Motorcycle Repair: Replacing Front and Rear Brake Pads, rear brakes, screw driver

Question
2000 1200 Sportster Custom

Ok, I'm trying to replace my front and rear brake pads.  I took off the front caliper, including the brake line.  I couldn't fit the new pads into the caliper because the hydrallics were sticking out too far, so I pushed them back in with a screw driver and replaced the pads.  I put the caliper back on and reconnected the brake line.  No action...the brakes didn't contract at all.  So I called up a friend and he said I probably had some air in the lines.  So I took off the resevoir cap and pressed the brake down to watch for bubbles.  After no bubbles came up anymore...I replaced the cap, but still no luck.  I don't know what else to do.

Rear Brakes:

The repair manual says to just remove the pads and not the entire caliper.  So I removed the pins and removed the pads.  Well, once again the hydrallics are sticking out too far and I can't put the pads in.  However, without taking the rear wheel off and removing the caliper, I don't know how to get these hydrallics back in the caliper.

Your help/guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Answer
When youa re replacing the pads you hav to push the puck inward so the pads will go in and, because of the thickness of the new pads, they will fit over the disk. You don not have to remove the brake line. Once you did this you probable got air in the system, so now you have to bleed the system.
Look on the caliber and you will see a bleeder valve. Pump the brake several times and while holding the brake lever, open it. Fluid and air should come out. Keep doing this until the brakes pump up. It sometimes takes a while. the hole that the brake fluid goes through in the master cylinder is very small
Good luck and happy riding
Mike