HELP!! Brake Line Question??

[Aussie Annie]

Alan has put braided brake lines on my RSV, there is no air in the line, but still no brakes!!

Question from him: is the factory fitted master cylinder okay with braided lines??

[Snaggletooth]

Hi Annie,

 

No problem with the stock masters working with the SS. Will be fine. You either have some air at the high point of the linked system which would be at the metering valve behind the steering head or if it's the front brakes you probably have a bubble in the master where the banjo bolt goes into it.

 

The only way I've found to bleed the linked (rear / left front) that is sure fire is this. Pump the brakes and crack open the bleeder valve on the metering valve behind the forks. If you bought SS lines from Rick at Buckeye you should have a new 6" line coming off the valve going to the right side of the bike. That's the one. When that one quits spitting move to the left front caliper. Repeat the bleeding process. When that one clears THEN go to the back caliper. Repeat the bleed process again. Keep checking the master for fluid level through the process.

 

If you don't get ALL the air out of that high point you will not get the full advantage of the SS lines.

 

If the front brake is the problem a bubble in the master is more than likely. Wrap a rag around the banjo bolt on the front of the master and crack the bolt open a bit. Pull in the lever and tighten the bolt. Repeat a few times. If it persists, take the bolt all the way out and shoot some brake fluid into the bolt hole and repeat the process again.

 

This works well if you don't have a Mighty Vac or something similiar to pull fluid through the system. Even though I seen the vac systems still seem to cause the bubble in the front master more often than not.

 

You will know when you get it right. The SS lines feel like the pedal / lever come to a dead stop when the lines are bled out properly. Real solid feel to it it. No more mushy, no more fade.

 

Let us know if this don't resolve the problem.

 

 

Mike

[Freebird]

Mike,

Annie has a RSV, they are different than your '84. They do work just fine with the braided lines though, I have them on mine as do many here. They are a bit of a pain to get bled but you just have to stay with it. Seems I had to use quick/short pumps to get them to finally build up some pressure and then bleed them as you normally would.

[Snaggletooth]

Thanks Freebird. Learn something new every day. I got to get to one of these MD's so I can see some other bikes with their inards showing. All I get to look at is mine. But I figured the principle would be the same.

[Guest seuadr]

probably not helpful now, but when you bleed, it's helpful to let the paddle snap back hard as you start to get most of the air out.. seems to vibrate the air up and out to some extent.

[1BigDog]

How about bleeding it with a Mity-Vac??

[Ponch]

Sounds like it's just not bled properly.

Some here have had sucess using the "overnight" method (read it on Venturerider.org somewhere). I believe it goes like this.

Remove the reservoir cap, pull the brake (or clutch) lever in all the way, tape or tie the lever in place and leave it overnight. The logic is that any trapped air will move up and out through the master cyl.

Also, you can use speed bleeders http://www.speedbleeder.com/

 

or

reverse bleeding which pushes brake fluid up from the caliper or slave cyl. towards the m. cyl. http://www.whitehorsepress.com/product_info.php?products_id=5116

Ponch

[Aussie Annie]

Thanks everyone for the comments and help, the overnight method seemed to do the trick. Well at least I hope it did 'cause he left 4.30am this morning for work-on my bike!!

[muffinman]

Well tell him not to get used to it because we want you to get some riding in.

Jeff