Brakes Lever Pulls Flat

[BadDawg Bill]

Thank a lot Bill, it sounds like good advice but its going to keep me from riding since I don't wrench it myself it will take a while. Since it is my front brake I cannot just do without it. But it seems no answer is obvious. Thanks again for your time. Tony

Hey, rebuilding the master is duck soup even Kevin can do it.... Changing a line is simple too if you have the vacuum bleeder. Why not try it and maybe you will surprise yourself and get more confidence and know your dog better... You can still ride with just a rear brake just take it easy..... I rode a chopper for years without a front brake... and a custom for a year without a back brake...

 

[Satterfield]

Hey, rebuilding the master is duck soup even Kevin can do it.... Changing a line is simple too if you have the vacuum bleeder. Why not try it and maybe you will surprise yourself and get more confidence and know your dog better... You can still ride with just a rear brake just take it easy..... I rode a chopper for years without a front brake... and a custom for a year without a back brake...

Bill, you make me want to try it. However, I have a lousy track record when it comes to fixing things in general. I might give it a try..I always wind up losing something or breaking it. I hate not being able to do it myself, so your right I should give it a try but it sounds like it will be any number of things. Even with the Master, if its not leaking, which it never has before, I don't see where the air would get in since as you point out it is a closed system. However, in the end result your story of what you went through to finally get your problem solved says that it could be any of the components. So if I understand you I should start with the master and then the line itself. Thanks for your help..Tony

 

[Satterfield]

Thank you to everyone for your time and replies..Tony

 

[BWG56]

There is a vent hole in the cover, right behind the mirror stem, and if the seal is gasket is bad the leak could be coming from there

 

[PROFLYER]

Rebuild the master, rebuild the caliper. Both very easy and cheap. Then refill and properly bleed it. $53 worth of parts.

Master: http://www.wildsteedworx.com/index....ath=65_68_173_74_273_320_321&products_id=1530
Caliper: http://www.wildsteedworx.com/index....ath=65_68_173_74_273_320_322&products_id=1179

If you can't rebuild these yourself your shop certainly can. Find the dropbox link for the 08 service manual and you'll see how to do it. If not maybe another member lives near you and can help?

 

[bdm7250]

Rebuild the master, rebuild the caliper. Both very easy and cheap. Then refill and properly bleed it. $53 worth of parts.

Master: http://www.wildsteedworx.com/index....ath=65_68_173_74_273_320_321&products_id=1530
Caliper: http://www.wildsteedworx.com/index....ath=65_68_173_74_273_320_322&products_id=1179

If you can't rebuild these yourself your shop certainly can. Find the dropbox link for the 08 service manual and you'll see how to do it. If not maybe another member lives near you and can help?

Dropbox link..
https://www.dropbox.com/home/Big Dog

 

[bdm7250]

Dropbox link..
https://www.dropbox.com/home/Big Dog

I just noticed that I don't have the 08 service manual in the dropbox, I will add it tomorrow at work.

 

[bdm7250]

I just noticed that I don't have the 08 service manual in the dropbox, I will add it tomorrow at work.

Updated with the 08 service manual..

 

[BWG56]

Updated with the 08 service manual..

Good job Chucky

 

[Lorenzo]

Greetings.
I have had a problem with my 08' K9 front brake that has gone on for a long time with no one having a solution. Apprantley, it always gets air in the line, then I take it to the shop and they bleed it and its okay for about 500-1000 miles at best and then it starts by losing the lever a little at a time until eventually it will go to zero and I will have no front brakes at all.

Most recently they even put on new pads (the old ones still had pad) and new fluid (I have ran through a lot of fluid here over the years) and I had a full lever. Now it is once again starting the same trick as it starts out gradual until it progresses to zero brakes. The only thing new this time is that it is leaking out fluid. The first time it leaked out was with the handle bars turned around and now it is just leaking out drops around the bottom but still leaking. I know they tried to get in as much fluid as possible likely over filling.

Realize that the shop is doing this not me as I don't know what to do about it and have no solution. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I feel certain I am not the only one who has had this problem?

Thank you, T.

If youd like call me. i had the same problem and found the issue. 254-338-2066

 

[Lorenzo]

The Master cylinder and system is a closed system. The reason the calipers work is because of the pressure pushing the fluid through the line. Any tiny leak (whether) it leaks fluid or air will cause failure. A tiny/loose fitting or seal could allow air in but not big enough to push fluid out and if fluid comes out it's a Major problem and leak.

