Brake Help

[Reddog170]

Well I have a little problem. I was bleeding out the front brakes and got one side to bleed out nice then moved to the other side. Well I cannot get it to bleed out. I get nothing from it when I squeeze the lever. Is there an easy way to fix this or should I replace the line. I will NOT ride without a front brake, four wheel boneheads make that WAY to dangerous. Shaun

[Yammer Dan]

You know the rear pedal works that one don't you?? Handlebar Master works other one.

[Prairiehammer]

Shaun,

Your bike came from the factory with linked braking. That means the left front caliper AND rear wheel caliper are actuated by the foot pedal and the right front caliper is actuated by the hand lever.

I presume that you bled the right front using the hand lever and then moved to the left front and attempted to bleed it with the hand lever as well? As you can see above, that won't work. To bleed the left front caliper you must pump the foot pedal. Then pump the pedal to bleed the rear caliper. The left front/rear can sometimes be very difficult to bleed on your model. Later models (MK2, not to be confused with 2nd Generation) have an additional bleed screw high near the steering neck for the LF/rear line.

Personally, I prefer to use a Mity Vac vacuum pump to bleed the hydraulics (clutch and brakes) on my VRs. Usually, it goes smoothly and effectively the first time.

Having said all the above, if you in fact attempted to bleed the brakes properly and still have no fluid coming out, you may have a plugged bleeder screw, caliper or lines or you may have no fluid in the master cylinder to be pumped.

[Yammer Dan]

Linked system. I can't remember which one is front right now but handlebar lever works one side Rear pedal works other side.

[bkuhr]

shaun,

when I got my abused 83, the Po had removed the rear master-and was riding like that:bang head:

Took me lot of part schrounging, but when I got all back together, still could not bleed rear activated front brake. ended up going to every pipe fitting, in order, and loosening and checking for fluid flow. Found problem was plugged metering valve under steering frame. Bi..h to get out, but it was plugged solid with rust.

 

Not sure my thinking here, but water floats on oil, and metering valve is highest point in system. Would guess this to be likely point for rust in a 'closed' but contanimated system on the model of bike. My system was wide open(missing master) for unknown reasons.

[skydoc_17]

Hey Shaun,

I wish I could post a picture of the look on the face of every First Gen. MKI owner who tried to freshen up their brake fluid, and ended up with NO brakes. My wife Jean, describes that look as being "gut shot"! Not to worry. We will get you thru this.

As mentioned above, the left front, and the rear caliper BOTH are actuated by the Rear Master Cylinder. Which is controlled by the foot pedal. One pump of the foot pedal moves the fluid in the line about 1/32", so it is going to take quite a few pumps. To speed things up a bit, there is a connector located on the RIGHT side of the Steering Head, place yourself on the right side of the bike with your right foot on the floor, and your left foot on the brake pedal. With a pair of open end wrenches, "Crack" the connector, (a few rags under the connector controls the brake fluid spillage) step on the pedal, hold the pedal down, retighten the connector, lift the pedal. Step on the pedal, crack the connector, retighten the connector, lift the pedal, etc. (You get the idea) When you get fluid to the connector, check the fluid level, and refill. (See pic for location) After the refill, go to the rear caliper, remove the right side luggage, sit half way between the brake pedal and the rear caliper, push the brake pedal down with your right hand, crack the bleeder on the rear caliper with your left hand, retighten the bleeder, lift the pedal. I like to use a piece of clear plastic tubing on the bleeder nipples, directing the brake fluid into a plastic bottle partially filled with brake fluid. It reduces the mess and you can see if there are air bubbles coming from the caliper better. A 8MM boxed end wrench will just fit under the plastic tubing. I don't like an opened end wrench on the bleeders because it rounds the corners of the bleeder nut off to easy. Now here's where having arms like a monkey come in handy, if you don't have monkey arms, then a helper works best. I turn the handle bars ALL the way to the left, moving the left front bleeder nipple towards the front of the engine. I sit in front of the water pump. With my left hand, I push down on the brake pedal, with my right hand, I crack the left front bleeder, I retighten the bleeder and lift the brake pedal.

