Brembo brake conversion - help
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,036
Likes: 65
From: Earth
My vote is that you still have air trapped in the lines. Here is a great write up from a fellow member that I found a couple of months back. I have accumulated all the Brembo parts to convert my 2006 Ultra over. Just haven't had the time as of yet. I hope this link below provides some help for you.
http://www.box.com/shared/nxyi760mjv
And to answer you question if a warped rotor can be fixed. Yes you can with some patience on a truing stand with a rubber mallet. Some dumb *** (me) screwed one up while breaking a bead during a tire change....Live and learn.....
http://www.box.com/shared/nxyi760mjv
And to answer you question if a warped rotor can be fixed. Yes you can with some patience on a truing stand with a rubber mallet. Some dumb *** (me) screwed one up while breaking a bead during a tire change....Live and learn.....
Last edited by SpiderPig; Mar 4, 2012 at 12:03 PM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,334
Likes: 17
From: Rosamond, Cali
A bit off track... When you swapped the calipers, did you also go to the larger, 11.8" rotors? (08+)... I don't think this will cause the issue you're having...but it's an issue in itself. Just checking. (When I did my conversion, I bought the Harley 11.8" floating rotors off eBay...about $325 total for two).
As for the original problem of the 'spongy' lever...as others have said, do they bleed down (get spongy) with the bike just sitting? Or do you have to move the bike for the lever to become soft? This doesn't sound like a warped-rotor problem. I'd think, even with a warped rotor, you might bleed on the rotor's 'high' point, and when you moved the bike to the low-point, there'd be some additional travel in the mechanical system, resulting in more fluid being dispensed from the M/C to compensate...but once this was done, you'd still have solid brakes after the first application or two...and just have a lower fluid level in the M/C...unless there was a WHOLE LOT of additional travel in the pistons...just thinking out loud. I'm betting, as others have, it's just a coincidence you noted the issue after moving the bike. But you're the only one that knows for certain...
Alan
As for the original problem of the 'spongy' lever...as others have said, do they bleed down (get spongy) with the bike just sitting? Or do you have to move the bike for the lever to become soft? This doesn't sound like a warped-rotor problem. I'd think, even with a warped rotor, you might bleed on the rotor's 'high' point, and when you moved the bike to the low-point, there'd be some additional travel in the mechanical system, resulting in more fluid being dispensed from the M/C to compensate...but once this was done, you'd still have solid brakes after the first application or two...and just have a lower fluid level in the M/C...unless there was a WHOLE LOT of additional travel in the pistons...just thinking out loud. I'm betting, as others have, it's just a coincidence you noted the issue after moving the bike. But you're the only one that knows for certain...
Alan
Last edited by AlanStansbery; Mar 4, 2012 at 12:42 PM.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 171
Likes: 5
From: Gifhorn, Germany
I bought a chrome banjo kit. During the first run of bleeding I figured out that the two chrome banjos did not held the vaccum of my bleeding pump. In between I watched a video on youtube because I was not familiar with this kind banjo and bleeding valve. I went back vaccumed all the fluid out, changed to the old black banjos. I followed the procedure I saw on youtube. I believe there is no air in the lines. Initially I thought it could be the relief velve of the master piston. But the majority of the feedbacks is referring to wraped rotors.
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,296
Likes: 3
From: Cheltenham, UK
I bought a chrome banjo kit. During the first run of bleeding I figured out that the two chrome banjos did not held the vaccum of my bleeding pump. In between I watched a video on youtube because I was not familiar with this kind banjo and bleeding valve. I went back vaccumed all the fluid out, changed to the old black banjos. I followed the procedure I saw on youtube. I believe there is no air in the lines. Initially I thought it could be the relief velve of the master piston. But the majority of the feedbacks is referring to wraped rotors.
If you have access to a dial gauge (anyone who works in a machine shop should have one) then testing for a warped disk in situ is easy
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 2,916
Likes: 31
From: earth
He made some mention of 5mm runout, if that is accurate, then that is definately part of the problem. I asked for clarification but got no response. Oh well, bleed away.
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,296
Likes: 3
From: Cheltenham, UK
Agree totally, but has asked elsewhere how to tell if a rotor is warped??? 5mm is a heck of a run out!! If that is the case then I would be doing that change first without doubt
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 727
Likes: 1
From: Silverdale, WA
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Tourer
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 383
Likes: 1
From: Boston & thereabouts
I put Brembo on my 2004, well worth the little bit of work involved and made a huge improvement in braking.
How much "Brembo" did you install? Whole system for the front should be new/2008 versions of: 1) master cylinder, 2) brake line, 3) calipers, and 4) rotors. You may need to shim the calipers to center them over the rotors. My 2004 didn't need shims, but my buddy's 2002 did.
The new master cylinder makes more pressure, and the new brake line is harder to contain the increased pressure and deliver it to the calipers. The calipers are 4 piston calipers, and the rotors are just a bit larger. Also, the Brembo gear runs DOT 4 brake fluid, not the DOT 5/silicone that came with your 2002 bike. You can't mix DOT 4 and DOT 5, or it makes a caustic goo that rots out the system from the inside. The whole system works together.
All that aside, I would 1) look for fluid leaking out at a connection. Is the fluid level in the reservoir dropping? 2) bleed the system out again to be sure ALL the air is out.
A buddy of mine also put Brembo on the front of his 2002 RK. When he took a close look, one of the Brembo calipers he got in eBay was missing the piston O rings - that'll screw up your day. And, it was a bugger finding new ones.
Good Luck!
JR
How much "Brembo" did you install? Whole system for the front should be new/2008 versions of: 1) master cylinder, 2) brake line, 3) calipers, and 4) rotors. You may need to shim the calipers to center them over the rotors. My 2004 didn't need shims, but my buddy's 2002 did.
The new master cylinder makes more pressure, and the new brake line is harder to contain the increased pressure and deliver it to the calipers. The calipers are 4 piston calipers, and the rotors are just a bit larger. Also, the Brembo gear runs DOT 4 brake fluid, not the DOT 5/silicone that came with your 2002 bike. You can't mix DOT 4 and DOT 5, or it makes a caustic goo that rots out the system from the inside. The whole system works together.
All that aside, I would 1) look for fluid leaking out at a connection. Is the fluid level in the reservoir dropping? 2) bleed the system out again to be sure ALL the air is out.
A buddy of mine also put Brembo on the front of his 2002 RK. When he took a close look, one of the Brembo calipers he got in eBay was missing the piston O rings - that'll screw up your day. And, it was a bugger finding new ones.
Good Luck!
JR