TRIED & TESTED MCN STAFF RATE THEIR RIDING KIT
Adventure jackets always seem to look better on other people. While theirs appear snug and nicely fitted, mine always feel clumpy and unwieldy. Maybe I’m so used to wearing jeans, jackets and leathers, but this one is different and the first I’ve felt really comfortable in. It’s lightweight and roomy, so you don’t feel bound-up like Houdini, and fits perfectly. It has a multitude of pockets, shoulder and elbow armour and a handy quickrelease collar strap, but the backing on one of the Velcro wrist straps has come away. With its thermal liner fitted it’s kept me warm, on freezing, day-long MCN250 tests and is showerproof, but prolonged, torrential rain will eventually find its way in, as it does on every adventure jacket I’ve tried and seen. You can also strip out the inner layers and open the vents for summer riding.
More to calipers than just the pads
A caliper contains moving parts and over time they need cleaning and servicing. Typically the parts that need cleaning are the main body of the caliper, the pistons and the bore in which they slide. The serviceable parts are the dust and fluid seals, and the O-ring/s that seal the two halves of the calipers. The parts should be original replacements.
Treat ’em mean, keep ’em clean…
Prior to stripping the caliper in half, give it a clean with bike cleaner and a brush. Treat it like a pre-clean; the idea is to remove the heavy deposits of road dirt and dust. Soak it with cleaner, agitate the dirt until it yields, then rinse off with water. If you are re-using the pads don’t use the cleaner on them, simply give them a light brushing over with a fine wire brush.
Banish corrosion
Now clean the inside of the caliper. Look for any corrosion build up behind the seals. This can be tricky to remove, so use a small, tough nylon brush, or a scotchbrite pad soaked in brake cleaner. Clean any area in the bore that looks like it has started to corrode. Avoid cleaning the machined area where the two halves meet, as it should already be free of contamination.
Right side up?
Prior to fitting the new seals give the caliper a blast of brake cleaner and then blast with an airline. There are two seals per piston; the one at the top is the dust seal, this is usually thinner and has a double lip. The other thicker seal is responsible for keeping the brake fluid in the caliper. Refer to the workshop manual as sometimes the brake fluid seal has an ‘up’ side.