All,

Was getting ready this morning to go for a ride. Got on and grabbed the front brake like usual, and the handle went to the grip. Wtf...!? Usually it grabs almost immediately. So I check the fluid level and to see if I had any leaks or loose parts. All was fine. Any ideas? No front brake is not cool!

Sorry.

2013 roadglide
Abs brakes

 

First thing, "flush" the system - both front and rear since you'll be doing brakes. ABS is critical regarding fresh fluid.

 

if your weather has just turned cold- this is when you may find that your seals are worn. They are no longer able to seal having stiffened and lost their flex.

for those of us in warm climates, we get away without having to do alot of maint., and we will often experience a failure when we take our warm-weasther bike to the cold.



could be master cylinder- usually this will show itself as the lever becoming soft at a long light in advance of a failure


unless you see fluid leaking somewhere.

mike

 

Does it "pump up"?
Pads worn out?
How much fluid in the M/C? Proper level?

 

If it was seals, wouldn't there be fluid leaking? I don't have any leaking.
Yea, I am in Pgh, so not warm by any means.
I was thinking master cylinder. But on a 2013? Wow.

 

It pumps up a little.
Pads have maybe 3k on them. Look about half way worn.
The level was a hare low, so I added maybe 2 teaspoons full. Had it open, so what the hell.

 

The more threads I see re: brakes issues on the late-model bikes, the more it worries me. Like the guys who have lost brakes entirely while riding, and the seeming quirkiness of the ABS system...

 

When master cylinder seals go there isn't a leak per se; it's a pressure leak. Fluid destined for the line and calipers remains in the master cylinder.

 

bad seals in the master cylinder would just not seal the edges- imagine a syringe if the rubber does seal on the sides- when the plunger is pushed, the fluid just leaks around the edges behind the plunger.

this is what a master cylinder is and does- it pushes fluid down the lines- a blockage or restriction would make for a hardlever- the master is pushing fluid but it can;t go anywhere....in normal operation that could be the pads against the disks- can only go so far

a soft lever means that fluid is not being pushed against a restriction--- if it isn't leaking out of the system somewhere, then we can assume that no pushing is taking place.

seals are damaged by dirt grit, wrong fluids, water(!) which if turning to ice will tear up seals as it expands- this is why earlier I reference warm weather brake systems.

in PHX it is kinda common for drivers to have brake problems if they go to flagstaff- where the elevation means skiing and below freezing temps from Nov to March.
or LA drivers going to Big Bear on an overnight trip.
our warm weather means that our seals are never put to the test, and that water may accumulate as we are lazy and don;t change out our fluids.


Mike

 

Omg....the sky is falling!!!