Bleeding the brakes ....

[nowindinmyhair]

Yesterday, I took the rear calipers apart to clean the pistons. I am having a difficult time bleeding the brakes. Any body have tips or tricks ?

[Black Owl]

Speed bleeders. The only way to go. And the price is right.

 

http://www.speedbleeder.com/

[Squidley]

Speed bleeders. The only way to go. And the price is right.

 

http://www.speedbleeder.com/

 

 

Absolutely, it's so easy you'll freak

[jb1016]

I used a miteyvac vacuum pump. put hose on the bleeder screw ,open it up ,pump the miteyvac to around -60psi when the bubbles stop close bleeder and your done. worked great for me , my buddy had the pump so it didnt cost anything but I seen them at harbor freight for about 25 bucks

jb

[nowindinmyhair]

I think my problem may be elsewhere. I just can't seem to get pressure on the rear pads unless I pump the back pedal repeatedly a dozen times. Even then, I can rotate the wheel by hand. I am thinking of taking the master cylinder apart. Can this be cleaned and reassembled ? Is there any merit to that exercise ?

[nowindinmyhair]

Don't know why I didn't do a search first. Found a thread outlining issues similar to those I was experiencing. I spend to whole day trying to blead the rear calipers. Even took them apart again.

 

Turns out I had air higher in the line. I loosened the line at the metering valve and heard the proverbial 'pphht' and saw a spit of fluid. The change was immediate. I bled that line 2 more times to be safe. Now I am anxious to go out and try her. I think this may be the first time a have real rear brakes. Weather's getting cold though, may have to wait a week or so.

 

When I got the bike, I was disappointed with the braking. I thought maybe it was weight related and I would have to get used to sluggish stopping. I am anxious to see what it is like now. You guys able to lock up the rear tire ?

 

Ben

[Squidley]

The rear caliper and the left front are linked, it's a bit tough to lock them up, but I'm sure if you tried hard enough you could. Unfortunately yours being an '84 doesn't have as good a brake system as the 1300's. I would try and use a good quality sintered brake pad such as the EBC HH series, thats what I use on mine.

[greg_in_london]

I always felt that the brakes were appalling.I went through a number of steps to improve them, basically junking the Yamaha system as I went.

I was particularly keen to improve the brakes as I have a sidecar, but there is no need for the restrictors in the system.

 

First of all, get rid of the proportioning valve to the back. All it does is reduce the braking effect when you need to stop. Don't want to be mean, but if you are such a total learner that you cannot use a brake without locking the wheel, this might not be the right bike for you - not until you have had some basic training, at least.

[Yamaha comment: 'The exclusive advantage to this brake system is that the brake operation requires no skill,' - you've discovered the disadvantage]

 

Secondly, I bought a 9/16" master cylinder and connected it to both front brakes so I could use the level of braking force that was necessary. The linked system can be fine for generally slowing down, but when it is an emergency, there's no way you can maximise front wheel braking (ie without locking up) trying to guess the braking force between hand lever and foot pedal.

 

I then made up a sidecar brake and connected it to the back brake master cylinder (which has plenty of capacity.

 

I also only replace brake line with braded hose.

 

Finally I left the old trailer tent in the in-laws' barn in Ireland after purchsing another with over-run brakes.

 

I suspect that I also by-passed the metering valve before upgrading the front master cylinder, but I'm not 100% sure from memory.

 

Obviously well bled brakes, good pads, unscored discs and clean/lubricated pistons are taken as a given.

[Marcarl]

If you go to stainless steel braided lines instead of the stock rubber you'll notice a real pleasant change and you'll never go back. You're rubber lines are getting old and so soften up and give a lot more now than when they were new. Even though they may not show signs of old age, cracking etc. I suggest you change them, it's a real difference.