rear caliper

[Jack Klarich]

hey guys, i hope this question hasnt been beaten to death, but whats up with the rear caliper?? (05 xl883c). Took the back tire off for a little maintenance, including the caliper. Now the caliper moves a little and the pads barely touch the disc. This is my first time working on a harley, but ive been working on cars for a long time. Ive restored muscle cars, but this one caliper is gonna be the death of me i swear. Ive read that you have to replace the whole caliper if you remove the slide pin???!!! I need verification before i just rake out that kinda dough. Please guys, need your help. New paint, new wheels, need to ride!! thanks ya'll.

on a side note: can someone give me a real way to bleed these brakes, i just cant seem to master the conventional foot pump the pedal method on this thing.

Ronnie's Harley-Davidson's 2006 Harley Davidson Street Bike XL SPORTSTER® 1200C CUSTOM (CG) Parts List does this help any?

 

[semperfiguy]

hey jack and hddon, thanks for the quick replies. First jack, when i removed the caliper I simply unbolted the caliper from the mount itself before removing the wheel. I removed the first big slide pin (black) and then unscrewed the second slide pin on the rear of the caliper, then slipped it off the rotor (just like a car). Later I realized i could have just removed the wheel and slid it out between the pads and never touched the caliper. Then reinstalled it the same way. And checking to make sure the pads were seated fully. I had a good solid pedal but the caliper would move a little. Then... and please dont judge me on this haha, I was running on no sleep and am a little embarrassed about this but.... Instead of turning the bleed screw (and yes I know the difference), i simply undid the brake line bolt and practically watched the air rush into the lines. I threw my wrench and called it a day. Now i have to bleed too :34: also jack, ive seen that diagram before and i pretty much now how these things are all put together, so no help there but thanks.

HDDON- yeah those were my thoughts exactly when i put everything back together, as long as you dont compress the pedal while having a rotor off and not putting new pads on, no need to compress the piston back into the bore of the caliper. Easy peazy lemon squeezy, but something else wasnt right i guess.

 

[66impala]

I know your post is from a little while ago, but im new here. I know there was problems with 04 and 05 rear brake cylinder, they are dot5 fluid and the vendors who made them for HD coated them with dot3 fluid. I found out the hard way, I had the jelly like fluid in my cylinder when i checked it. I had to paper towel out all the fluid from the master cylinder and bleed the lines out with new dot5 brake fluid.

My friends 05 I had to do the same for and his was all but frozen up. I ended up using a a/c vacume pump to get his lines cleared out.

 

[jakubsladder09]

Raise master above the caliper before bleeding.