Front brake issue
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Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2014
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From: westfield mass
Front brake issue
My front brake lever seems to loosing stiffness over time. Which eventually leads to the brake light staying on. If I then pump the lever it will pressurize and the light will shut off. But if the bike sits or heavy front braking pressure is applied it will do it again. Iv tried bleeding the system with no results. Also when I try to bleed it it doesn't seem like much fluid comes out of bleeder. Also the lever constantly has some play to it causing rattling from the vibration. Any ideas?
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Joined: Oct 2009
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From: Maryland near DC
sounds to me like you have 2 issues, first the from master cylinder prolly needs to taken apart and cleaned and prolly rebuilt (loss of pressure) the second is the brake light switch is prolly broken as it seems to me that it is working backwards, i.e., lack of pressure should turn it off not on...
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Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Boynton Beach, FloriDuh
sounds to me like you have 2 issues, first the from master cylinder prolly needs to taken apart and cleaned and prolly rebuilt (loss of pressure) the second is the brake light switch is prolly broken as it seems to me that it is working backwards, i.e., lack of pressure should turn it off not on...
We also need to know if any work has been done recently on or around the handlebars, which may have resulted in a broken brake light switch.
Thread Starter
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Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2014
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From: westfield mass
sounds to me like you have 2 issues, first the from master cylinder prolly needs to taken apart and cleaned and prolly rebuilt (loss of pressure) the second is the brake light switch is prolly broken as it seems to me that it is working backwards, i.e., lack of pressure should turn it off not on...
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
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From: Bedford UK
My front brake lever seems to loosing stiffness over time. Which eventually leads to the brake light staying on. If I then pump the lever it will pressurize and the light will shut off. But if the bike sits or heavy front braking pressure is applied it will do it again. Iv tried bleeding the system with no results. Also when I try to bleed it it doesn't seem like much fluid comes out of bleeder. Also the lever constantly has some play to it causing rattling from the vibration. Any ideas?
Last edited by grbrown; Sep 9, 2014 at 07:49 AM. Reason: Grammar!
Thread Starter
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Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2014
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From: westfield mass
I was gunna try all new fluid like you suggested but it seems when I'm bleeding it that maybe a couple drops of fluid will come out of the bleeder screw and that's it. Just to empty the master I would be bleeding it for hours.
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Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Bedford UK
Do read those Stickies! Although there are many instruments of torture available for bleeding brakes, you should be getting more out than you describe. Suggests all is not well and you may have to do some surgery, like overhauling the master cylinder. You can buy a kit of service parts that replaces all the perishable parts inside it.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,488
Likes: 30
From: Maryland near DC
sounds to me like you have 2 issues, first the from master cylinder prolly needs to taken apart and cleaned and prolly rebuilt (loss of pressure) the second is the brake light switch is prolly broken as it seems to me that it is working backwards, i.e., lack of pressure should turn it off not on...
ahhh, I misunderstood what you were saying about brake pressure, I thought you meant at the caliper..so you can disregard what I wrote about the switch working backwards..Now I think I understand the front brake lever is not returning when you let go of the lever....still I say you need to bleed the brakes and prolly rebuild/replace the master cylinder..or at least take it apart and clean any gunk out of it....make sure you are using the proper brake fluid, which type is written on the cap of the master cylinder...
Thread Starter
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Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2014
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From: westfield mass
ahhh, I misunderstood what you were saying about brake pressure, I thought you meant at the caliper..so you can disregard what I wrote about the switch working backwards..Now I think I understand the front brake lever is not returning when you let go of the lever....still I say you need to bleed the brakes and prolly rebuild/replace the master cylinder..or at least take it apart and clean any gunk out of it....make sure you are using the proper brake fluid, which type is written on the cap of the master cylinder...
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