WTB:1982 XJ550 Front Caliper

Look for a front caliper for a 1982 Yamaha xj550 maxim, PM me or just reply with any info

 

I have a spare caliper from an xj550 Seca, and wonder if it's the same part or not. PM with your address and I'll send a picture.

caliper w/pads $30. Plus shipping. PayPal accepted.

 

The 550 Maxim caliper mounts on the left and the Seca mounts on the right so they are different.

 

Yea, just found out there different myself

 

You do realize you're still going to need to rebuild any used caliper you find, right? Replacing one set of 30-year old parts with another set of 30-year old parts won't work.

 

You are correct. Thanks for bringing this to our attention.

 

Now we know the xj550 Seca caliper will not work since it's a RH mount, I have a caliper from a 1982 xz550 Vision that's a LH mount. And I wonder if this fits an xj550 Maxim.

 

Well, hey! They LOOK the same, except for that "mirror image" thing...

Truth be told they also use the same calipers on the 1100s and some 750s; you just need to know you want a left one for a Max, a right one for a Seca, and BOTH if you have a Euro-spec XJ550.

When you get ready to rebuild that caliper, the factory books' diagram is WRONG and incomplete, so I corrected it (except this one is the RH version) and labeled all the parts. XJ4Ever has new pin boots (even though they're not in his catalog.) Yamaha never even gave them a part number.

 

This is great info! I needed this info

 

You'll also need new pads, new lines, a caliper rebuild kit, probably a new sliding pin (if it has become a "beat it with a hammer pin" then replace it) plus probably new pin boots and a master cylinder rebuild kit.

Anything less and you'll keep having to replace the things I listed one by one anyway accompanied by a brake bleeding (the biggest PIA on an '80s Yammie) every time. The bike will force you to do it; or you can just do it right the first time. Your choice.

Hang onto your pad shim, shim plates and pad anti-rattle spring, they are hard to find. Everything else is readily available.

If you want to get all Hi-Performance hinky, upgrade to stainless lines and replace the front brake rotor with a full-floating EBC rotor. I'd recommend stainless lines even with the stock rotor though; they're the single biggest improvement you can make to the stock brake.

 

Wow, Great advice. And I can completely see where rebuilding a front caliper would be a way better idea.

 

You really have no choice. Anything you find on eBay will need to be rebuilt the same as your original. The only advantage would be if you've got a really high-mileage assembly and the holding block is worn, etc; then you could get a lower-mileage unit off the 'Bay-- but it would still need to be rebuilt.

Don't ignore those 30-year old LINES! This has to be a complete job. Replace everything but the lines, and you could pop one. Install a used caliper without rebuilding it, and it will start hanging up. Fix that and the master cylinder will begin acting up. Pads that old crumble.

This style caliper is very simple and not difficult at all; you just need to be sure the seal channels are religiously clean; that your piston has no pitting in the areas swept by the seals, and that everything else is clean as clean can be and the pin boots are still viable.



***TIP*** Be sure to put the anti-rattle spring back into its spot in the caliper before installing the piston. ***