If you can not get brake fluid to come up to the connector, then your rear master cylinder may need to be rebuilt. It's not uncommon.

If you have questions about this procedure, or need parts, please feel free to PM me.

Earl

[Yammer Dan]

Think we scared him off yet???? Keep after it Shaun you will get it.

[skydoc_17]

Hey Brian,

The Rear Master Cylinder on the MKI VR is no longer sold by Yamaha so I would think that is the reason the rear M/C on your bike was missing. They do Still offer rebuild kits. Second, Brake Fluid is Alcohol based and very much like Automotive Antifreeze. It is not hydraulic oil, like transmission fluid.

The alcohol draws water to itself, and this is what makes the brake fluid turn brown over time. Here is a kit I put together to solve the linked brake problem once and for all:

http://www.venturerider.org/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=2713&title=first-genmki-1983-1985-stainless-steel-de-link-line-kit-21&cat=22

 

With both front calipers connected to the front M/C, and the rear M/C connected to the rear caliper ONLY, bleeding is a snap.

 

I also offer the MKII VR Rear Master Cylinders completely rebuilt, which would be an excellent upgrade for your MKI rear master cylinder.

Earl

[bkuhr]

Hey Brian,

The Rear Master Cylinder on the MKI VR is no longer sold by Yamaha so I would think that is the reason the rear M/C on your bike was missing. They do Still offer rebuild kits. Second, Brake Fluid is Alcohol based and very much like Automotive Antifreeze. It is not hydraulic oil, like transmission fluid.

The alcohol draws water to itself, and this is what makes the brake fluid turn brown over time. Here is a kit I put together to solve the linked brake problem once and for all:

http://www.venturerider.org/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=2713&title=first-genmki-1983-1985-stainless-steel-de-link-line-kit-21&cat=22

 

With both front calipers connected to the front M/C, and the rear M/C connected to the rear caliper ONLY, bleeding is a snap.

 

I also offer the MKII VR Rear Master Cylinders completely rebuilt, which would be an excellent upgrade for your MKI rear master cylinder.

Earl

Earl, thanks for info

I got mine back to stock last year and it works great. Suprised me how quick I can stop compared to my xj750. I like the linked brakes, but will be replacing pads some time this year. Be amazed at the time I put into putting this bike back together-PO sure tore it up.

[Reddog170]

Thank You very much. I did not know the rear brake operated the left front as well. This afternoon me and my nephew will try to bleed it out again, using the right master to do it this time. Never had a bike with brakes like this before. At least I learned something new today. Shaun

[Snaggletooth]

Hey Shaun,

 

How'd ya come on on bleeding your brakes? It's a learning experience on these bikes.

 

Mike

[Reddog170]

Just have not had a chance yet. Family down this weekend and after they left had to try to get everything back in order. Have the week off will get some more done. Also have a friends bike here that needs a drivers seat backrest modified and put on, the front brake fixed and a tune up. So I seem to have gotten busy. Will get to it soon though. Shaun

[Saddle_Bag]

Russell Stainless steel lines makes a fitting up high on the triple tree with a bleeder. I put a speed bleeder nipple on mine. Bleeding is easy. joe

[Newtomeventure]

I know this is an old post, but after reading I'm curious. I had a rear tire changed today. Guy comes out & says we can into a prob. Explains they broke bolts on rear caliper. They made it right & heli coiled them w/New bolts free of charge. After that is where my issue is. He tells me afterward "you're gonna wanna replace the rear caliper it's dragging". "It was when you brought it in". If so I hadn't noticed it for the couple and I've owned bike. I asked if maybe it needed bleeding guy says we did twice no good. What you guys have me wondering is if rear & left front are linked, could it possibly be that it needs to be bled @ rear & left front? I'm letting my ignorance to brakes show I know, but just wondering if there's possibly a cheaper easier fix than $375+ replacement.