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Very nice collection of bikes you have there Kelly !!

Turd update......While waiting on my new body kit and a few other parts (which seems like forever) I'm trying to keep moving forward rebuilding all the brake component's. Rear master cylinder and front and rear caliper are done with the front master next in line.

At least the weather is getting warmer.

Looks like you shopped at Brakecrafters. Did you get the stainless steel caliper pistons?

I did manage to get the 77' KZ 1000LTD out for one lap on our 12 mile test loop and I am happy but I think I'll need to get a set of Progressive series 12 shocks.

Good progress moose, they look great

I see the turd polish is working.

Mikaw wrote:

I see the turd polish is working.

Maybe it's the powdered sugar. 

Steve
 

Kelly E wrote:

Looks like you shopped at Brakecrafters. Did you get the stainless steel caliper pistons?

I did manage to get the 77' KZ 1000LTD out for one lap on our 12 mile test loop and I am happy but I think I'll need to get a set of Progressive series 12 shocks.

Brakecrafters has been a great supplier and helped me find some hard to find parts, they have also lightened my wallet making it easier to carry.

I didn't need new pistons on this bike but I rebuilt all the brakes on my LTD a few months ago and used the stainless pistons they are a work of art.

Moose1800- looking forward to seeing and learning about your Front M/C rebuild.   Ironically, I just ordered my BrakeCrafter front kit yesterday.
B/C while looking over my throttle cables, I am noticing some weeping brake fluid at the bracket, etc.   Running low on $ and time.

78kawltd I think the 78LTD has the trapezoid shaped master cylinder as in the first pic below the one on the left, if so your lucky cause they are easy to remove the piston. They have a plastic piston retainer and very easy to remove, just be careful and don't break it that part is NLA. On the other hand if you have the tall round master they can be a pain in the ass to remove the circlip.

I dismantled mine last night and had a hard time removing the circlip!!.......I had to get rough with it and break the c-clip in order to get the clip out. I've done quite a few of these and this one was the most difficult so far. Also notice the crystallized brake fluid around the outside of the piston, this one was way overdue for a rebuild. I'll take more pics as I move along, once you get the piston out it's just a matter of cleaning the bore very good and reassemble.

Just as an FYI, brake fluid should be completely changed every 24 - 36 months, this is because it is hydroscopic (absorbs moisture from the air) it is the failure to do this that causes a lot of the rust issues encountered on old vehicles. Also from a safety point of view not changing the fluid can lead to the moisture boiling under hard braking which then causes air bubbles and soggy brakes (just for anybody that is interested)

That's a good point Wookie but very few people do that, in my younger years I'm guilty of that type of neglect. In the FSM it also says to replace the caliper seals every other brake pad change which few people do...guilty as charged on that one also. If you notice all the crap that was in my rear caliper I would venture to say nothing has been done to this brake system other than a pad change since the bike was new 45/46 years ago, as I rolled it around the brakes seemed to work but with a heavy bike like these I wouldn't want to trust them with my life.

Theses will make front M/C rebuilds easier.