Caliper install not proceeding well..

[Vbloke]

Re: R1 caliper install not proceeding well..

Hi from Australia, I'm new to this forum stuff, but been doing bike stuff for 30 odd years now. Had my Max for a few months now, and appreciate the info I've read about leaking clutch slave cylinders, which I had to bleed today. Thought I'd share my experience with doing this bleed which should be exactly the same principle as your brake bleed problem. I fully agree that the M/C needs to be bled. My process has always been simple yet slightly laborious, but works for me. The trick is to first position the M/C so that it's the highest point of the entire system. Bike on mainstand, handlebars turned fully right seems to work. Then do very small movements of the lever, as in, not enough to activate the micro switch. 5mm in our speak or 1/4 inch in yours is enough, with an occasional full pull. You should soon see tiny bubbles coming from the holes in the bottom of the M/C and here's where the patience is needed. It took me about 15 - 20 minutes of doing this to get rid of these tiny bubbles but I did get my clutch back. I do this with the brake M/C also. As I said, it works for me. Hope this helps.
Ray

 

[Bill Kratzenberg]

brake question

Ok, heres my problem, can anyone help me?
One of my winter projects is i got my calipers powder coated. I also bought new master cylinders brake/clutch cause mine were pretty ratty looking.
after i put everything back together i filled my rear brake reservoir and pumped them up a few times then bled them and everything seems good. Now i go to the front brake & clutch fill the masters up and start pumping them up and i get nothing. Now i pumped and bled for probably 10 minutes and i'm not getting anywhere. i'm getting some fluid to the clutch but not the brakes. How long do i need to do this? or am i missing something?:ummm:

 

[Buster Hymen]

Re: brake question

Hi Bill
Follow the advice in this thread first http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=2572 , it has some good tips. If that doesn't work, let us know and we'll move to Plan B... whatever that is...:biglaugh:

 

[Dezeez]

Re: brake question

Ok, heres my problem, can anyone help me?
One of my winter projects is i got my calipers powder coated. I also bought new master cylinders brake/clutch cause mine were pretty ratty looking.
after i put everything back together i filled my rear brake reservoir and pumped them up a few times then bled them and everything seems good. Now i go to the front brake & clutch fill the masters up and start pumping them up and i get nothing. Now i pumped and bled for probably 10 minutes and i'm not getting anywhere. i'm getting some fluid to the clutch but not the brakes. How long do i need to do this? or am i missing something?:ummm:

Patience is a virtue when messing with the brakes. I went through the exact same thing after installing R1 calipers on my Max. I had them powdercoated meaning that all brake fluid was removed. Read the thread mentioned above and keep at it. I'm still not sure what got mine working but a pump seems to be necessary to get things started.

We're having some warm weather here and I took mine for a ride yesterday and everything works fine. I was just about at the panic point (dealer help God forbid!) when it just started working. Took several days of trying.

 

[4gasem]

Re: brake question

Ok, heres my problem, can anyone help me?
One of my winter projects is i got my calipers powder coated. I also bought new master cylinders brake/clutch cause mine were pretty ratty looking.
after i put everything back together i filled my rear brake reservoir and pumped them up a few times then bled them and everything seems good. Now i go to the front brake & clutch fill the masters up and start pumping them up and i get nothing. Now i pumped and bled for probably 10 minutes and i'm not getting anywhere. i'm getting some fluid to the clutch but not the brakes. How long do i need to do this? or am i missing something?:ummm:

It's all about the Mity-Vac! 35 or so dollars and WAY less aggravation!:thumbs up:

 

[Laxfan]

Re: brake question

It's all about the Mity-Vac! 35 or so dollars and WAY less aggravation!:thumbs up:

What he said!

 

[Bill Kratzenberg]

Re: brake question

It's all about the Mity-Vac! 35 or so dollars and WAY less aggravation!:thumbs up:

Ok, i'm all over it !!!
Well next week anyway, this entire week i'm tied up fulfilling my civic duties as a juror in courtullhair:

Thanks for the help...

 

[gleno]

Re: brake question

Hey Bill.

I had to swap my lines, calipers and re-kit the master cylinder recently so I was definitely working with a dry system.

I found that trying to prime the lines by pumping the master cylinder was not successful if I compressed the brake lever through its full length of travel. I just seemed to pump for ever and make little head way. It also seemed that pumping frantically on the lever made no difference at all.

This is what I did.

Leave the top off the reservoir and be gentle with the lever i.e. pump and release with a casual stroke. You have to be gentle or you will pump fluid out of the reservoir and onto the bike, floor etc.

If you use smaller strokes on the lever, say 1/3 to 1/2 travel, it seems to release a lot of air bubbles out of the lines and back to the master cylinder reservoir.

Pause for a second or two between each release and you will notice bubbles being released to the reservoir. I don't know why this is.

Perhaps a vigorous lever action with full compression keeps forcing the air down the line instead of allowing it to rise back up through the release valve?

Do your usual bleed as well.

Took about 20 minutes and the brakes were solid.

 

[Bill Kratzenberg]

Re: brake question

well, played with those brakes for a few days, pumping and bleeding and i got nowhere fast. So i broke down and bought a vacuum pump like chris mentioned. And well wouldn't you know it , but he was right. That did the trick for me(thanks chris). now i have a working clutch and front brakes:clapping: Dammit that sure gets frustrating, glad to be up and running again and i appreciate the replies.

 

[4gasem]

Re: brake question

well, played with those brakes for a few days, pumping and bleeding and i got nowhere fast. So i broke down and bought a vacuum pump like chris mentioned. And well wouldn't you know it , but he was right. That did the trick for me(thanks chris). now i have a working clutch and front brakes:clapping: Dammit that sure gets frustrating, glad to be up and running again and i appreciate the replies.

That sounds like a bit of disbelief.... :confused2: :ummm:You are very welcome Bill. Your bike looks awesome.

I ended up going to the hardware store and buying smaller tubing which fit on the bleed nipples tighter which is nice as I don't have to worry about them falling off all the time...:thumbs up:

Glad you got it sorted!