Upper Brake Line Replacement Question

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Aug 11, 2011 | 11:31 AM

Plow64

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From: Northern VA

Upper Brake Line Replacement Question

I'm in the middle of installing a set of Wild One 518's on my RK. (Still waiting on the cables +4, grips and wire extension kit to arrive in the mail.) I'm not sure if I'll be able to re-use the stock upper brake line or if I'll have to replace it with one a few inches longer until I actually mount the handlebars and see if the OEM ones are too short.

If I do need a longer brake line, can the OEM rubber hose be disconnected from the steel tubing and replaced with a longer rubber hose or do I have to buy the entire steel brake tubing & hose together as one unit? I'd rather just replace the hose, if that's possible, and keep it simple.

The attached picture shows the rubber hose with the steel tubing attached on each end.

Thanks! Plow

Attached Thumbnails

Upper Brake Line Replacement Question-rk-brakeline.jpg

Last edited by Plow64; Aug 11, 2011 at 11:34 AM.

Aug 11, 2011 | 01:51 PM

miacycles

Elite HDF Member

Joined: Sep 2007

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From: Bluffton, South Carolina

You cannot remove the stock brake line in pieces, you will have to replace it with an aftermarket line. Be sure to get a teflon lined hose as they work much better. Hope this helps.,

Aug 11, 2011 | 01:56 PM

Plow64

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From: Northern VA

It does help, thanks miacycles.

Aug 12, 2011 | 09:58 AM

grbrown

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From: Bedford UK

For reasons that are difficult to understand Harley make their brake pipes very complicated, with bits of rubber hose bonded with bits of metal piping. After-market hoses are supremely simple, being just a piece of flexible hose with a fitting at each end. I have stainless braided lines on all my Evo's brakes. You can buy them as ready-made kits for your bike, including all the hardware you need, which if you have stock bars is very easy!

Aug 12, 2011 | 11:31 AM

Plow64

Thread Starter

Stellar HDF Member

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From: Northern VA

Thanks grbrown. I'm still holding out hope that the stock lines will work, but won't know for sure until I get everything bolted together. Still waiting on parts to arrive in the mail.

Aug 13, 2011 | 04:09 AM

Spanners39

Seasoned HDF Member

Joined: Dec 2010

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From: Coromandel Peninsula New Zealand

There isn't a lot of spare length in the stock hose and its not the best hose you can use anyway so just go for the braided one.

Aug 13, 2011 | 05:24 AM

moose thecat

Intermediate

Joined: Aug 2010

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From: west central michigan 2 miles from the big pond

I used the stock lower line on my 98 ultra.I cut the upper metal line with a tubeing cutter and flared it with a flaring tool and got a an to flar adaptor from a autosupply store then went to braded line.It saved me a fue bucks.About $35.00 to lengthen the lines.