22,449
edits
Difference between revisions of "Brake Line Installation"
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
no edit summary
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
Replacing and/or bleeding brake lines. Nothing short of pulling a bank of carburetors causes the average | Replacing and/or bleeding brake lines. Nothing short of pulling a bank of carburetors causes the average rider more distress. | ||
Steel braided brake lines are one of the best bang-for-the-buck mods you can do for your [[motorcycle]]. Maybe the very best mod a guy can do for a around a hundred bucks. Steel lines provide better braking feel and increased stopping power because the lines don't expand under pressure like the cheap rubber [[OEM]] ones do. | |||
Now that you've decided to make the leap, go ahead and buy your line kits from wherever you like. | Now that you've decided to make the leap, go ahead and buy your line kits from wherever you like. You will also need brake fluid and you might want to obtain some Speedbleeders. | ||
As for the whole debate on what brake fluid to use, many people get excited about synthetic DOT 5.1; the selling point on this stuff is that it resists boiling better than DOT 4 and is less "hygroscopic" too - which means it tends to absorb less moisture over time than DOT 4. | |||
However, unless you're talking about a dedicated track bike, its not as economical. It's typically much more costly than DOT 4 and cannot be mixed with anything else if you're low on fluid and in a pinch. | |||
Fresh DOT 4, changed out once a year in the spring, will serve you just fine and will cost you less. | |||
Another useful tool to bleed brakes is the basic Mityvac Brake Bleeding Kit, the cheap plastic one that sells lots of places for $25 or $30. | |||
Don't get intimidated by the relatively lengthy instruction manual that comes with the Mityvac. In fact, you just as well toss it in the trash. This tool is a simple vacuum pump, nothing tricky about it. Affix the clear vinyl tubing to the pump with the inline capture cup attached and you're ready to go. | Don't get intimidated by the relatively lengthy instruction manual that comes with the Mityvac. In fact, you just as well toss it in the trash. This tool is a simple vacuum pump, nothing tricky about it. Affix the clear vinyl tubing to the pump with the inline capture cup attached and you're ready to go. | ||
| Line 29: | Line 27: | ||
#Next you'll want to drape some more towels on the bottom half of your front wheel because you will still have fluid in the line, and when you unbolt it from the caliper, it's going to dribble some. (Note: at the risk of insult, the hex-head fasteners which attach the lines to the master cylinder and calipers are called banjo bolts, so that's what I'll refer to them as from here on out.) Just have a jar or bottle handy so you can put the leaking free end of the stock rubber line inside to catch the majority of the draining fluid. | #Next you'll want to drape some more towels on the bottom half of your front wheel because you will still have fluid in the line, and when you unbolt it from the caliper, it's going to dribble some. (Note: at the risk of insult, the hex-head fasteners which attach the lines to the master cylinder and calipers are called banjo bolts, so that's what I'll refer to them as from here on out.) Just have a jar or bottle handy so you can put the leaking free end of the stock rubber line inside to catch the majority of the draining fluid. | ||
#A word on working with brake fluid: don't flip out if you get a drop on your fork, caliper, wheel or other painted surface. Stay calm, wipe it off with a dry paper towel (more absorbent than a cloth towel) and you'll be fine. You might want to clean the now dry spot with another paper towel and some Honda Spray Cleaner & Polish (to this day, I love Honda chems!) if you're really worried about it. The point is, people talk about brake fluid as if it's nitroglycerin or something sure to ruin your bike the instant it touches anything painted. Not true. Be careful, wipe up spills, and you'll be fine. | #A word on working with brake fluid: don't flip out if you get a drop on your fork, caliper, wheel or other painted surface. Stay calm, wipe it off with a dry paper towel (more absorbent than a cloth towel) and you'll be fine. You might want to clean the now dry spot with another paper towel and some Honda Spray Cleaner & Polish (to this day, I love [[Honda]] chems!) if you're really worried about it. The point is, people talk about brake fluid as if it's nitroglycerin or something sure to ruin your bike the instant it touches anything painted. Not true. Be careful, wipe up spills, and you'll be fine. | ||
#Okay, once the majority of the fluid in the line has drained, unbolt the banjo at the master cylinder up top on the right clip-on. Have a paper towel ready to capture any drips from the top of the line. Carefully thread the line down through the fairing and out the bottom of the bike. You'll be tossing it, the OEM banjo bolts, and all used crush washers (new ones come with your Galfer kit). | #Okay, once the majority of the fluid in the line has drained, unbolt the banjo at the master cylinder up top on the right clip-on. Have a paper towel ready to capture any drips from the top of the line. Carefully thread the line down through the fairing and out the bottom of the bike. You'll be tossing it, the OEM banjo bolts, and all used crush washers (new ones come with your Galfer kit). | ||