SOHC.co.uk Forums > CB500/550
Spring caliper
deltarider:
Does this spring ever need replacement? I can adjust the caliper on my CB500 as much as I want, so it has the 0.15mm gap between the disk and pad B recommended in the manual. Only... that gap will soon decrease. Am I the only one? Could renewal of forsaid spring bring some positive effect? Or would removal of that spring and its bolt altogether, as was suggested in the international forum, have more effect?
Johnwebley:
I have removed the spring, so the caliper can move freely
Those springs have been discarded for the last 50years
It should give a more positive brake
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florence:
Thank you, I did not know this.
Does it make much difference removing the spring? Have lots done this? I've been riding with this particular spring for 30 years on this bike. Does the calliper rattle without it? Does the adjustment procedure change, i.e. turn adjuster until resistance is felt, back off until wheel is free, then back off a further 1/8th turn?
I am intrigued.
Addendum: I see feeler gauges are mentioned elsewhere so now doubly confused, never used them for the fixed pad before. Tried to download the 500 manual from Aladdin's cave but link doesn't work for me.
Johnwebley:
Just adjust the clearance in the normal way,
The caliper shouldn't rattle,
It should help the pads to bed in and align easily
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K2-K6:
--- Quote from: florence on July 10, 2025, 09:18:23 AM ---Thank you, I did not know this.
Does it make much difference removing the spring? Have lots done this? I've been riding with this particular spring for 30 years on this bike. Does the calliper rattle without it? Does the adjustment procedure change, i.e. turn adjuster until resistance is felt, back off until wheel is free, then back off a further 1/8th turn?
I am intrigued.
Addendum: I see feeler gauges are mentioned elsewhere so now doubly confused, never used them for the fixed pad before. Tried to download the 500 manual from Aladdin's cave but link doesn't work for me.
--- End quote ---
Yes.
It's, effectively, the role of retraction acted by the seal on hydraulic design of all brake calipers, that this is substitute for.
The pads MUST be withdrawn from pressure contact (facilitated by that seal retraction) that makes the system work. They are designed differently with various seal retraction geometry for different caliper designs .... 2 pot, 4 pot, sliding one sided operation .... to make them work as designed via precise retraction dimension.
The spring does this,, in combination with the piston seal to give correct operation.
The largest error in nearly all caliper is when the seal groove, geometry, retraction etc are compromised through build up of dirt etc to restrict retraction movement. This ultimately makes the pads drag continually above design target and leads to "casual" glazing, which wouldn't happen if that operation was entirely fulfilled.
Attention to the seal, groove and assembly pays dividend in brake operation. There's absolutely no weather sealing on these calipers, maintenance is paramount in keeping them as designed.
The most effective assembly lubricant for the seal is silicone grease as it's most resistant to water ingress, change of consistency in use and can virtually eliminate galvanic corrosion which is prime cause of decay in them.
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