I've had this 1978 FLH for a while now, but I just started to work on it myself. It was leaking a lot of fluid around the old, beat-up banana caliper front brake so I decided to upgrade to a chrome caliper. I looked at GMA calipers and a couple of upgrades and I decided I didn't want to replace the master cylinder, etc. I just want to get it back on the road again.

I received the caliper "fully assembled" but it looks like I'm missing the dust boot (HD 44133-72) on the end, correct? I have the service manual for 1978 FLH 80 and FLH 1200, Clymer, Donny, etc., and I've been on YouTube looking at videos but I still have questions as a rookie garage mechanic. Couple of questions for the collective:

1. The old piston looks different than the new one, why is that? Is it just lacking the center piece for whatever reason?
2. Do I just compress the piston for assembly? Pad it up and stick it in a vice to compress it for assembly?
3. The old caliper did not have the vibration clip (HD 41768-73) and the front end would rattle at stops with no brake applied. Would that clip help in the new caliper?

 

sure are. not hard to put in

 

Send me that ratty old O.E. Caliper... Please....$$ ???

 

are they rare to find ?

 

Not really... in fact they are almost completely Rebuildable... but... I like O.E. Stuff over anything "new and Shiny"

 

No ... Don't use it without the dust boot ... The "insert"in the new caliper piston is for noise dampening ... The loose pin can be repaired with a bronze bushing if I remember correctly ... As mentioned earlier I'd send the POS new caliper back and resurrect the old one after ensuring that the bore in the old caliper is not pitted or damaged ... Most caliper have a groove cut in them to locate a seal that the piston rides on ... The "Banana" caliper has a groove cut in the piston and that seal rides in the caliper bore ... If the bore is pitted it will definitely leak ... Also be sure that the bleeder screw will open ... Good Luck

 

+1... except I have never seen a dire need for a bleeder on a Front Caliper... But... I'm seldom in a rush anymore either..Patience....

 

my rear one works good. its those pissy little front ones that are useless

 

My Front Banana works just fine... can lock the wheel at will...what else ya want??? Oh...yea that Rattle!!! More than one way to address that little Quirk!!

 

i prefer OEM...oh yeah the rattle...i just have my finger on the front brake when stopped to solve that...when i replace the pads i will fix that one ...with help from this forum