No H2O
Active Member
My balance/coordination isn't that good but I am good at procuring people with limited skill sets that can perform a single duty (e.g. pour fluid as it gets low, e.g. squeeze this handle until the fluid colour changes)
Bleeding air out of front caliper
- Thread starter No H2O
- Start date
No H2O
Active Member
The lever, over a couple of days, went soft again.
This weekend when flushing the line the lever remained soft throughout the process.
After I tightened the bleed screw it started to feel firm again but as I squeezed it, air bubbles came out of the left side of the reservoir and kept ejaculating out of that same area each time I squeezed the lever.
I must have been squeezed the lever for 20 minutes straight and each time a mini-fountain shot up.
I don't know if I still have air in the line that needs to come out or if this is some sort of feature but I put the gasket back on and closed the reservoir.
Will report if the lever remains firm.
This weekend when flushing the line the lever remained soft throughout the process.
After I tightened the bleed screw it started to feel firm again but as I squeezed it, air bubbles came out of the left side of the reservoir and kept ejaculating out of that same area each time I squeezed the lever.
I must have been squeezed the lever for 20 minutes straight and each time a mini-fountain shot up.
I don't know if I still have air in the line that needs to come out or if this is some sort of feature but I put the gasket back on and closed the reservoir.
Will report if the lever remains firm.
Jersey Big Mike
100K mile club
trouble with things staying firm -- hay maybe the bike needs a little blue bill!
You can try this over night if the brake lever feels soft. Loosen the reservoir cap screws just enough so pressure can leak out. The take some masking tape or painters tape and pull the brake lever in snug and wrap tape around it to hold it overnight. I am told little micro bubbles with be forced up the hose to the top and the brake lever should feel harder. Or if you have a leak in your caliber or hose you will find out soon enough. Don't forget to tighten the screws back down the next day before you start pumping the lever back and forth to see if it worked. It worked for me.
pauldeepsea
Guru
A few things to look into,
1.Make sure you have the crush washers installed between the bolts and calipers Also may want to swap them out for new crush washers.
2.Make sure the bolts are torqued to specs and also the bleeder bolts firmly seated.
3.Inspect all soft good to ensure there are no tears and they are getting a good seal.
4. When loosening the bleader bolt just a slight crack to loosen it, if you loosen it to much you may let air into the line.
5. Check all lines to make sure there is no holes and it good condition.
6. Last thing may need to rebuild the master cylinder, there are soft goods in there that seal.
7. Also may need to check the calipers o rings and piston seals.
Good luck brakes are easy but if you aren’t getting a good seal you can pump and bleed all day and air is going to get in the lines causing it to go limp
pauldeepsea
Guru
After reading this again i would at the seal in the reservoir. If it’s tighten down and the seal is good it shouldn’t be leaking
Brent Herridge
Active Member
My caliper was leaking when I got the bike. Visibly wet film over the entire rotor. I had the caliper rebuilt, but same thing happened again after a few weeks. I had to replace the entire caliper. That was 10x more expensive that I imagined. That fixed the leak. but I still would describe the front brakes as weak, and the lever is not very firm. If I use 2 fingers, the lever pinches the other 2, so i have to use all 4 fingers for full braking.
I know that momentum and the physics behind braking means front brakes do most of the work, but my rear brake feels like it stops better than the front.
And the front consistently makes the weird groaning sound, before and after the caliper replacement.
I know that momentum and the physics behind braking means front brakes do most of the work, but my rear brake feels like it stops better than the front.
And the front consistently makes the weird groaning sound, before and after the caliper replacement.
pauldeepsea
Guru
You brake should be firm, the groan sounds like the caliper may need shimmed to align it with the rotor ? Or your rotor may be warped.
pauldeepsea
Guru
The center of the caliper should be centered with the rotor, if it’s shimmed correctly.
Brent Herridge
Active Member
I don't think teh rotor is warped. it doesn't shimmy or vibrate. I may try bleeding it. Lots of advice to follow. 
When I first got mine I had problems also with front brake cylinder. I took it off and found a shop that worked on Big Dogs, he took it apart and said the rubber plunger was in backwards.
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No H2O
Active Member
I've pulled it back like that before but the resulting firmness is temporary and then it goes limp in a day or two.
Also I've heard it's bad for some component to do that method.
My main concern would be getting the bike steady overnight at that lean-to-the-right / handlebar-to-the-left angle required to keep the reservoir level.
1. Level off fluid in the rez.
2. Replace cap. The rubber diaphragm is going cover the liquid and deform the diaphragm so the air is more on top of the diaphragm.
3. Remove the master from the handlebar.
4. Aim the lever end of the brake lever up at the ceiling.
5. Grasp the master with on hand, the lever with the other.
6. Just start fucking pumping that motherfucking lever.
2. Replace cap. The rubber diaphragm is going cover the liquid and deform the diaphragm so the air is more on top of the diaphragm.
3. Remove the master from the handlebar.
4. Aim the lever end of the brake lever up at the ceiling.
5. Grasp the master with on hand, the lever with the other.
6. Just start fucking pumping that motherfucking lever.
pauldeepsea
Guru
Any luck with the checks ? Somewhere in the system you are not getting a seal ?
No H2O
Active Member
Before I assume I have a leak I'm going to closely monitor both the lever firmness and the fluid level.
This is because in the past I didn't fill the fluid level with the bike leaning right and the handlebar turned left.
Also I may not have poured the fluid level high enough. This time I poured it to the very rim so when I tightened it, fluid started seeping out.
Reason I mention this is that in the past there may have been opportunity for air to enter through the hole in the reservoir if the fluid wasn't high enough to cover the reservoir hole.
This time that's completely out of the equation so I'll keep an eye on it
This is because in the past I didn't fill the fluid level with the bike leaning right and the handlebar turned left.
Also I may not have poured the fluid level high enough. This time I poured it to the very rim so when I tightened it, fluid started seeping out.
Reason I mention this is that in the past there may have been opportunity for air to enter through the hole in the reservoir if the fluid wasn't high enough to cover the reservoir hole.
This time that's completely out of the equation so I'll keep an eye on it