|
Valk-Obsessed
|
 |
« on: May 21, 2016, 12:08:22 PM » |
|
I have a question for the collective wisdom...
I recently replaced my front brake pads, and thought I had everything all hooked up, and any air out of the system...Yesterday I discovered that my front brakes are not working properly...I can pull the brake lever nearly all the way in, without much resistance at all. If I pump it a few times I get some resistance. I also found that brake fluid had leaked or sprayed onto the side of the front fender.
I checked the tightness of the "banjo" bolt and bleeder valves, and all seems fine there. I don't see any visible leaks either. Could this be a symptom of failure of the O rings in the Calipers themselves?
left side seems fine, this is on the right side.
Thanks,
Chris
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Bighead
|
|
« Reply #1 on: May 21, 2016, 12:10:34 PM » |
|
I would check lines for a crack as when you take the calipers off they get twisted a bit and they are getting old.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
1997 Bumble Bee
1999 Interstate (sold)
2016 Wing
|
|
|
|
Chrisj CMA
|
|
« Reply #2 on: May 21, 2016, 12:19:28 PM » |
|
If you topped off the fluid in the front M/C after wearing down the pads some, then fast forward to changing the pads, you cannot just compress the pistons all the way without removing some of the fluid first ... too much pressure
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Patrick
Member
Posts: 15433
VRCC 4474
Largo Florida
|
|
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2016, 12:48:03 PM » |
|
First you need to determine whether the brake fluid found is a present leak or residue from the previous pad replacement.
If there is no present leak, then it seems there is air in the system that needs to be bled out.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Valk-Obsessed
|
|
« Reply #4 on: May 21, 2016, 01:49:37 PM » |
|
I was leaning toward air still in the system as well, thank you for the advice. I'll try again when I get home from work tonight.  |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
vanagon40
|
|
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2016, 09:26:01 PM » |
|
If there is no leak, and the brakes are still squishy after bleeding, try this:
Pull in the brake lever and use a small rope or twine to tie the bake lever in the pulled position. Let the bike sit overnight with the brake lever tied in that position.
I used to think this was an old wives' tale until I tried it and it worked for me.
Good Luck.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Gideon
|
|
« Reply #6 on: May 22, 2016, 06:24:24 AM » |
|
If there is no leak, and the brakes are still squishy after bleeding, try this:
Pull in the brake lever and use a small rope or twine to tie the bake lever in the pulled position. Let the bike sit overnight with the brake lever tied in that position.
I used to think this was an old wives' tale until I tried it and it worked for me.
Good Luck.
It is definitely not a wives' tale. It works! |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
|
|
|
|
Bigwolf
|
|
« Reply #7 on: May 22, 2016, 08:30:15 AM » |
|
Others have already made suggestions of things that should be checked first.
Here is how I bled the brakes on mine a couple of months ago:
I made a small pressure tank out of pvc drain pipe, added an air line, pressure regulator, and an outlet line with a needle valve to control flow. I attached that to the bleeder fittings one at a time. I hung a 5 gallon bucket over the handlebar so to catch any excess brake fluid I might not draw out of the reservoir soon enough. I set the air regulator to 50 psi and used the needle valve to control the flow and stopping the flow from time to time to remove excess fluid from reservoir. Just fill the pressure tank up with a fresh can or 2 of brake fluid and start the process. Now I have the best brakes I have ever had on my fat gurl.
Was gonna do a post on my bleeder setup but my computer crashed and then a lot of medical stuff kept me too busy.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Valk-Obsessed
|
|
« Reply #8 on: May 22, 2016, 11:14:24 AM » |
|
Thank you guys for the tips!
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Bighead
|
|
« Reply #9 on: May 22, 2016, 02:16:26 PM » |
|
Am Imissing something he said nothing about changing fluid just the pads and that alone wouldn't let air in the system and has some mystery fluid on the fender something is leaking/spraying from somewhere. That will let air in bleeding the brakes will do nothing if there is still a leak.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
1997 Bumble Bee
1999 Interstate (sold)
2016 Wing
|
|
|
|
Valk-Obsessed
|
|
« Reply #10 on: May 24, 2016, 07:24:00 AM » |
|
upon further inspection of the front brakes...I think I have a leak somewhere on the "inside" of the caliper behind the rotor.
To clear up the original post...there was air in the line after changing pads, as I had also changed fluid.
I managed to get pressure built up again, and noticed that after it sat overnight the lever felt "squishy" again, and there was a small puddle of fluid on the garage floor with evidence of fluid on the tire as well under the caliper.
Looks like I will need to remove the caliper, and replace, the seals, and clean up the pistons etc.
Looks like a pretty straight forward procedure, as found in Shop Talk.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Hook#3287
|
|
« Reply #11 on: May 24, 2016, 07:30:03 AM » |
|
Looks like a pretty straight forward procedure, as found in Shop Talk. Yep, pretty easy. And one of those very satisfying jobs. It feels good to have nearly new brakes. I found the hardest part was getting the cylinders past the new seals, but using new fluid to lube it, they go in. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Valk-Obsessed
|
|
« Reply #12 on: May 25, 2016, 08:44:41 PM » |
|
Well, I replaced the seals in the right front caliper...that was actually surprisingly easy. The pain in the arse part for me, was bleeding the brakes and getting a good feel again from the lever. Finally with a little help from youtube...I got it done. No evidence of any leakage, and the fluid is all new now. I'll do a test ride tomorrow...Hopefully I still have pressure in the morning. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Hook#3287
|
|
« Reply #13 on: May 26, 2016, 04:23:52 AM » |
|
Well, I replaced the seals in the right front caliper...that was actually surprisingly easy. The pain in the arse part for me, was bleeding the brakes and getting a good feel again from the lever. Finally with a little help from youtube...I got it done. No evidence of any leakage, and the fluid is all new now. I'll do a test ride tomorrow...Hopefully I still have pressure in the morning. Some might say "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" , but if it was my bike , I'd do the left also. If you didn't remove the left, than you just mixed the new fluid with the old. The left caliper could have years of gunk in it still. If you had a leaking front fork seal, wouldn't you replace both? |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Valk-Obsessed
|
|
« Reply #14 on: May 26, 2016, 08:17:13 PM » |
|
Good advice, and was thinking along the same lines. I will do the left one too, and now that I pretty much figured out the whole bleeding thing, should be relatively simple...
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
WintrSol
|
|
« Reply #15 on: May 27, 2016, 08:11:47 AM » |
|
Just to put it out there, again, the fluid should be flushed every two years, or less. Clutch fluid should be flushed more often, because the higher sustained temperatures age it more quickly. The PO of my Tourer apparently didn't know that, and I spent an afternoon scraping what looked like Vaseline mixed with wax from my reservoirs.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
98 Honda Valkyrie GL1500CT Tourer
Photo of my FIL Jack, in honor of his WWII service
|
|
|
|
Valk-Obsessed
|
|
« Reply #16 on: May 27, 2016, 09:01:50 AM » |
|
Thank you for the input...the Previous owner appears to have been pretty good about changing the fluid on the brakes...pretty clear, but it looks like the clutch side needs changed. Is the procedure for the clutch pretty similar to the brakes?
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Patrick
Member
Posts: 15433
VRCC 4474
Largo Florida
|
|
« Reply #17 on: May 27, 2016, 10:15:58 AM » |
|
Thank you for the input...the Previous owner appears to have been pretty good about changing the fluid on the brakes...pretty clear, but it looks like the clutch side needs changed. Is the procedure for the clutch pretty similar to the brakes?
Yep. Squeeze Hold Open Close Release. Repeat Don't let reservoir go dry. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
