A couple of weeks ago, I was getting a slight pulsing in my front brakes on my 14 Road King, since my bike was out of warrantee, I decided I was going to take the front wheel off, clean up the rotors an swap sides with them. Well the procedure worked, and I have a much smoother front brake.

Now for the leaking front brake master cylinder part. I didn't open the master cylinder cover when I compressed the brake pad pistons back into the calipers (service manual says to do this). I've changed pads on all of my bikes before and I have never opened the master cylinder cover to vent pressure while passing the caliper pistons back into the calipers, and have never had a problem. My guess is that my front brake master cylinder was a little over filled, and when I pushed the caliper pistons back in the bore, it over pressured the master cylinder and caused a small hole in my gasket. The leak isn't bad, just a weep, but wanted to throw the info out there so that anyone else considering changing pads doesn't make the same mistake I did and need to buy a new gasket. So if your swapping rotors, pads or anything that causes you to push the caliper pistons back into the bore, make sure you loosen the master cylinder cover so you don't pop your gasket like I did (and the manual tells you to do).

 

#3-#3 Ohlins here too!

Good advice. My first bike with hydraulic brakes was a Harley back in the '70s, so I've been doing just that ever since. In fact when doing that sort of brake service I would also bleed the brakes and flush them through with fresh fluid.

 

They will be here from Howard next Thursday. I'm very excited to get them. I'm hoping I don't have to shim the top mount though. His instructions stated that needing to shim the top mount is common on the 86-08 bikes.

 

You might not have popped or torn the gasket, it is thin.

Maybe make sure it is level, remove the cover and rubber, wipe it dry; dry the sealing surfaces of the cover and reservoir, and re-assemble. Be careful, as IIRC the tq spec is like 15 in/lb., barely over 1 ft/lb.

If that fluid continues to "seep" it will destroy the powdercoat on the outside of the master cylinder, and your clearcoat on the paint, if it drips that far.

 

I've had mine several years now. I have spacers on the top mounts. IIRC the ritual is to nip up the bottom mounts, then check clearance at the top. I don't recall needing to use any shims, but it isn't difficult! If there is a detectable gap then use feeler gauges to check for the thickness required.

You're in for a treat when you first ride on them!

 

I'm just going to buy a new gasket and be done with it. Having bubbling powder coat and paint isn't something that I want, especially when a gasket costs like $10. Hell, even if it was $25 I'd still replace it, just to get the extra warm and fuzzy.

 

What did you uses for shims? Washers?

 

I don't recall using any. A washer will give the correct ID and many auto parts shops, possibly bike shops, should have a stock of various sizes and thicknesses of shims available.