Help w/ Front Caliper
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Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 200
Likes: 39
From: Assonet MA
Help w/ Front Caliper
I just swapped out my front caliper and I can't get it pump up.
I thought it was a bad one so I put my old one back on and now she won't pump up. Worked OK before.
What am I missing?
This is supposed to be easy. Did the rear in less than a half hour with no problems.
Thoughts???
I thought it was a bad one so I put my old one back on and now she won't pump up. Worked OK before.
What am I missing?
This is supposed to be easy. Did the rear in less than a half hour with no problems.
Thoughts???
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
I've been bleedin bl33din brakes for almost 40 years. Is there a magic trick to getting the darned things to work quickly? Not that I have found! Sometimes they will work in a blink, sometimes they take a great deal of patience. If it is any help there are tips in the DIY Brakes section stickys. Otherwise pray to your Gods and hope, while persisting. I have never actually failed to triumph in the end!
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
Well done. I recently installed a new to me rear caliper and new braided hose, pumped the pedal to 'prime' the system, prior to bleeding it properly and, hey presto, solid as a rock! I then bled the front brakes, simply to flush the old fluid out, and it took a lot longer.
With your spongy brake, turn the bars fully left, so the master cylinder is highest part of the system, then gently and repeatedly apply the lever. You may find it improves, simply by getting out the last little bit of air that is probably stuck in there.
In addition, if you feel happy to take a ride, find a local route with plenty of work for the suspension, to shake the hydraulics up, when you should find the remaining air rises to the top and can be got out as above.
With your spongy brake, turn the bars fully left, so the master cylinder is highest part of the system, then gently and repeatedly apply the lever. You may find it improves, simply by getting out the last little bit of air that is probably stuck in there.
In addition, if you feel happy to take a ride, find a local route with plenty of work for the suspension, to shake the hydraulics up, when you should find the remaining air rises to the top and can be got out as above.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,583
Likes: 115
From: Boston, MA
i dont own brake bleedin equipment so this is exactly how i did it, it just works.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 7,736
Likes: 1,524
From: Coromandel Peninsula New Zealand
The correct way to bleed all Harley caliper's is to use a syringe and force the fluid in through the bleed nipple on the caliper (open it to inject and close nipple before removing syringe). Keep an eye out for when the bubbles stop. If the level gets too high in the master cylinder you take fluid out of the there and force it back in through the caliper....works every time and saves heaps of time.
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Jun 12, 2015 07:44 PM