Brake light stays on
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Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 99
Likes: 16
From: Sweden
I think I will change brake fluid to see if it makes any difference. How much fluid do I need?
I guess one bottle of this Red Line DOT 4 (473 ml) will be more than enough?
https://www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=148&pcid=29
I guess one bottle of this Red Line DOT 4 (473 ml) will be more than enough?
https://www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=148&pcid=29
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,996
Likes: 417
From: Cranbourne, VIC Australia
I think I will change brake fluid to see if it makes any difference. How much fluid do I need?
I guess one bottle of this Red Line DOT 4 (473 ml) will be more than enough?
https://www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=148&pcid=29
I guess one bottle of this Red Line DOT 4 (473 ml) will be more than enough?
https://www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=148&pcid=29
Dual front disks or single? Id say at least a pint (0.5l), maybe a quart(1l). It'd be a great time to rebuild the master..... while it was already drained...
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,557
Likes: 235
From: Texas
The only way to be sure if your switch is bad or not, you are going to have to take the lever off to verify a switch failure. Pull the lever and actuate the switch manually. If the switch is good, then my bet is that the spring is rusty and the piston is not going full stroke and it won't be long till you have intermittent brake glitches with increasing frequency. Weird feeling strokes sometimes, not feeling firm sometimes, acting like its not releasing...just not right. That's what happened to me when the piston started hanging up at about 30K miles on a $15 aftermarket rebuild kit.
I'm not saying that's what's happening to you, but that is what got me a few months back. I had just put on some EBC fully sintered pads and within a few weeks, started having intermittent brake issues that slowly got worse until they locked up at a redlight close to the house and I had to mess with it to get it to work to get home. When I took it apart, the springs were rusted and there was crud stopping the bleed hole up.
I did a complete rebuild from top to bottom with OEM caliper and master cylinder kits, new banjo bolt washers, flushed the old DoT 5 fluid out and put in new, bought and installed new Lyndall racing brake pads, and was back on the road for around $100. I also got a used low-mile front disk for $25 because the other one was scorched bad from the caliper sticking with those hard metal pads.
You should consider rebuilding the master. It is not difficult or expensive. It takes half-hour and a beer to pull the master off, pull it apart, clean and blow it out, and put the new parts in and another half-hour beer to do the same for the caliper. Put it all back together, bleed, and ride...fair warning though, bleeding can be very aggravating sometimes. BTDT also.
I'm not saying that's what's happening to you, but that is what got me a few months back. I had just put on some EBC fully sintered pads and within a few weeks, started having intermittent brake issues that slowly got worse until they locked up at a redlight close to the house and I had to mess with it to get it to work to get home. When I took it apart, the springs were rusted and there was crud stopping the bleed hole up.
I did a complete rebuild from top to bottom with OEM caliper and master cylinder kits, new banjo bolt washers, flushed the old DoT 5 fluid out and put in new, bought and installed new Lyndall racing brake pads, and was back on the road for around $100. I also got a used low-mile front disk for $25 because the other one was scorched bad from the caliper sticking with those hard metal pads.
You should consider rebuilding the master. It is not difficult or expensive. It takes half-hour and a beer to pull the master off, pull it apart, clean and blow it out, and put the new parts in and another half-hour beer to do the same for the caliper. Put it all back together, bleed, and ride...fair warning though, bleeding can be very aggravating sometimes. BTDT also.
Last edited by skinman13; Apr 12, 2017 at 08:36 PM.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 3,791
Likes: 57
From: N Texas
Good timing on this Thread, have been scratching my head on this very problem. Just by pushing forward on my brake lever I can get the brake light to go away but after a few cycles on the lever - brake light stays on constantly. This Thread along with a couple YouTube videos has given me some things to work on, I will post back with the fix when done. The only thing I have done to that area of the bike in years is to change out the brake fluid, but that should only help I would think.
Seems crazy to have to rebuild the brake master cylinder on a 4 year old bike but I would not be too shocked....
Seems crazy to have to rebuild the brake master cylinder on a 4 year old bike but I would not be too shocked....
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,996
Likes: 417
From: Cranbourne, VIC Australia
Good timing on this Thread, have been scratching my head on this very problem. Just by pushing forward on my brake lever I can get the brake light to go away but after a few cycles on the lever - brake light stays on constantly. This Thread along with a couple YouTube videos has given me some things to work on, I will post back with the fix when done. The only thing I have done to that area of the bike in years is to change out the brake fluid, but that should only help I would think.
Seems crazy to have to rebuild the brake master cylinder on a 4 year old bike but I would not be too shocked....
Seems crazy to have to rebuild the brake master cylinder on a 4 year old bike but I would not be too shocked....
Club Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 15,425
Likes: 7,120
From: Beyond Fucital
Bleeding ABS is tricky, but I would start there. Also check the grip and switch housing is pushed together. Sometimes one slides.
Or could it be the rear switch is bad?
Or could it be the rear switch is bad?
Last edited by RANGER73; Apr 16, 2017 at 06:39 PM.
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 3,791
Likes: 57
From: N Texas
I'm not sure if the OP(Erik) solved this issue but today I removed my brake lever and sprayed WD 40(as Klever5 recommended) all over the front brake plunger and switch then wiped away and repeated.
I also cleaned up the brake pin and the sleeve it sits in, reinstalled the lever and so far the brake light is operating like it suppose to.
That tiny snap ring was a PITA though!
I also cleaned up the brake pin and the sleeve it sits in, reinstalled the lever and so far the brake light is operating like it suppose to.
That tiny snap ring was a PITA though!
Last edited by HD Pilot; Apr 24, 2017 at 12:17 PM.