I was working on the rear brakes on my 883 and that retaining clip came off but I cant tell how it goes back on. Also, how do you remove the bolt holding the pads in? Any help will be appreciated !!

 

First, invest in a service manual if you are going to be doing your own work. It will answer a lot of questions.

Second, the retaining clip should just fit right in there one way and not the other. You may have to push it a little, but it'll go in there.

Third, you just unscrew the pin bolt and pull it out.

Fourth, repeating number one, get a service manual. It will answer all these questions. If you can't be bothered to buy one and do not know what to do already, you really should not do your own work.

 

I just changed mine on my 03 and next time ill be removing the rear tire.This caliper don't come off without removing the rear axle.People tell me otherwise but it just isn't so.I removed the mounting bolts and all it done was take apart the caliper and allow fluid to run out and then you will have real treat getting it back together and then having to bleed your back breaks.Trust me i just done it last night.
Here's my caliper the 2 small guides/bolts are what holds the pads in place.It takes a 12 point 6 mm wrench or socket.
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/attac...s-imag0007.jpg

 

On earlier models as in pre-96, the caliper can be removed without removing the wheel, the bracket stays on the bike and the pads are installed on either side of the rotor then the caliper is installed over the pads. So, in some cases it can be done easily.

96 to 03 have 4 piston calipers which have 2 pistons on either side, you must use a 1/4 in 12 point socket or box end wrench to remove the guide pins that go through the pads. (do not remove the three 10mm 12 point bolts unless you want to clean up a mess and bleed your brakes) Although, it is possible to remove the pins and slide the pads out and replace them without removing the wheel and caliper, it is not that easy to get the pistons to retract into the caliper to allow the thicker pads to fit in their place without scratching the rotor. For me, it is easier to just remove the wheel and do it that way.

 

Remove the rear pin safety retainer plug with a reguler screw driver then remove the pad retainer pin with an allen wrench, pull pin and slid pads up slighty on the rear and slide out. When installing, look in frt of the caliper the see where the pads go into the bracket and guide them in. Make sure to press piston in first. Just did mine yesterday. You may want to remove the frt. caliper mounting bolt and lube it.
You can remove the rear to lube but its hard. I broke mine aloose with a pipe fitting crows foot wrench then removed it with a 12mm open end wrench. never did I remove the tire. After near 25 years of working on cars you do learn alot of tricks.

 

On mine there is no caliper mounting bolt.It fits in a slide on the swing arm and fastens to the rear axle.No retainer plugs either just bolts that hold the caliper together and 2 pins that hold the pads in.If i remove the bolts the back side of the caliper comes off but the caliper actually comes apart and still don't help with the outer pad.And pushing the pistons back in while its mounted was not an easy task.

 

In all seriousness and I do realize you have a front brake, but the questions you ask throw up a lot of red flags. Not a put down or troll and apologize if coming across as one but some things in life if you want to do and have never done before, you really need an experienced person THERE showing you. Just my opinion. I started doing this in 64 in a in high school trade class.

 

Ive worked on cars 20+ years and also took 2 years in trade school for auto mechanics.Here's the same type of caliper that's on my bike.You show me where mounting bolts are for this caliper besides the axle and the slide on the front?Maybe other years aren't the same but this is what mine is.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2003-Harl...item1c0e0cf526
Not trying to bash or be rude but everyone kept telling me to remove the mounting bolts and there is none LOL!!
But i agree if you don't know what your doing get someone who does and buy a manual before doing anything.

 

That's because on an '03 there are none for the rear brake. Like you say, it slides into the axle and is held in place by a small slide in the swingarm that goes into the caliper.

A lot of the newer and older bikes have/had mounting bolts for the rear brake. It would be nice to be able to get at the brake caliper without having to remove the tire.

I just make sure to plan ahead and change pads with a tire change or something so I'm not messing with it on the bike (pain in the butt) or taking the wheel off for no reason.

 

Hey, I did'nt come on here and ask a simple question only to be answered like i'm a complete idiot. I'm more than confident in my mechanical ablities or I would not have taken it apart to start with. I'm laid off and cant afford a service manual or to pay and have it done for me. I would not pay to have it done when I know its something I can do. I just asked for advice on how its done. I am working on a 2005 883. I don't know how this thread turned into working on an earlier model. This is what the caliper looks like:

This is the bolt im talking about

I tried to unscrew it but it acted like it wanted to round it over with the screw drivers I tried with it. The retaining clip just fell out when I removed the caliper. It looks like this :

I knew I should've posted pics