Rookie... Front Brake Lever Extremely Tight
Thread Starter
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Stage II
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Rookie... Front Brake Lever Extremely Tight
Ok, so only been riding a year now. I just installed new handgrips on my 08 FLSTN. After getting everything hooked up and put back together I attempted to squeeze my front break which turned out to be extremely stiff and hard to pull.
What did I do wrong?
I will tell you.. I skipped the Air Filter removal crap recommended in the Maintence Manual.
Any ideas?
The breaks are not locked and respond but respond drastically when the break is squeezed.
Thanks
What did I do wrong?
I will tell you.. I skipped the Air Filter removal crap recommended in the Maintence Manual.
Any ideas?
The breaks are not locked and respond but respond drastically when the break is squeezed.
Thanks
May our Moderator Rest in Peace
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,386
Likes: 35
From: Rochester, NY
If you changed the throttle grip you had to take the switch housing off to do it.
I'm just guessing but the odds are that you accidentally forgot to push in on the brake light switch actuator pin before you screwed everything back together.
Now the pin is jammed between the lever and the housing causing the lever to bind.
Just for grins turn the main switch to IGN position and try to pull the lever, bet the brake light doesn't come on like its supposed to.
If it hasn't been bent all out of shape it should be easy to fix by loosening the screws on the switch housing and use a thin screwdriver or something to push the pin back before screwing the housing back together.
Just remember if you can't hold the housing very nearly completely together by hand, something is wrong. Never force it together more than about 1/8" by using the screws.
Its way too easy to bend or break things in there that way.
Good Luck and let us know what you find.
I'm just guessing but the odds are that you accidentally forgot to push in on the brake light switch actuator pin before you screwed everything back together.
Now the pin is jammed between the lever and the housing causing the lever to bind.
Just for grins turn the main switch to IGN position and try to pull the lever, bet the brake light doesn't come on like its supposed to.
If it hasn't been bent all out of shape it should be easy to fix by loosening the screws on the switch housing and use a thin screwdriver or something to push the pin back before screwing the housing back together.
Just remember if you can't hold the housing very nearly completely together by hand, something is wrong. Never force it together more than about 1/8" by using the screws.
Its way too easy to bend or break things in there that way.
Good Luck and let us know what you find.
Thread Starter
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Stage II
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Ok turned the bike to IGN and the break light stayed on. The handle has no pressure on it forcing the break light switch back in. One thing I noticed while reading over the Service Manual. I did not insert a piece of cardboard between the break lever and lever bracket.... Also, the master cylinder did "hang" for a few minutes (just because I'm a jackass) Could air have gotten into the tubes from the cylinder hanging "upside down"? I'm hoping it is something that simple and I did not manage to bend something I shouldn't have
Thanks for everyone's help and advice...
Thanks for everyone's help and advice...
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Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Leander Texas
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Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 731
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From: Montreal Quebec Canada
i had a similar problem but did not even do any work on the bike, turned out to be air in the brake lines, easy thing to fix if you have that can with the 2 tubes to connect to the brakes and get the air out. watched someone do it to my bike, took about 5 minutes if patience to get all the air out. good luck
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If you changed the throttle grip you had to take the switch housing off to do it.
I'm just guessing but the odds are that you accidentally forgot to push in on the brake light switch actuator pin before you screwed everything back together.
Now the pin is jammed between the lever and the housing causing the lever to bind.
Just for grins turn the main switch to IGN position and try to pull the lever, bet the brake light doesn't come on like its supposed to.
If it hasn't been bent all out of shape it should be easy to fix by loosening the screws on the switch housing and use a thin screwdriver or something to push the pin back before screwing the housing back together.
Just remember if you can't hold the housing very nearly completely together by hand, something is wrong. Never force it together more than about 1/8" by using the screws.
Its way too easy to bend or break things in there that way.
Good Luck and let us know what you find.
I'm just guessing but the odds are that you accidentally forgot to push in on the brake light switch actuator pin before you screwed everything back together.
Now the pin is jammed between the lever and the housing causing the lever to bind.
Just for grins turn the main switch to IGN position and try to pull the lever, bet the brake light doesn't come on like its supposed to.
If it hasn't been bent all out of shape it should be easy to fix by loosening the screws on the switch housing and use a thin screwdriver or something to push the pin back before screwing the housing back together.
Just remember if you can't hold the housing very nearly completely together by hand, something is wrong. Never force it together more than about 1/8" by using the screws.
Its way too easy to bend or break things in there that way.
Good Luck and let us know what you find.
5th Gear
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: Wisconsin
If you changed the throttle grip you had to take the switch housing off to do it.
I'm just guessing but the odds are that you accidentally forgot to push in on the brake light switch actuator pin before you screwed everything back together.
Now the pin is jammed between the lever and the housing causing the lever to bind.
Just for grins turn the main switch to IGN position and try to pull the lever, bet the brake light doesn't come on like its supposed to.
If it hasn't been bent all out of shape it should be easy to fix by loosening the screws on the switch housing and use a thin screwdriver or something to push the pin back before screwing the housing back together.
Just remember if you can't hold the housing very nearly completely together by hand, something is wrong. Never force it together more than about 1/8" by using the screws.
Its way too easy to bend or break things in there that way.
Good Luck and let us know what you find.
I'm just guessing but the odds are that you accidentally forgot to push in on the brake light switch actuator pin before you screwed everything back together.
Now the pin is jammed between the lever and the housing causing the lever to bind.
Just for grins turn the main switch to IGN position and try to pull the lever, bet the brake light doesn't come on like its supposed to.
If it hasn't been bent all out of shape it should be easy to fix by loosening the screws on the switch housing and use a thin screwdriver or something to push the pin back before screwing the housing back together.
Just remember if you can't hold the housing very nearly completely together by hand, something is wrong. Never force it together more than about 1/8" by using the screws.
Its way too easy to bend or break things in there that way.
Good Luck and let us know what you find.
Old post, yes. But, thanks for this. I put new grips and levers on my 2013 Street Glide and fought with the front brake lever. Read your post and found that pin pinched between the lever and the switch housing. Very little on the inter-web on that exact symptom. Appreciate it man!
Cheers.
Snerb