Front caliper rubber boot question

[tuxicle]

The other day when bleeding the front calipers, I found that one of these rubber boot thingies was very loose, almost popped off the shaft:



For reference, here's the other caliper, with the correctly installed boot:


And here's the boot that I pulled off, to keep from losing it:


How does one re-install this part? I did some damage to the boot already, by trying to squeeze it in. Thanks!

[suzyj]

That's not a good look. The boot locates one of the pins that the caliper slides from side to side on. You'll need to pull the caliper off the bike and pull the caliper halves apart to get it back in.

If it's damaged as you say, I think you should just replace the caliper. They're cheap as chips on ebay.

[tuxicle]

Ugg... more money! But I guess your'e right, they're not too bad on ebay. Plus, I need to change the pads out (I'm at 14.5k miles). Any suggestions on an upgrade path, though?

The local Duc shop said they have the boots as spares, but for about US$ 35.

Also, looking at those pictures, gleesh, she needs a bath!

[Speeddog]

Standard upgrade is 320mm rotors and goldline (four piston, two-pin) calipers.

You'll need the matching brake hose, as the position is different from your 2-piston calipers.

May need to do the master, I forget what diameter piston your bike came with.

suzyj upgraded, as did many other folks.

[suzyj]

Yes it's the perfect opportunity to do the upgrade. I did this on my 695.

Ingredients:

2 x 320mm rotors (stock on s2r1000, 998)
2 x 4 pot "gold line" calipers (stock on same bikes), importantly you need ones with 65mm mounting bolt offset.
Optionally a 16mm coffin master (stock is 15mm)
New hoses (from an s2r1000)

[ducej]

Happened to me recently, you cannot squeeze it back into place from the outside. When the boot is still good reinstalling is very simple. Remove the caliper, insert the boot from the 'backside' (innerside at the wheel)  of the caliper and reinstall the caliper, carefully sliding the pin into the boot again. You do not have to take anything apart. Tighten the bolts again with the specified torque, 38 Nm as I recall (i am not completely sure....) Upgrading your pads / brakes is always a good idea by the way...

[Slide Panda]

2 x 4 pot "gold line" calipers (stock on same bikes), importantly you need ones with 65mm mounting bolt offset.

One may fit the 4 pad calipers seen on the 749/999 as well. Though you'll need custom lines in that case.

[tuxicle]

Thanks all, for the responses. For now, I pulled off the caliper and put the old boot back on. The only part that was damaged was the accordion section at one end, from when I tried to squeeze it in from the outside. Lubed the pin up good before putting it back in.

As for the upgrades, well, maybe that would be this winter's project. Will probably go the S2R1000 route. If I manage to get a pair of S2R1000 calipers, are these drop-in replacements? Or do I have to specifically look for the 65 mm offset?

Thanks once again, you guys are great!

[Slide Panda]

Not offset, but spacing between the mounting bolts. All ducs using axial mounts since some time in the 90s share that 65mm spacing. So monsters up until the 05 620 and s2r800, 748, 996, 998, STs shared caliper specs for mountings and rotor dimensions