2005 rideback front brakes

[Big Rob]

I noticed i started having alot of give in my front brake lever. Figured it was the pads. Bought new pads and added fresh dot 5. Pumping and cracking the bleed valve wasnt working. Tried reverse bleeding and it worked instantly. Brake was rock hard. Problem is the more i squeezed the lever the less resistance it started having. So i redo the process and again it doesnt last. Anyone know what this may be?

I even rubber banded the level to the handgrip for several hours and got some resistance back but it didnt last. Im so glad i didnt take it for a test drive yet. Right now as i write this it is back to no pressure in the lever.

 

[pauldeepsea]

I noticed i started having alot of give in my front brake lever. Figured it was the pads. Bought new pads and added fresh dot 5. Pumping and cracking the bleed valve wasnt working. Tried reverse bleeding and it worked instantly. Brake was rock hard. Problem is the more i squeezed the lever the less resistance it started having. So i redo the process and again it doesnt last. Anyone know what this may be?

I even rubber banded the level to the handgrip for several hours and got some resistance back but it didnt last. Im so glad i didnt take it for a test drive yet. Right now as i write this it is back to no pressure in the lever.

May not have the brake completely sealed causing air to enter the line.
May want to check to make sure you didn’t loose one of the o rings when the calipers where apart . They are small and can fall out

 

[heybaylor]

pop the caliper pistons out and clean, the piston flat seal get to sticking on the piston .
I/E piston moves out with pressure, then the seal stretches and when the pressure is gone the piston does not
stay out but is returned by the rubber seal ( acting like a spring)
cleaning the piston and seal in the caliper allows the piston to slide out , and STAY there.
just changing fluid wont fix it .

Another problem is IF the piston does move and sticks , (not allowed to relax) there is a chance that the brake will
overheat and lock up the wheel.
tying the lever back is street talk (bad advice)
what happens is when tied back overnight ,or longer the piston can move the pads to the brake disk, (stay there) and give you a harder "feel and better brakes.
BUT if the piston cannot relax do to sticky piston seal the brake will over heat .
Hope this info helps someone .

 

[Big Rob]

May i ask a dumb question? Does the bike need to be cranked while testing for brake pressure? I havent cranked it through the whole process.

 

[njbiker20088]

May i ask a dumb question? Does the bike need to be cranked while testing for brake pressure? I havent cranked it through the whole process.

no

 

[heybaylor]

May i ask a dumb question? Does the bike need to be cranked while testing for brake pressure? I havent cranked it through the whole process.

No, they work on there own ( btw there are no dumb questions)

 

[shansel88]

May be time to rebuild the master cylinder???

 

[TapioK]

no

My friends tell me it’s weird how one idiot (me) can ask more questions 3 guys with knowledge can answer

 

[Big Rob]

What the hell. 415am, before i leave for work, no brakes, no resistance. 4:00pm, arrive home and brakes are perfect. Stops on a dime. Somebody playing tricks. Leaving the bitch alone now.

 

[Darrel Layton]

I noticed i started having alot of give in my front brake lever. Figured it was the pads. Bought new pads and added fresh dot 5. Pumping and cracking the bleed valve wasnt working. Tried reverse bleeding and it worked instantly. Brake was rock hard. Problem is the more i squeezed the lever the less resistance it started having. So i redo the process and again it doesnt last. Anyone know what this may be?

I even rubber banded the level to the handgrip for several hours and got some resistance back but it didnt last. Im so glad i didnt take it for a test drive yet. Right now as i write this it is back to no pressure in the lever.

How do you reverse the bleeding?

 

[knothead]

How do you reverse the bleeding?

On the front brakes it is easier to let it bleed at the reservoir because that is the highest point...all you have to do is leave the reservoir cap off and slowly apply to brake and bubbles will come out..if you pump fast you will have a mess with fluild going everywhere...it will usually bleed out within 10 pumps or so...just give it 15 to 30 seconds between pumps to give the air time to work its way up the line...top off with fluild and put the reservoir cap back on...

 

[Darrel Layton]

On the front brakes it is easier to let it bleed at the reservoir because that is the highest point...all you have to do is leave the reservoir cap off and slowly apply to brake and bubbles will come out..if you pump fast you will have a mess with fluild going everywhere...it will usually bleed out within 10 pumps or so...just give it 15 to 30 seconds between pumps to give the air time to work its way up the line...top off with fluild and put the reservoir cap back on...

Thanks. Mine is being ver obstinate right now. Finally got fruit to bleed out of the bleed thingy screw. No more bubbles in the reservoir but it’s super soft. I think the pistons are stuck maybe totally uneducated guess. Does that sound like a thing?

 

[Rottweiler]

They can get build up. Could be time for new seals / o rings.

 

[HMAN]

Thanks. Mine is being ver obstinate right now. Finally got fruit to bleed out of the bleed thingy screw. No more bubbles in the reservoir but it’s super soft. I think the pistons are stuck maybe totally uneducated guess. Does that sound like a thing?

You may have to pull the front caliper apart? Ive seen them stuck with crud.

 

[knothead]

Thanks. Mine is being ver obstinate right now. Finally got fruit to bleed out of the bleed thingy screw. No more bubbles in the reservoir but it’s super soft. I think the pistons are stuck maybe totally uneducated guess. Does that sound like a thing?

Do it from the top like i was talking about and i bet the brake lever will get more firm

 

[diy76]

On the front brakes it is easier to let it bleed at the reservoir because that is the highest point...all you have to do is leave the reservoir cap off and slowly apply to brake and bubbles will come out..if you pump fast you will have a mess with fluild going everywhere...it will usually bleed out within 10 pumps or so...just give it 15 to 30 seconds between pumps to give the air time to work its way up the line...top off with fluild and put the reservoir cap back on...

Exactly, I put the bike on a jack, turn handlebars bars till the reservoir is level and slowly squeeze the lever to get the remaining bubbles out after bleeding the line (I replaced the bleeder screw and banjo bolts with stainless steel replacements and added a rubber bleeder cap.
I also spray brake cleaner on a rag, wipe off both sides of the rotor before and after remounting caliper, my old pads were fine, and brake is firm and stops nicely.