Front Brake trouble
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 166
Likes: 10
From: Huntingtin Beach CA
Front Brake trouble
2004 RoadKing new chrome master cyl and lines with new handle bars.
The front brake lever travels too far. Will pump up and hold pressure. But the next time when brakes squeezed again the lever travels almost all the way again.
The brakes have been bled and 0 air bubbles only clean fresh fluid coming out the bleeders into the clear tubing of my mity vac.
Did not have any issues with brakes prior to new master cylinder and lines.
Ideas? Bad master? Trapped air bubble (need to reverse bleed?)
The front brake lever travels too far. Will pump up and hold pressure. But the next time when brakes squeezed again the lever travels almost all the way again.
The brakes have been bled and 0 air bubbles only clean fresh fluid coming out the bleeders into the clear tubing of my mity vac.
Did not have any issues with brakes prior to new master cylinder and lines.
Ideas? Bad master? Trapped air bubble (need to reverse bleed?)
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,996
Likes: 417
From: Cranbourne, VIC Australia
2004 RoadKing new chrome master cyl and lines with new handle bars.
The front brake lever travels too far. Will pump up and hold pressure. But the next time when brakes squeezed again the lever travels almost all the way again.
The brakes have been bled and 0 air bubbles only clean fresh fluid coming out the bleeders into the clear tubing of my mity vac.
Did not have any issues with brakes prior to new master cylinder and lines.
Ideas? Bad master? Trapped air bubble (need to reverse bleed?)
The front brake lever travels too far. Will pump up and hold pressure. But the next time when brakes squeezed again the lever travels almost all the way again.
The brakes have been bled and 0 air bubbles only clean fresh fluid coming out the bleeders into the clear tubing of my mity vac.
Did not have any issues with brakes prior to new master cylinder and lines.
Ideas? Bad master? Trapped air bubble (need to reverse bleed?)
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,897
From: Bedford UK
Despite your efforts to date the brake is still holding back some air. Unfortunately it is a common problem, but can be sorted with determination. There are Stickies in the Tech section on curing a soft brake, so take a look over there for some tips. By all means try the trick mentioned above, just leave the bike on the jiffy, with the bars turned fully left, so the master cylinder is the highest point of the system.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 166
Likes: 10
From: Huntingtin Beach CA
Doing some reading on here (thanks grbrown)
Looks like I may try the cleaning of the caliper pistons when I get home.
My concern is the brakleen today seems to discolor everything it touches... Any body else notice that and have suggestions for cleaning without things getting discolored?
Looks like I may try the cleaning of the caliper pistons when I get home.
My concern is the brakleen today seems to discolor everything it touches... Any body else notice that and have suggestions for cleaning without things getting discolored?
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,996
Likes: 417
From: Cranbourne, VIC Australia
Doing some reading on here (thanks grbrown)
Looks like I may try the cleaning of the caliper pistons when I get home.
My concern is the brakleen today seems to discolor everything it touches... Any body else notice that and have suggestions for cleaning without things getting discolored?
Looks like I may try the cleaning of the caliper pistons when I get home.
My concern is the brakleen today seems to discolor everything it touches... Any body else notice that and have suggestions for cleaning without things getting discolored?
I have not noticed that, at all, but if you are concerned with it, just use something less concerning, like soap and water with a tooth brush or something similar.
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Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 166
Likes: 10
From: Huntingtin Beach CA
Maybe it is the crap we have here in CA because we are not allowed to buy the same brakleen as the rest of the country.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,996
Likes: 417
From: Cranbourne, VIC Australia
I didn't even consider you were in Cali.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,293
Likes: 6,322
From: Honah Lee
How much vacuum are you putting on it? Masters have cup seals. They exerts tremendous pressure one way. Takes very little to pull air into it the other direction. Be sure cover is off when you bleed but be careful by covering everything.
Cover off. Break bleeder and let drip a bit. Move lever a little and watch for bubbles. Now just vacuum no more then 5 lbs. finding that sweet spot with the lever to open up that hole for fluid out of reservoir to go into brake cylinder.
You have probably pulled a ton of air into it. Will take a while to get out and the lever will need to be worked. Just do not let up on lever unless bleeder is snug. Keep a box wrench on it. Just snug with a couple fingers. Tighten securely and to proper torque only when done.
I assume no ABS!
Cover off. Break bleeder and let drip a bit. Move lever a little and watch for bubbles. Now just vacuum no more then 5 lbs. finding that sweet spot with the lever to open up that hole for fluid out of reservoir to go into brake cylinder.
You have probably pulled a ton of air into it. Will take a while to get out and the lever will need to be worked. Just do not let up on lever unless bleeder is snug. Keep a box wrench on it. Just snug with a couple fingers. Tighten securely and to proper torque only when done.
I assume no ABS!
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Apr 11, 2017 at 02:46 PM.