Bleeding ABS brakes
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2006
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From: NC
Seeing as how it was a front end wreck bad enough to total the bike, there could be issues with the master cylinder or caliper causing a problem. That being said, what I would try next is bleeding the line while turning the ignition on for a few seconds and off again, a couple times. I think that should activate the flapper in the ABS and get fluid in there. I could be wrong, but I would try it before taking it in to a dealer or buying the tool to activate the ABS for proper bleeding.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
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From: Formerly Tampa Bay, FL, Currently Western PA
Sorry for delayed response. I had to put my project on hold for a few weeks. Your idea was spot on. I filled the rear master from the caliper and bled 15 or 20 times and no pressure. I turned the ignition on/off while bleeding 5 times or so and found good brake pressure. I don't know how you knew this and I don't think anyone else in the thread mentioned the same. Anyway, thank you.
Also, this method is filed under the "what can it hurt" folder. It amazes me how many people don't want to try simple things to rule things out. I had a team lead back in the late 90s who, while working on mail sorting machines, always wanted to tear the system apart when the new diverts didn't work, and I would say "Let's check the software config". He'd say he updated it and didn't want to check, but lo and behold, when we checked the new diverts weren't configured. I did make a ton of money in overtime working under him with all of the tearing aprt to troubleshoot that we did
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,804
Likes: 4,099
From: NC
My 2020 salvage Heritage front brakes are still a little squishy. I've forward and reverse bled. I realize that there could be some air inside the ABS unit. However, with the bike power off, the ABS valves closed, this would not be a cause? Am I thinking right? The ABS unit was not damaged in the wreck.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,351
Likes: 1,936
From: Formerly Tampa Bay, FL, Currently Western PA
I wouldn't be able to tell without feeling them myself. Do they feel squishy when riding, or stopped? The reason I ask is that after I got air in my lines, I thought the brake was still squishy and bled it a few more times because if I tried really hard I could squeeze the lever all the way to the grip, and I didn't think I should be able to. That was standing next to the bike. However, I got on one day to pull the bike out of the garage and hit the front brake backing it out, and the brake felt as solid as it always did. What I figure out was that sitting on the bike and using the brake is a whole different feeling that standing next to the bike and squeezing the lever as hard as I could.
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leeinmemphis
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Jul 23, 2011 08:54 PM
