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Post by rosiemoto on Mar 10, 2016 22:24:08 GMT -6
My brake lever is pressing WAY in before the brakes apply lately. I recently cleaned up my front brake rotor/disc with rubbing alcohol because it felt like it wasn't grabbing, like slipping on oil. It seems to have improved braking power, but a week or 2 later my lever started going way in about 90% of the time like there's no pressure, and the other 10% it suddenly goes back to normal and I have normal good brakes again. I tried to get the alcohol from the rotor onto the brake pads by spinning the tire with brake applied gently... I assumed it would help clean the pads from oils, but I'm wondering if it did something to them.
What's probably the real reason is I know I'm well overdue for a brake fluid change... been 6 years and I've never done anything to it. It's been showing me on and off symptoms for a while and now it's yelling at me. I attempted to replace the fluid the other day but the screws to the fluid cap stripped out instantly and they're really in there tight, so I can't even get in there. Can I just drill the screw heads until they're broken and no longer holding the cap? Or any tips like that on getting them out? Thanks!
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Doc's Anything Goes
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Post by jct842 on Mar 10, 2016 22:43:32 GMT -6
yes drill out the heads, lift off the cap then use vice grips to remove what is left of the screws. Sounds like corrosion got the best of it. Check the hose that is not cracked or bulging. I went thru this quite a while ago and ended up having to replace the hose and the master cyl. which is what the screws of yours broke off in.
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Post by cyborg on Mar 10, 2016 23:14:23 GMT -6
There's a floating piston with a spring behind it with two oring seals in the "abs" cylinder ,,,the seals went away and fluid is getting behind that floating piston ,,remove that pos as it doesn't work when it's working,,,cap it,,,change fluid ,,and I would check on a rebuild kit for the master cylinder as well while you have it drained and all apart
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Post by rosiemoto on Mar 10, 2016 23:15:17 GMT -6
Thank you, yeah I'll take a good look then. I might end up needing to replace the master cylinder anyway since the window is cracked/leaks, and is patched by superglueing a dime onto it and the edges. Just hoping I can get away with it for a while longer.. seems to be a lot of work to put on a new one.  I'm completely new to all that...  |
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Post by cyborg on Mar 11, 2016 0:13:35 GMT -6
Post a pic of the front caliper,,,you should see a cylinder on the side of the caliper where the front brake line comes in,,,that's the offending part,,,and yes if the master is as toasted as you say,,,change that thing,,,,
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Post by rosiemoto on Mar 11, 2016 15:55:32 GMT -6
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Post by Alleyoop on Mar 11, 2016 16:37:40 GMT -6
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Post by rosiemoto on Mar 15, 2016 10:48:32 GMT -6
Just got my new master cylinder, but I'm having trouble finding the process on how to disassemble the whole thing WHILE there's still brake fluid in it. I'm wondering if there's barely any in it with how the handle is acting.
Do I first open up the bleeder and flow that into a container for a while until I think it's drained? I'm assuming I DON'T squeeze the brakes during the process and it'll just bleed out on its own. Then afterwards, I would just unbolt the old master cylinder from the handlebar, then unhook the hose from it that comes from the wheel/brakes?
Not sure how that hose that comes from the wheel up to the master cylinder connects to the master cyl. I haven't seen it in person, but in videos it looks like the hose goes halfway into a bolt or something weird?
So in short, old master cylinder needs to come out, it still has brake fluid in it, screws are stuck, I want to replace it with new master cylinder but not sure what the process is.
Thanks!
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Post by trashtruck12172 on Mar 15, 2016 11:48:00 GMT -6
removing the master cylinder isn't hard but you do need to pay attention to what your doing or brake fluid will go everywhere. the brake line is attached to the master the same way it's attached to the caliper, with a banjo fitting. all your other questions are answered in the vid alley posted.
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Doc's Anything Goes
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Post by richardv on Mar 15, 2016 14:11:44 GMT -6
It's best to remove the banjo fitting before removing the master cylinder from the handle bars. If you can open the cylinder to let in air you can let the hose drain itself as you mentioned.
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Post by rosiemoto on Mar 15, 2016 16:55:19 GMT -6
It turned out a success! The one I received is way smaller than my original one, as in holds much less fluid, and the cylinder stuck out a difference direction, but luckily I made it work and it seems to be working great! SO satisfying when it all works.
I took off the old master cylinder from the handlebar first, then unhooked the hose from that weird banjo bolt, while keeping it upside down so brake fluid wouldn't leak out... covered my bike just in case, but none leaked out until I accidentally knocked it over. There definitely wasn't much in it though! I put in the new one, had to readjust it a billion times to compromise for its different shape, and put in new brake fluid, and here's where it got a little weird...
I couldn't seem to bleed it. Thinking back I think the bleeder nut wasn't loosening enough because it was just spinning after that initial loosen. So once I figured that out it let me pull the lever in all the way and then in the hose the old fluid went... was pretty dark brown. I couldn't seem to bleed it after that, but I probably just wasn't loosening the bleeder nut enough... but by that time the lever was already feeling good so I stopped there, topped it back up, and done! Oh and I was just doing it the "normal" way; I don't have a syringe or vacuum like in that video.
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I'm completely new to all that... 
..BAD TO THE BONE..
