Brakes!!!

[brianinpa]

I hate working on brakes! There, I feel better now that I got that out of the way.

Ok, so the front brake on the 1200 locked and would not release. I opened the bleed port, and the brake released, so the return port was clogged - no problem... until I put fluid back in. I pumped and pumped and pumped and nothing. Disassembled the MC and checked everything out and the seals are good. Reassembled, filled it, plugged the hole with my thumb, and squeezed. (all this was done away from the bike to prevent anything bad from happened when what happened next happened) Fluid everywhere!!! Ok, so it is working right now. Put it back on and fill it and pump it up and once again, nothing. Tells me I have too much air in the line... I guess.

So what is the best way to get fluid through the entire front brake system for those of us without a brake bleeding kit? Tomorrow I may spring for a kit, but I have to know... is there a way to do it without one?

 

[K7TKA]

Gravity can be your friend. Fill the m/c and open the bleeder with a hose to catch the runoff. If that doesn't work fill the brake line directly.

 

[backlander]

I just use a clean plastic peanut butter jar, an adequate length of cpap clear hose, put the hose on the bleeder and place it in the half filled jar of DOT 4, fill MC and pump until no more bubbles come out in jar. Close bleeder with pump lever compressed. Wait 5 minutes and do it again. Always works for me.

 

[slabghost]

Fill the reservoir full of brake fluid pull the handle slowly to the hand grip and tie it there for the night. Try it in the morning.

 

[brianinpa]

slabghost » Sat Oct 12, 2013 7:56 pm[/url]":2quvm1l8]
Fill the reservoir full of brake fluid pull the handle slowly to the hand grip and tie it there for the night. Try it in the morning.

That is what I have done V, but I mean I am not getting anything coming out of the MC...

 

[joedrum]

sheesh brian on new to you bike this can be a nightmare for patience thing ....... :rant: hoses stuck pistons and so on on on on on sheesh

 

[slabghost]

On a few master cylinders I've had to use Joes trick. I remove the line and put my thumb over the hole and pump slowly until it both sucks my thumb in and pushes fluid past. Sometimes they just need primed like that.

 

[joedrum]

sheesh I forgot that one lately ..what a mind I have

 

[mcgovern61]

Brian, you have an air bubble between the MC piston and the return hole. Very common. You can pump till the cows come home and still not get anywhere. This is one of those times when clamping the pistons in on both calipers will really help and then like mentioned earlier, run a hose from the bleeder into a jar of clean brake fluid. I use speed bleeder brake screws to help and they are great! Makes the whole 1 man brake bleeding real easy. I crack the bleeder screw a 1/4 turn and leave it because there is a spring loaded check valve in the bleeder that will only allow air and fluid out and no air in. Still have to use a hose into a jar.

The key to getting the air out of the MC is to have the calipers setup for bleeding, top the master but keep the lid off. Slowly pull the handle and I mean real slow and hold it down for a few seconds. Very slowly release. Do that about three times until you start to get fluid moving out of the bleeder. Once fluid starts to move just keep pumping the handle slowly draining the MC a bit. Do not let it go below half or you will be right back were you started.

Follow the bleeding procedure I outlined before and you should be good to go. If you need help, I can make a trip up there soon.

viewtopic.php?p=95588#p95588

 

[brianinpa]

joedrum » Sat Oct 12, 2013 8:12 pm[/url]":2uvwmg8q]
sheesh brian on new to you bike this can be a nightmare for patience thing ....... :rant: hoses stuck pistons and so on on on on on sheesh

Actually, it isn't that much of a problem... I'm going over everything to satisfy myself.

Brian, you have an air bubble between the MC piston and the return hole. Very common. You can pump till the cows come home and still not get anywhere. This is one of those times when clamping the pistons in on both calipers will really help and then like mentioned earlier, run a hose from the bleeder into a jar of clean brake fluid. I use speed bleeder brake screws to help and they are great! Makes the whole 1 man brake bleeding real easy. I crack the bleeder screw a 1/4 turn and leave it because there is a spring loaded check valve in the bleeder that will only allow air and fluid out and no air in. Still have to use a hose into a jar.

The key to getting the air out of the MC is to have the calipers setup for bleeding, top the master but keep the lid off. Slowly pull the handle and I mean real slow and hold it down for a few seconds. Very slowly release. Do that about three times until you start to get fluid moving out of the bleeder. Once fluid starts to move just keep pumping the handle slowly draining the MC a bit. Do not let it go below half or you will be right back were you started.

Follow the bleeding procedure I outlined before and you should be good to go. If you need help, I can make a trip up there soon.

viewtopic.php?p=95588#p95588

If I am looking at this right, with the linked brakes, I only have one side to worry about. Thanks for the offer. I'll let you know what I come up with as I am stuck at work once again.

 

[brianinpa]

I should have gotten one of these one-man bleeding kit years ago! I had that brake bled and right in 15 minutes time. It is amazing how much air you can get into one brake line though.

 

[brianinpa]

Just got back from a test ride and everything is working fine... but I need a full face helmet.

 

[joedrum]

great brian

 

[slabghost]

Congratulations and yes a full face helmet makes the ride much more enjoyable.

 

[mcgovern61]

brianinpa » Sun Oct 13, 2013 6:10 pm[/url]":1gqwgd44]
Just got back from a test ride and everything is working fine... but I need a full face helmet.

Sounds like trouble to me.......better let me take that troublesome bike off your hands. Eating those bugs is no good for you anyway. :hihihi:

 

[brianinpa]

I hear bugs are high in fiber.
:smilie_happy:

 

[Ansimp]

Try a modular or flip up helmet as they are much more practical than a normal full face helmet ( put them on without taking off glasses, easier to talk to riding mates at lights and keep cool while waiting for the green light). :good:

 

[brianinpa]

Tony I hadn't thought about modulars: the last time I rode a bike without a windscreen, those were too far out of my price range. Now my price range is a bit higher than it was so many years ago. Thanks!

 

[AApple]

:0fftopic: :mrgreen:

 

[brianinpa]

Sheesh! it's my topic and the serious discussion is over... :smilie_happy: