Triumph Stag - Brake Caliper Conundrums

[@KJs581]

I have just done this on a Triumph Trident T150v, and about to do it on my Stag. Trident identical, just smaller calipers. I find the best way to remove pistons is to make a special tool from an old socket using "starter motor clutch" principle. In your starter, there is a one way clutch. It has ramps and rollers. Rollers go up the ramp, they jam against outside= drive. Go down ramp, they let go. So get an old socket that just fits inside pistons and grind an angled indent into the outside diameter. Insert into piston. Slide a roll pin or pin punch into the "wedge" indent. Rotate so that pin runs up ramp and it will lock. Rotate piston and apply upward force as you do. Piston will rotate upward and out. I used this today on the Trident ones, and have been using it for cars for 30 years, they have always come out...

[@ArryTheStag]

Awesome - thanks for the great tip. We'll share it on this weeks' www.arrythestag.com/saturday-sockets feel free to join us there too! All the best and have a great New Year weekend! Kind regards TR Tony

[@KJs581]

@@ArryTheStag Cheers mate; I just (half hour ago) used the "socket with a nick/ramp" idea above and it worked for one. The other one WOULD NOT come out. I have a tool that I have used for a multitude of things, but never for what it is designed for. It is an "exhaust pipe expanding tool", and I got it because it was cheap, looked handy, and you can never have enough tools. So I put that in the piston centre, expanded it until tight, Stuck that in the vice, rotated caliper half up and away from the piston - perfect. More than one way to skin a cat, and all that........

[@saminbath8345]

Hi,when you put the two halves of the caliper back together,what torque setting did you use,thanks

[@ArryTheStag]

Hiya - sorry, it's a while ago and we can't remember..suffice to say it was FT as they say in some mechanics' manuals!! All the best and have a great weekend! Best TR T

[@bobspeller2225]

Good job Arry. Good to know you can stop when you need too!! They look nice as well. Cheers Bob

[@richardw64]

Yes , Tony , you need a decent garage with a bench, vice, and a good light hanging above it all. That will make HRH a lot happier. Good to see Harrison chipping in for dad. So what's next?

[@billburnhope2176]

It never ends, keeping the good old English cars alive! Hope the ‘ missus’ kept clear of Italy while skiing. Time to stay at home and take care for a while. Absolutely peeing down here, a lovely neighbour passing away after a long illness yesterday, and today we have to take one of our dogs to the vet for end of life treatment, sad, sad, Hay!Ho! Summers coming I think 🤔

[@barload]

When I was driving my staaaag I found I had to almost stand on the brake pedal to get it To stop like a modern car. Have you considered any upgrades? Green stuff?

[@johnmoruzzi7236]

Yes get some pads that wear quicker than the actual discs.. in the old days the disc assembly was definitely not a=viewed as a disposable item. Nice little refurb job, and clever opportunistic use of the kitchen !

[@triumphstagdriver]

In all large Triumphs I have driven I have noted that all needed more oomph on the pedal compared to modern cars.... EBC Greenstuff produce a tad less dust, but are also less efficient in braking. Mintex 1144 wear a lot quicker but actually do the job. Brake pistons, replacements anyway, have only about 5 microns of chrome plating on them - might as well not be plated at all. Need at least 50 with a nickel under layer to be efficient at keeping corrosion at bay.

[@KJs581]