I spent months trying to fix my back brake once and changed everything (all at once) and still had no brake after a few stops. The problem was the T fitting at first but then when I replaced that the line going into it sucked in air and I had the same problem. I replaced the line and still had the problem. I could go on and on but after starting at the master cylinder and making sure it was good/sealed and following everything all the way down the line and trying it after each change I finally got a brake.

Yes it is a sealed system but i had the exact same problem not to long ago. Long story short, it was not a simple find. I found out that the PM calipers you can split them to do a rebuild, which is only 4 piston cup seals and 2 very small "O" rings. That was the problem, the 2 "O" rings in between the calipers when you split them apart, on one half there is a recess and small hole and other one is just a small hole. that's how the fluid passes between the halves. My calipers have never been split apart but the "O" rings wore out and seeped. As said by one of the other posters, no matter how small a leak or seep, if it comes out, air gets in. Sorry for the long post, JMO

 

[Satterfield]

This took years to figure out, I will not even go into why that was as it only took Curtis a few minutes. Thanks to Curtis at WSW, they rebuilt the master and it just failed in the parking lot. Curtis told me that the master body itself had a defect (progressively gotten worse) that was not allowing the fluid to get to the caliper, So that cost a shit ton of money. I was lucky that Curtis had on and got it out to me ans so far it seemed to instantly solve the problem. I have not had time to get many miles on it and its still in the shop. I'm hopeful after all this time it is fixed once and for all. 100% of the credit goes to Mr. Curtis Addams out at WSW in California. Oh how I hope this is it. Thank you all who tried to help (Big Daddy was also right: You have a faulty component there that is progressively gotten worse)

Update, shop put on the new master body and put in a rebuild kit and after sitting on the rack for about a week while other work being done. I reached up and squeezed the brake lever and a big drop of fluid dropped on coming out of the "bore" they tightened the line. It still failed and fluid came out. So now they are going to rebuild it again since I was advised by someone we all know that something was not right with the install and or parts with the rebuild so they are going to try it again. The brakes have failed twice now while still in the shop. Anything that might help is welcomed. For many complicated reasons just taking the bike somewhere else is not an option. Thanks in advance for any input. T

 

[COOPer]

I had a issue wit the front brakes on my 06 Mastiff. Ended up putting a new caliper on it. It was barely seeping. I didnt rebuild it because the bore inside looked worn and corrosion. Havent had any problems since

 

[SKOGDOG]

Thanks for the follow-up and telling us-—all too often we never find out because the OP doesn’t come back to let us know.
And you aren’t the first guy whose ass is saved by Curtis—-he just seems to be getting better and better.

 

[lentzii]

Hallo, bei HDM in Chase ( Kansas ) gibt es komplette Reparatursätze für oben und unten. Die kann sogar ein Metzger einbauen. da brauche ich keinen HD schrauber?
gruß Lentzi

 

[Satterfield]

I feel your pain. I went for a year without a back brake. I even broke down and took it to a guy who knew more than I did and he couldn't fix it. I'd just rebuild the master and test it out. If you still have the problem replace the line. Do it step by step until it's fixed. I think my problem was the rear line because after I replace that it was fixed. That was the last thing I did. Testing in between fixing/replacing something is the way to go. With so many places for it to suck in air it's hard to pin it down. Buy a vacume brake bleeder around $12 on ebay because that's the only way to insure you got all the air out... Another thing, my friend put in dot4 into his dot 5 master and really screwed everything up. It turned to jelly and he had to replace everything. Make sure that wasn't done to you.

Good luck my friend....

Thank a lot Bill, it sounds like good advice but its going to keep me from riding since I don't wrench it myself it will take a while. Since it is my front brake I cannot just do without it. But it seems no answer is obvious. Thanks again for your time. Tony

 

[Satterfield]

Well guys I had the master body replaced along with rebuild and the brakes still have that spongy feeling they get right before they fail. Now I've got like 5-600 in these brakes (master body cost me 325.00) I'm at a loss. The only thing not done. I guess is a caliper rebuild. There is no sign of seepage or anything blike that.

 

[Rottweiler]

Make sure you are using dot 5