Hayes Stroker piston problem!

besam

Retro Guru
Wondering if you guys could help me out?

I have some old Hayes Stroker Carbon hydraulic brakes - can't remember the date I bought them but was about 2 years ago. I had them off the bike lying up coiled, for a while now, and unsurprisingly the pistons have moved out. So I took the pads out and tried pushing the pistons back in with 8mm spanner - worked fine on one brake but the other seems to have a problem..

One piston would not come out very far at all, while the other was pumped all the way out. I think that is because of some corrosion or dirt so I have tried cleaning around the edges of the protruding bit and pushing back in. Now however, I cannot push the other side back in at all to start a bleed. Even with a levering action on the side of the surrounding housing it won't go in at all and I have now succeeded in chipping the top edge of one of the ceramic pistons.

I have tried giving it some real leverage force to push it back but it will just not go. So I thought of letting some fluid out the system and opened the bleed nipple a bit but even with it open I'm having the same resistance and no oil is even coming out. Could there be an air bubble trapped because the piston overextended? Otherwise I am lost as to what to do.

I was considering taking the caliper apart and sorting it, but do I have to take all the brake fluid out of the system first - and how do I do that? There are no details for that on the Hayes instructions..

Also anyone know if yo can get replacement pad retention springs - my pads are falling out also (a classic Hayes problem apparently). I don't want to buy a whole new set..

Thanks!
 
Sounds mullered to me. As a self professed 'competent home mechanic', I would rebuild them with new pistons and seals. Here is the info you will need:

Full bleed instructional video

Full service instructions

New seals and pistons

I am sure that someone with experience with these will be along shortly to give more advice. You will need to drain the brakes before you strip them, yes. Seems the spring is hard to come by, you may want to email Hayes and see if they can send you one...? But, if you opt to rebuild them yourself, maybe get some fresh pads to have them totally like new?

Good luck!
 
That sounds like new pistons are needed...luckily if they get jammed you can break them out being ceramic.

To remove the fluid, put some tubing on the bleed nipple, open it and squeeze the lever. The fluid will be forced out through the tube and into a pit.

The other option, is to put he calliper in a pot of some sort and squeeze the lever, the pistons will then pop out, along with all of e fluid.

Replacing the pistons and rebleeding Hayes brakes is very simple. Make sure you soak the new seals in DOT fluid before installing. Luring the pistons with the fluid will make them much easier to install.

God luck!
 
Thanks! I now have a danm rounded allen bolt on the caliper hose connection so I can't pump out one side! Never ending problems.

Cheers
 
Back
Top