Biggest problem is the rears and people selling pad material that is for new cars. Now, I KNOW they have to do that/had to remove some materials/asbestos etc etc. We all know that. But new materials that can be used on newer cars with larger pads, when on some old cars they are tiny doesn't help us much. Here (Australia) EVERY Aussie does two things to Brit cars. Far too wide tyres, and far too hard brake pads. I bought an XJ6 Jaguar in late 80's, and the brakes just didn't work. And this is a car reported as having great brakes. I took the pads out = "Metal King". Hard as a rock, last forever. Won't stop you though. A small technicality apparently. I went to a Jag shop. He had new pads, and some 30 year old ones that were almost free, as the box was so dusty/dirty. Nice and soft. Great. Put them in = car stood on it's nose. Got my Stag. Rears almost gone. Got new ones, fitted them. Going down a long winding downhill grade, car was an auto then........... fronts smelled hot - stop sign at the bottom, went straight through it. Rears not even warm. Jacked up car, rears wouldn't stop with brake on in drive. Nothing wrong with cyls. NO dust in drums. They just weren't doing ANYTHING. Got new ones from somewhere else. Guy told me bonding company had experimented with far harder/no good/supposed to be recalled. I asked the guy to bond softest he had. Put them on, feel drums, they are hot after stopping, like they should be. Brakes feel good, car stops well. Dolomite sprint pads are TINY. Matchbox size. Bought new pads. Drove down the road, locked up rears at stop sign, fronts doing NOTHING. Put old back on - perfect. I think that new cars want less dust/more time between pad changes to get through warranty, so ultra hard pads. Don't stop as good, so make them BIGGER. Have a look at how huge new car pads are. Even small cars pads are TWICE the size of my Sprint. That is fine until they say "pads for old cars? Just put on that stuff we use on new......." so meant to be far larger, put on tiny Sprint footprint = useless. The other thing too is that hydraulics always takes the easiest path. EVERY opposed caliper car people have brought to me with "not very good brakes" has had one piston seized. One piston sticks. Pads hardly move much, so free piston moves, contacts disc. It is easier for the caliper to flex a little (doesn't take much) and move disc across to stuck pad (takes up wheel bearing play. Again, only slight, but doesn't need much.) That "flex" takes extra effort, so less braking effort. Piston won't free, because disc moves enough to apply brake BEFORE piston frees, so it doesn't have to. You have to take up that slack/slight movement and THEN apply pressure to free. So, I remove pads. Get them to press pedal. One piston moves. I push that back in. Replace pad. Press pedal....................free piston takes up, then hard spot - THEN "lets go" as stuck piston frees. Push back in. Do it again a few times. I call it exercising calipers, and it works for me. If cars not driven much, they can stick easily. Some say don't need/argue about it. If so, don't do it. But works for me. I wonder how many who reckon don't need.................. go out and try above, and find the "hard spot then let go" happens............. so one of their pistons is stuck/brakes less efficient than should be - and after that brakes far better. But for me the biggest problem has been the hard linings on the rear. The standard front pads here (Bendix) are good on the Stag. I have been through LOTS of those in the 330,000 kms I have put on my Stag, (had 90,000 on it when bought in Feb 1993) and STILL on orig discs with no wear/within spec, so not too hard. But rear linings, they ALWAYS make them too hard. Silly me, I prefer my rears to actually work rather than have them never wear out and do nothing. I use far less pads now, as car is a manual now, so only use them if crash stop/come to a stop. Until 15 years ago, was an auto, so far more brake use. I have had my car for 30 years next month, and just rebuilding front calipers (from a wreck bought for spares years ago, so car isn't off road more than needs to be) and TRD above is correct; these calipers are in very good condition, but very very slight pitting on one, so while I thought would get away with them, may have to look at stainless pistons, as chrome finish often pits. I have just put those (S/S) in T150 Trident twin calipers, so same thing on Stag, but bigger.

[@malwhile7134]

Hi Array, a little disappointed in your coverage on how to install the dust seal and piston into the calipers. I'm having a hell of a job getting them in and hoped your video woukd help. You glossed over how you managed to fit the dust seal and piston = disappointed

[@malwhile7134]

@@ArryTheStag Thanks Arry; I did note those tips from the video, will try again when I feel back in the mood. I did one side no problem, the second one is being a pig!

[@StagStuff]

Poor 'Arry!!!! Tony, can't you afford to buy the poor boy some gloves that fit him?

[@philking7805]

Leave it to someone who knows what they're doing and won't bodge it! Bending the seal retainer is a novice mistake.