Direct Mount 105 Brakes - Ball Bearings

[dhd.evans]

My front brake was sticking a bit so ran the usual set of diagnostics (clean and oil the calipers, replace the brake cable) but to no avail.

Decided to take it off the bike and get a good look at it only to discover the sealed ball bearings on the mount posts were, in fact, no longer sealed. In fact, they were nice and rusty/gungy/cruddy and seized.

Time to replace the bearings except... well, no one seems to stock them. Two LBS visits and neither have the parts nor do Shimano supply them directly. I write this asking if anyone has spare bearings from calipers they no longer use and if they would be willing to part with them for a price(!) because my next option is to upgrade the whole brake. And, personally, i don't want to fork out £60 where i could fork out £2.

 

[Tim Hall]

Are they cartridge bearings? If so, your local industrial bearing supplier should be able to help. Take the old ones along for matching purposes.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

What is the brake model? Somewhere on the brake there will be a product number such as BR105 or something similar.

Once we have the model, we can find the exploded diagram and advise you. I suspect it is a thrust bearing of some sort.

 

[Tim Hall]

What is the brake model? Somewhere on the brake there will be a product number such as BR105 or something similar.

Once we have the model, we can find the exploded diagram and advise you. I suspect it is a thrust bearing of some sort.

Whilst I'm not the OP, in a moment of idleness I came up with BR-5800-F. However, it seems to refer to two models, traditional bolt through the fork crown and direct mount. The exploded view gives no clue as to the bearings used.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Whilst I'm not the OP, in a moment of idleness I came up with BR-5800-F. However, it seems to refer to two models, traditional bolt through the fork crown and direct mount. The exploded view gives no clue as to the bearings used.

Funny that, I did the same thing and came up with BR-5810 and its derivatives.
The OP will have to show us a picture of the bearing. I doubt it will be a cartridge bearing since those don't work well where a lever will put a sideways movement on them. It will be thrust bearing of sorts - most likely like a flat nylon washer with holes all around the centre hole and a little bearing ball in each small hole. Each side of it will be a thrust washer made of hardened steel. Plain balls are easy to come by so it shouldn't be a problem. However, a dimpled and rusted thrust washer is another story.
But...this is all speculation until we have more info.

 

[dhd.evans]

Sorry, back on - BR-5810-F is the model. Local bearings shop couldn't find something small enough.

@Yellow Saddle, that description is spot on. Little plastic ring on either side with tiny balls inside. The washers were flat plastic as you say, the casing in which the balls sat was pretty gubbed.

 

[dhd.evans]

An update to this (for anyone searching) - i couldn't get the ball bearings. I found replacement posts on SJScycles but at £22.99 a pop it actually worked out more economical to buy a new caliper. Go flipping figure.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

An update to this (for anyone searching) - i couldn't get the ball bearings. I found replacement posts on SJScycles but at £22.99 a pop it actually worked out more economical to buy a new caliper. Go flipping figure.

Thanks for reporting back. Not many do. Its not a great outcome though but road salt is really bad stuff. Not much other than plastic is resistant to it.