Brakes
Rear Brake 1. Stand the bike up straight. A wheel chock or bike
• Fluid Inspection/Top Up lift will suffice.
• Brake Pad
2. I find it difficult to see the fluid level clearly
o Inspection
through the rear brake inspection window. So use
o Installation
a T5 Hex screwdriver to slightly undo the screw
• Caliper Teardown
holding the metal reservoir protector and slide it
o Removal
off. The fluid should not be below the lower mark.
o Caliper Clean
The fluid will go down as the brake pads wear. So
o Caliper Teardown
if it is low first check the thickness of the brake
o Wheel Installation
pads before adding more fluid. You want to
o Fluid Replacement/Bleed
minimize the number of times you take the lid off
• Brake Disc and expose the brake fluid to air. If you have lots
o Inspection of ‘meat’ on your brake pads but the fluid is low
o Replacement then you either have a fluid leak that needs to be
• Speed-Bleeder Installation-Optional Extra solved or someone didn’t fill it properly when
fluid replacement was done.
General Comments
The rear brake service details are limited in the
official Triumph Service Manual. To my knowledge
there is more than one type of rear brake caliper that
was used on the Thunderbird line-up. So for your
specific bike I suggest you check. Mine is a Brembo 2
pot caliper with a 30mm x 28.5mm piston and a 32mm
x 28mm piston. The Service manual says that this is a
non-serviceable item but this is not the case. If you
3. If you need to put in more DOT 4 fluid unscrew
give check what type caliper and what exact size your
the reservoir cap and lift out the rubber
brake pistons are you can order from PowerHouse
diaphragm. If the rubber diaphragm is perished I
(UK 01246 260665) a new seal and boot kit. You can
don’t think you can get a new one, you need to
even order replacement pistons if you like.
replace the whole plastic reservoir (T2020390).
The first time I replaced the brake fluid I found
the Speed-Bleeder’s very quick and handy to use.
However, when installing a dry brake hose I found it
more difficult to get all the air out, they were spongy
no matter what. When this happens I found I had to do
a reverse brake bleed. If you type this into you-tube
you will find examples of how to do this. Essentially
use a normal bleed nipple and syringe the fluid into the
bleed nipple up the pipe and then bleed the system as
per usual. This method pushes the main air bubbles up
the system rather than down. But you don’t always
need to do this.
Rear Brake Fluid Inspection/Top Up 4. Don’t put too much in because when you go to the
put the rubber diaphragm back it brake fluid will
spill out. So with it at the right level, put the
What you need before hand
diaphragm back in, screw on the cap. Return the
• Wheel chock/Bike lift
metal reservoir cover using the T5 Hex
• Screwdriver: T5 Hex screwdriver and tighten sensibly.
• DOT 4 Brake fluid
• Paper towel Job Done!
Steps
2 Thunderbird Storm
Brake Pads 4. Undo the bolt attaching the exhaust to the frame
using 12mm socket.
What you need before hand
• Needle nose pliers
• Screwdriver: T5 Hex
• Sockets: 12mm
• Needle nose pliers
• Wire brush/scotch pad
• R-clip x2 (21-23mm long, 1.2 Diameter)
o Or small split pin
• Paper towel
• Brake cleaner
• Ruler/Vernier caliper
• Possibly new brake pads T2020692
• Sandpaper
Steps: Removal/Inspection
1. Raise the bike of the ground so that the wheel can 5. Wiggle the silencer away from the CAT and place
move freely. aside. Put the bolt and rubber grommets back in so
you don’t loose them. With the silencers off, you
2. Removing the left silencer makes access to the may consider taking off the wheel and the caliper
brake pads much easier and isn’t hard to do. If you completely to give it a thorough clean. If so skip
are going to remove and clean out the caliper you to step 2 in the next section. Although in theory
need to remove the wheel and that is much easier you can follow these steps, I’ve typically found it
with both silencers off. It’s up to you. If removing too tough to remove the pads without removing
the exhausts, undo the two clasps holding the the wheel to increase access. But you bike might
exhaust shield to the exhaust using T5 Hex be squeaky clean and easy to get out.
screwdriver. Then slip it off.
6. Remove the pin that holds the brake pad retaining
pin with some needle nose pliers, then remove the
retaining pin. You may need a small round punch
to push the retaining pin out. Make sure you push
it from the left side of the caliper. The following
picture is taken from the inside to give a better
view of the retaining pin but you don’t need the
wheel removed to get to it.
Caliper Pin
Retaining Pin
7. With the retaining pin removed you need to
‘encourage’ the caliper pin out from the left side
of the caliper (side on the outside of the bike).
Due to all the dirt, mine was difficult to get out so
Rear Brakes 3
I used a small round punch. Yes this picture is
with the wheel removed for a clearer shot.
Steps
1. Raise the bike and remove the silencers using
T5 Hex screwdriver, 12mm socket and 12mm
spanner.
Retaining Pin
Caliper Teardown
15. Remove the brake nipple using a 8mm spanner.
Clean the tread.
24. With the parts all cleaned, return the clip in the
bottom of the mounting bracket and slide bracket
back onto the caliper.
34. Put the spacers back into place: on the hub and
drive flange. The shorter wheel spacer lives on
29. Put some thread lock onto the bleed nipple thread the side of the final drive, the longer spacer
and reinstall it using a 8mm spanner. lives in the side of the brake disc.
30. Replace the copper washers on the banjo bolt to
avoid leaks (size 15.2 x 10 x1). Reconnect the
brake hose union bolt using 14mm spanner and
tighten sensibly (25Nm). It is easier to talk the
bolt later when the mounting bracket is back on
the bike.
31. Slide the caliper bracket back onto the slot on the
swing arm.
Wheel Installation
33. Smear some multi-purpose grease on the lip of
the bearing seals and edges.