Air in Front Anchors--Kawa GT750

[Gregg1100]

Hi,
I changed front calliper seals yesterday as the brakes were binding like hell. I got all the crud off, washed the body out, and fitted new seals, using rubber grease.
I have had a bitch of a time trying to get the air out of lines. Tried alsorts of different ways-even clamping each flexi pipe in turn, then bleeding out. If I clamp the first pipe-from master cyl to the diverter, then lever does not move at all--solid, so master cyl is ok.
I will re engineer a Gunsons power brake bleeder tomorrow, and try blasting the air out.
2 Questions
1---any other ideas
2---If I drill a hole in master cylinder top to fit power bleeder hose, and fit a rubber grommet to stop water and dirt from entering, will said grommet make bike fail MOT.
Thanks,
Greg

[Dougie]

If you can get yer hands on a large syringe try forcing (C A R E F U L L Y!) the fluid in from the calliper bleed nipple up to the m/cylinder.

[pyro]

Try this first (sometimes works) pump the lever 5 times and then hold it in, put a cable tie on it (or whatever) and leave it over night. When you release it in the morning a large bbble should appear, Used to work on Hondas.

I remember taking the whole system off of a Z9 once to bleed it while it was laying flat on the ground.... only I cant remember why???

[Taff]

He's right y'know.
Once you got any pressure at all, strap the lever shut.
Go to bed, fuggedaboudit.
You'll wake up early, possessed, pump it couple times, it'll work.
If it don't, torch the bastard, go back to bed.

Taff.
Just fitted 2x6 pot ZXR1200 calipers to a harley single pot master cylinder.

[pyro]

Just fitted 2x6 pot ZXR1200 calipers to a harley single pot master cylinder.


Why?........ :D

[lawsom34]

have took calipers off before and locked pistons in place with a g clamp then tied them up as high as lines will allow with blled nipple uppermost left overnight come back in morning and all air has gone to highest point ie bleed nipples and bleed them in 2 mins with calipers up in air

[weirdbeard]

Use your gunsons bleeder but put the pipe on the bleed nipple and back bleed them.Works best if youve got an old top drilled and tapped with a bleed nipple in it so you can fit a tube and save a lot of mess.

[Gregg1100]

Hi All,
Thanks for the tips. I will have a go on it again Tuesday. Too pissed off with it at the mo. Will let you know what happens.
Greg

[Gregg1100]

Hi,
Tried lawsoms idea--bled air out from high level---got a hard lever---put callipers back on---lever gone soft again and more bloody air in lines. Trying the locked back brake lever theory tonight.
Tomorrow eve I will go back to pressure bleed, but with only half of recommended pressure. At 20lb/in.sq , hydraulic oil was seeping out of seal under master cyl top. So will try 10 lb. Never had this much aggro before. I will buy some new brake fluid as well. Brake oil about 4 year old--opened but top screwed down tight, I don`t use any brake fluid in my car-not for 5 years, ---I use LHM for the Citroen.
I need to get the bike MOT'd---missing this weather.
Regards,
Greg

[Dougie]

I'd still recommend bleeding using a large syringe from the caliper.Get new brake fluid.tho,even if the cap on your old stuff was screwed tight there's a risk it's contaminated with water-brake fluid absorbs water vapour from the air-and drain your brake system completely before you start.I've used this method several times with success.

[Gregg1100]

Hi Dougie,
Where does one get a large syringe from---not an item I have noticed in shops/B&Q type places. There were rust patches on pistons of callipers, here and there, but I have had them on other bikes, and no brake aggro with those. Rubbed down with 1000 wet and dry paper. I will have to see if I can just get pistons--in case it is that that is doing my head in :mad: . The new seals were flat, ie;' no leading edge, so not fitted incorrectly. Will try some Goodrich hoses as well. There are NO leaks anywhere.
Thanks,
Greg

[BikerGran]

I always use the cable tie on brake lever method, works every time.

[jonathan wassall]

ave u tried taking master clynder or bars and tying up as high as it will go and opening bleed nipple and let it flow and keep topping up for as long as ya need requires patients but works 4 me,

[Dougie]

Hi Dougie,
Where does one get a large syringe from---not an item I have noticed in shops/B&Q type places. There were rust patches on pistons of callipers, here and there, but I have had them on other bikes, and no brake aggro with those. Rubbed down with 1000 wet and dry paper. I will have to see if I can just get pistons--in case it is that that is doing my head in :mad: . The new seals were flat, ie;' no leading edge, so not fitted incorrectly. Will try some Goodrich hoses as well. There are NO leaks anywhere.
Thanks,
Greg
Here ye go.....
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Motorcycle-Vacuum-brake-bleeder-fits-all-models-bikes_W0QQitemZ180010998347QQihZ008QQcategoryZ9946 QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Grav]

I got a syringe from our Vet when we took our cat and dog for their booster jabs. He gave it to me after I explained what I wanted one for. The tubing can be found in any cheap car spares shop for not a lot of cash.

