. Will keep you updated. Thanks so much for the quick reply .
Hi Drob, just a thought but did you clean any crud off the pistons before you tried to push them back in? If not now would be the time to get your tooth brush and hot soapy water out.
OK, update. Tried your first option and I used the clamp to push down one piston. The other one came up but I got the clamped one all the way down. Repeated with the other piston and the one I got down did not raise. Got very excited and followed the rest of your instruction to get the new pads on and caliper back on the bike. However, pumping the rear brake pedal is doing nothing. Rear brake does not work. Should I be pumping it for a while? Pushed down on the peddle ten times and isn't having any affect. Since writing the above I tried it again and the rear brake seems to be having some affect now. Not much tho. Think I'll go for a ride around and see if anything changes.
I did clean with some hot, soapy water and a toothbrush. Got the feeling that much of the crud is under what I can see of the piston.
