Brake caliper seals; brembo

So, I'm looking over the K1100LT before this season's stupidity
commences.

The front brake calipers (Brembo four pot; 2 x 32mm pistons, 2 x 34mm
pistons) have got 'sticky' with age and need to be rebuilt. I've got a
spare pair and have split and started to clean them.

The pistons look just about 'ok' (one piston is slightly marked, the
teflon coating's worn- maybe plier marks from an earlier strip down).
I'd like to replace the seals rather than just clean them.

Now, for these calipers the only spares I can see from
motorworks/motobins are a set of pistons and seals for about 40 quid a
caliper. I can't buy the seals seperately for whatever reason.

Is there any reason I shouldn't just buy 'generic' 32mm and 34mm seals?

I've bought from here for other bikes in the past:

http://motorcycleproducts.co.uk/catalogue/brake-caliper-piston-seals-c-1
08_116.html

I can't see any reason not to but wonder if anyone knows different...

 

This question has cropped up before - Brembo refuses to sell the seals
separately, for product liability reasons, I think. Bloody silly, since
thery sell them for other calipers.

I'd have thought generic seals of the correct diameter would be fine,
but I don't know anyone who's done it.

ISTR someone here (Bonwick, was it you?) went to buy just that (a set of
generic hydraulic seals) from an industrial supplier, and when the
supplier heard they were for brakes, he refused to sell them.

Let us know how you get on (speaks an interested K1100LT owner).

 

snip>

It wasn't me.

I wouldn't tell them they were for motorbike brakes because if it was
me selling them I'd be concerned about the liability problems and the
profit margin will be so low it won't be worth the risk.

It might be worth phoning Harris and asking who supplies the seals for
their calipers and then go to them to see if they can offer some
advise.

 

Well, I pulled the old seals out and cleaned them. They all look pretty
good. The 'stickiness' was where brake fluid had got behind the dust
seal and had dried in lumps. The rubber's still got 'sharp edges' and
hasn't lost it's elasticity.

Whilst it was all apart I compared the seals with some 'generic' 32mm
seals I had (had forgotten I had them but found when I was looking for
something else). They were identical in terms of thickness and the
'fit' on the piston- the new dust seals were *slightly* tighter but only
a little.

I fitted one set in a caliper bore and the piston went in.

I plan to clean the pistons in an ultrasonic cleaner before I make any
decisions because a couple have small scrapes and most of them have
baked on brake dust. Need to work out if the scrapes are likely to sit
over a seal. I think I'll probably just reuse the existing oil seals
with new dust seals, will have another look at them but they really
don't look like they're that bad.

However before I make this decision the ultrasonic cleaner needs to turn
up...