TOPIC:

Hi everyone, the service manual I have only covers rear drum brakes. I have rear disk on my kz650. Wondering if there is a trick to removing and installing the rear caliper. Trying to slide it over the rotor and rear brake mount is very difficult, and I feel like I am damaging the rubber seals on the caliper mount holes.  

Did you remove the axle first?

Perhaps the 650D rear disc brake is the same. If so, this manual may help.

www.kzrider.com/modules/ServiceManuals/K...l%20KZ650%201981.pdf

Yes I had the wheel off, but I removed the caliper alone, not the caliper mounting bracket. Now putting it back is giving me issues. 

According to Partzilla, the 650C and D rear brake assembly has the same part number, so the manual linked above should have the correct rear brake info for your bike.

sflesch94 wrote:

Yes I had the wheel off, but I removed the caliper alone, not the caliper mounting bracket. Now putting it back is giving me issues. 

Ok, thanks. I hope the manual has a solution for you. I suspect one of the 650 owners here will be along shortly with some sage advice .

Are the pistons nad pads pushed back fully - if so there should be no resistance sliding the calliper over the disc. Have you replaced any parts and if so what with ?

sflesch94 wrote:

Hi everyone, the service manual I have only covers rear drum brakes. I have rear disk on my kz650. Wondering if there is a trick to removing and installing the rear caliper. Trying to slide it over the rotor and rear brake mount is very difficult, and I feel like I am damaging the rubber seals on the caliper mount holes.  

You need to remove the caliper and bracket as one piece, with it off the bike then remove the pads then you can remove the caliper from the bracket.

Installing the caliper on the bracket can be trickey with those 4 rubber dust seals make sure you have new ones on hand and don't get any grease on the inside of the dust seals it's a tight fit and if I remember correctly the caliper will only go on the bracket in one direction and the bracket needs to be off the bike when reinstalling the caliper back on the bracket.

New dust seals can be had at brakecrafters.com

Yeah I didn’t remove the mounting bracket. I got the caliper off somehow though. Here is where I am at. I don’t really see how the bracket being off the bike will be different, the part I’m having trouble clearing is those dust boots. Maybe I need to coat them with a little grease so the caliper slides over easier.

sflesch94 wrote:

Yeah I didn’t remove the mounting bracket. I got the caliper off somehow though. Here is where I am at. I don’t really see how the bracket being off the bike will be different, the part I’m having trouble clearing is those dust boots. Maybe I need to coat them with a little grease so the caliper slides over easier.

With the mounting bracket off the bike you will be able to see the dust seals go into place, it's very easy to tear the dust seals when installing the caliper on the bracket or they fall off before going into place and you won't be able to see it. It's no big deal to remove the bracket your almost there. Their isn't much holding the dust seals on the bracket and it can be frustrating trying to get the caliper on the bracket even with the bracket off the bike. You can try it your way you might get lucky but good luck.

Also if you use grease you need to use brake grease and use it sparingly and grease the caliper bolts to.

Moose1800 has the correct advice. Pull the axle and remove the bracket. Assemble the caliper and install as a unit. 

My early(#442) 77' KZ 1000LTD has the same rear brake setup as your bike. The manual says it is different but I know it's original. It seems like the mounting bracket only goes in from one end of the caliper or it knocks the slider pin boots off. It took me a few tries to get it and I tore a boot in the process, order a couple extras.