[Dougie]

What kinda cat you got? :eek: Have to be a bloody lion for a syringe big enough to handle brakes! :rolleyes:

[pagan_flame]

Why?........ :DIf you need to ask this question then you have never ridden a Harley with stock brakes!

[Gregg1100]

Hi All.
Thanks for all replies.

Scores on the Doors.
The locked back brake lever didn`t work.
The soft brake lever I didn`t notice till MOT man pulled brake lever to bars. Bit of a gorilla. Brakes always worked well just with a finger pressure.. Left side was seizing up too.
So got new seals, (square section ), cleaned out all crud, unblocked bleed screw, lubricated bores and seal with proper Girling rubber grease, assembled, and stopped in my tracks by a non bleeder ( less than I called it ).
With hose from master cyl to divert union crimped= hard lever , no movement.
With hoses from diverter union to callipers ( close to diverter, I call it that cos I can`t think of correct name) clamped = hard lever and no movement. So trouble is either old hoses--15 years old- perhaps never been changed, or callipers, and I have done enough of these to know that it isn't them. So I will try a pair of new hoses, and go from there.
Thanks again
Greg

[Mitch]

Hi Dougie,
Where does one get a large syringe from---not an item I have noticed in shops/B&Q type places. There were rust patches on pistons of callipers, here and there, but I have had them on other bikes, and no brake aggro with those. Rubbed down with 1000 wet and dry paper. I will have to see if I can just get pistons--in case it is that that is doing my head in :mad: . The new seals were flat, ie;' no leading edge, so not fitted incorrectly. Will try some Goodrich hoses as well. There are NO leaks anywhere.
Thanks,
Greg
we've got one - find someone who works in a nursing home who knows where there is one spare, alternatively, PM me and I can send your ours (tho' we'll need it back for mine soon).

[Taff]

If you need to ask this question then you have never ridden a Harley with stock brakes!
I didn't dignify the question by anwering it.
But i will.
Why the fuck not?
Stops on a ten bob bit now.
Looks cool as fuck.
Like the fact that people wanna know if they're Performance Machine or Billet 6 (i ground the tokicko lettering off and put three 6's on) calipers.
Nope, they're £30 each jap stuff.

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/3803/bikebuildup003rw7.jpg

[pyro]

If you need to ask this question then you have never ridden a Harley with stock brakes!


ho hum... note the smiley, I used to own a '78 sportster, I will never own a harley again...

[Grav]

What kinda cat you got? :eek: Have to be a bloody lion for a syringe big enough to handle brakes! :rolleyes:

We have a cat that thinks it's a tiger......bloody thing, keeps attacking me ankles. :D

[davesatan]

cable tying the lever works great for me

[Bosun]

Try this first (sometimes works) pump the lever 5 times and then hold it in, put a cable tie on it (or whatever) and leave it over night. When you release it in the morning a large bbble should appear, Used to work on Hondas.



this has worked for me in the past

another thought, i trust this is all new brake fluid, not 1/2 open bottle
also check all banjo joints prior to callipers

[PILRCGeff]

ho hum... note the smiley, I used to own a '78 sportster, I will never own a harley again...

Try something a bit more modern from Harley. You might change your mind!

[Gregg1100]

Hi All,
This brake saga is getting me down. Nearly a litre of NEW fluid has gone down the bleed tubes. I have tried all the various ideas, except for syringe one, no syringe available. All to no avail.
If the pipes are clamped, there is a solid brake lever, as it should be. When pipes are clamped, to within an inch of the banjo at calliper end, solid lever, so it must point to callipers. Yet there is sod all in callipers to go wrong. A seal that you can't put in the wrong way, there is a machined taper in body of calliper which seems to give the seal a lip.
You can bleed all air out , then when pulling front front brake lever, it pulls straight to bars, and then when rebled, another load of bloody air comes out. The brakes were working fine till I took it for MOT.
I found some rust on both pistons in callipers. After cleaning pistons up, they were still quite marked.
Having said that, I have had bikes in the past that had marked pistons, but not had any trouble with bleeding the air out,and had good anchors.
If I had got a reasonable hard brake lever, I would be happy to get some new pistons and braided hoses, but until then, I don`t want to spend money on it , buying bits that I don't know will fix the pig.
One thing is certain, as soon as brakes are ok, and bike is MOT`d, it will be sold. I find I can't be arsed with them anymore, too much of a rip off on spares prices and running costs. I can run my TD Xantia cheaper than this bike. For the cost of 2 tyres for bike, I can get 4 for the car, which will last a heck of a lot longer too. I will put it up for sale in this forum. Maybe someone may want to trike it. I missed out on a pair of callipers on Ebay friday eve, by 67p :mad: .
Thanks for your replies,
Greg
Ps. Couldn`t use pressure bleeder kit. I couldn't get master cyl top to seal............just made a hell of a mess

[Taff]

Be worth unbolting the caliper, leaving it all connected up, and tap it about with a piece of wood, while working the lever.
If a bubble of air's trapped at a high point in the caliper, the fluid will just pass under it, tap it and roll it about and you should dislodge offending bubble.