dna9656

Try as I might I can't get the cups by the seal. Yes I have RRG on the seals and cups. I have rebuilt the brakes in the 83s, 84s, and 85s and never had this problem.

So what should the load range be? I'd like stronger tires than stock, I ride 2 up from time to time and MAY carry a trailer but more likely would fill the saddle bags and carry back packs.

Bike bandit doesn't show the load range or any other spec.

Well, I haven't worn a stock one out yet, the bikes I buy are old, the clutch is really easy to re-line/replace (what ever the term is) so I just do it as a matter of routine, like replacing the brake pads or over hauling the calipers. Just some thing I do to used equipment that hasn't been used in (probably) years....isn't there more "whoop-di-do" than "it works and last longer than tires" I mean I haven't worn a set of tires out yet either. I got 25,000 miles on my Michelin Commander 2s.... and they still look great.... Signed "Wondering and confused" Just jokin! Doug

Looking for opinions on tires as I need a set. I'm looking at these: Metzeler Roadtec Z8 Interact 120/70ZR18-M Front Tire Metzeler Roadtec Z8 Interact 140/70ZR18-M Rear Tire They are radials..... To put on my 1988 Venture.

I'm looking for some education here: What's so whoop-di-do about a Barnett Clutch?

Most times I have installed a hitch or fender it's been a fight to line up all the bolt holes long enough to get a bolt or screw started...the crash bar may be tweaked, you'll have to look it over carefully looking for cracks in the plating, distorted, out of round, the pads the mounting bolts go through might be slightly out of their proper plane (my first suspect) from taking a hit....

Investigate why the crash bar is loose first. fix that. see if it all lines up if not THEN I'd loosen the crash bar, install the back rest bracket, have all the bolts started and start tightening stuff up slowly. If it jams up you'll know. Don't strip or break anything.

I agree with bongobobny, I'm betting your crash bar got tweaked. You could try tweaking it back or PM me I got used crash bars, heck; I got the crash bars the brackets come off of!

FIRST things FIRST: Thanks to you all for your responses! This is a NEW THREAD. I purchased the kit(s) from Brake Crafters. btw I emailed my ? to them through their web site this eve. and have rec'd an answer within the hour! That's GREAT customer service!

Somewhere I red these seals have a direction... maybe that's the Yamaha seals, Brake Crafters says there is no direction. This is their response to my direction question: "Seals are NOT directional! A slight camber is cut into the seal ring within the caliper and it doesn't matter which direction the seal is placed. This the same for both the dust seal and pressure seals. Brake Crafters has written me and offered to walk me through it all WAY TO GO BRAKE CRAFTERS!!! Pressure seals are made from effectively a tube which is cut. Dust seals are injection moulded as they 'wiper' section on the interior of the seal." I will look AGAIN tomorrow but I'm pretty sure I got everything. Thanks Marcal!

Missing info edited in, sorry....

What's the trick in installing the brake caliper seals in the right direction? It was easy determining the direction, the ridge faced outboard when I disassembled the calipers. Now installing the new seals in the correct manner seems more difficult than I thought. I'm working on my 1988 VR with the stock dbl. piston per side caliper brakes. I have the red rubber grease. I thoroughly cleaned my caliper pieces with aluminum safe solvent and my ultra sonic solvent tank. I blew 125PSI air through all the orifices and gave each groove a hard looking over. I lubed the O rings with the red rubber grease provided in the Brake Crafters kit.

In an effort to get this thread back on brakes.... I think I felt the ridge of the brake seals on the outboard side away from the seam of the 2 halves of the caliper; Thoughts?

I been working on some sort of machine(s) all my life (I'm 62 now) and I have learned that it's always a good idea to consult the applicable technical data, even if i have done it before it's good to review. I have downloaded the VR service manual and can view it on my 60 TV/monitor out in my shop. Ya know suddenly all those horrible pics int he book aren't so horrible! Stuff changes, but conventional wisdom is still valid but like I mention stuff changes. I like to review so I'm Certain it's right, like tightening wheel bearings, with front wheel drive and front hubs so prevalent now who does that on a regular basis? Not many. We're here to learn and to teach each other and discover the old and the new! You will find in some tech data instructions for applying locktite or anti seize, THAT'S when I usually apply it.

As I mentioned in an earlier post I THOUGHT I used it years ago on the 83.5 and I had NO PROBLEM with the brakes. I ordered 4oz on Amazon just now to be sure I had enough for all the brakes, the amount you get is prolly enough without any waste but who is THAT GOOD?

Some kind of grease/oil/lube/brake fluid got on the pads. I once had a car on which the rear axle seal leaks, the lube got on the brakes and the brakes locked up all the time. I too would use locktite on a threaded component on a brake caliper. I would and have used anti seize as a lube for between brake SHOES and the BACKING PLATE on cars because it's heat resistant and won't run therefore stays put. I have also used anti sieze on the caliper's surfaces that move as the pads wear; never had an issue. Nowadays I use brake component lube and that won't run and stays put too.

FRom www.brakecrafters.com: http://www.redrubbergrease.com/ Though I'm sure the RRG didn't harm anything in you application. Years ago when I got my 83.5 VR I rebuilt the calipers as the bike had been sitting for ages....I don't remember where I got the kit (prolly partzilla) but those seals came with instructions and mentioned (I thought) the the grease was used to lube the cups and rubber but I wasn't sure but I dang sure followed the $%#@&*^% instructions! Now we all know! Oh yeah apparently you can buy RRG in 1 OZ. packs so you won't have it sitting around getting old and dirty. Ck. out the RRG website, very educational! Thanks!

So, they ARE R-1 calipers. Thank-You!

What's a "Blue Dot" caliper? I'm not brake system modifier UNLESS I use the master cylinder that was used with the different calipers. I'm too chicken. I don't ride hard or push the limits of the machine; I just ride. I have a passenger (2up) from time to time. I like the system as Yamaha designed it, I know that when your going to operate a vehicle off road the mod world is a much larger place than if you were going to remain on the road. Most engineers build something to suit most expected operating parameters for most people/loads. I imagine at least 60% of the members here ride that way. Making your own brake lines is a tricky thing, it's easy to kink the pipe with the right tools much less without them. I would like to put the stainless lines on my bike, they are expensive, but I hope to get mine this winter, not because I want/need the performance of stainless, it's because the rubber lines are 40 years old! They GOT TO GO and I don't know if anyone makes brake lines for our bike, I have heard of eBay sellers offering brake lines in X length, I'm not interested in generic brake lines or ones you have to turn at funny angles... I want t stainless we can get from one of the long term guys here. I have a pair or R-1 calipers and the master cylinder that came with an R-1. I have a fork off a 1300 bike. I just bought this '88, I'm not sure if changing the calipers out to the R-1s is going to be any better, I mean the 88 has 4 pistons per caliper as do the R-1s, the brake pads seem to be about the same size so I'm not sure if I should go through all that with my riding style, we MAY get a trailer one day, but we figure if we NEED a trailer we should take the truck! Any advice (as always) is appreciated! IS THIS A BLUE DOT CALIPER? What if the blue dots are red, is it still considered a blue dot caliper?

Nope! I think the windshield because the piece of plastic between bolted parts... look at the 2nd from right, we got the same idea, just a different location...

I found these in the saddle bags on my '88. I think they are used to hold windshield extensions that can pivot. If you look closely you can see a piece of clear plastic on the one that is 2nd from the left.

I helped my buddy install PROGRESSIVE rear springs in a '69 2 door Galaxie in 19 and 73. Most times here I have read progressive springs thinking of their design when I read the word not the brand. So, now (like McDonald's buys their meat from a company called "All Beef" so they can say their meat is "All Beef" we have a spring company called "Progressive"; how charming!) local Yamaha Stealer wants a ton of money for fork oil, way more than OPEC. Pricezilla has it for way less than Yamaha and way, way more than OPEC. So apparently price has nothing to do with the quality of most oil. I don't ride at high speed or into space. I jusy want a recommend of a reasonable priced, reasonable performance fork oil. So is there no name brand to avoid or buy?

The Eagle flies tomorrow, I'm ordering the complete front end caliper kit at brake masters and I don't know for sure when the $14.00 kit shown above will be here but it's on it's way. Also i hope to order the folk parts (the 4 that Yamaha manual says to replace) and I hope to order springs MAYBE too but may have to wait till next week when the Eagle visits me again. I hope to order some fork oil too, the stealer wants entirely too much for fork oil. I got a sort of recc. on another post I made about fork oil. I don't know what springs I'm ordering. I lots of info on the springs post I made, I'm just confuse a little, like are the progressive springs "PROGRESSIVE" or not. I have told that progressive springs aren't what the application would best benefit from. I don't ride fast, I just like the comfort, I like to ride with my wife, we have a trailer hitch but no trailer yet. This isn't the bike she would feel most safe on, she like the fake 3 wheeler we have that hasn't run except the day we test drove it. I wouldn't start the next morning. I started to move the ignitec from the 83.5 I have to it and got bogged down with life and that was 2 years ago.

I can tell you with a high degree of certainty that very few bikes get the brake hydraulics overhauled every 2 years, how do I know you ask? The 88's brakes hadn't been used in 5 years, the last 84 I bought was being ridden and it's brakes were hardly functional, When overhauling the brakes on my 83, 84, 84, and now the 88 I sometimes think I'm the only guy (besides you and the other members) that are even aware of those recommends. It took a rag folded over 4 times and 10" channel locks to get the cups out of one of the 88's calipers! 125 PSI got the other caliper!