Upgrade levers and braided brake line

B

bongo007

New Member
Is it worth upgrading the levers, specifically the brake lever? (My plastic reservoir is leaking a bit too)

Something like this OK?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/7-8-Universal-Front-Master-Cylinder-Brake-Clutch-Levers-Sport-Street-Bike-Black-/281158381790?pt=AU_Motorcycle_Parts_Accessories&hash=item41765870de

Anyone found a cheap braided brake line that fits?? (flebay etc?)
 
theres a couple of bikes at least running those sort of lever set ups. i changed mine over to a honda cb250 master cylinder with a full alloy reservoir. it is worth it, after i swapped mine out i got more braking power by about 20%
 
I fitted something similar to my bike because the clip-ons were at such an angle the master cylinder didn't work:

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I decided I didn't like the black so I sanded the powder coating off. A terribly time consuming job that I will never repeat!

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The levers have worked out fine, but I wouldn't recommend a no-name brake line. Get a quality product, HEL or similar, for that extra security.

Crazy
 
Hey Bongo,

Got one of those as well. Received last Friday. Front brake lever and base is well made. You can feel it's quite solid. Clutch lever base on the other hand seems weak. Feels like they look for the cheapest clutch base and added an alloy levers. Looks exactly like the Ace clutch lever base but the original even feels stiffer.

And if you look, the clutch lever has a mount for a mirror but the brake lever does not. The actual markings on the bases are different, the brake has an AD mark and the clutch has 2 chinese symbols stamped.
 
stroker crazy said:
I fitted something similar to my bike because the clip-ons were at such an angle the master cylinder didn't work:
Crazy
Click to expand...

Hey Crazy,

I seem to be having massive issues with trying to bleed the brake line. I have the same remote reservoir and caliper as yours + braided line. I have now spent all day trying to bleed it to no avail.

I've tried manually bleeding by pumping the caliper/closing the valve etc.

I've tried using a single man brake bleed kit.

I've tried manual bleeding with a syringe to help pull the air out of the valve.

Is the remote line bad? Seems like the fluid is not coming down from the top....
 
try using the syringe to force the fluid from the bottom up to the top instead of trying to draw it down.
 
[quote author=stroker crazy]
Is the fluid level in the reservoir dropping as you bleed the line?

Crazy
[/quote]

No.

I'm getting air when I squeeze the caliper but the fluid doesn't seem to be coming down.

[quote author=sprocket2cog]


try using the syringe to force the fluid from the bottom up to the top instead of trying to draw it down.[/quote]

I've tried it. It only push it out of the bleed valve. Nothing seemed to have been pushed up.

I'm a bit stump guys... :-\
 
xristianos said:
I'm getting air when I squeeze the caliper but the fluid doesn't seem to be coming down.

It only push it out of the bleed valve. Nothing seemed to have been pushed up.
Click to expand...

It certainly sounds like you have a complete blockage somewhere in the system.

Dismantle the whole thing and check that each item is clear.

Crazy
 
When you have had a completely empty master cylinder or reservoir it is usually easier for the piston to push air and then pull the air back when you let go of the lever. In a few cases what I have had to do is,
Fill the reservoir and remove the banjo bolt and brake line. Now you have to be very careful hear not to get brake fluid all over, use an old towel to protect every thing. Next what you do is, put your finger over the hole where the banjo bolt goes and slowly squeeze the lever letting any air out past your finger, keep your finger tight on the hole when you release lever and repeat until all you get is fluid (top up when necessary). Once you have done that you can put brake line back on to master cylinder (reservoir) This way you are bleeding reservoir first and now you should be able to bleed brake system as normal. This does seem a little excessive but it does work as the little piston will pull air back on it's self.
Tad.
 
Tad said:
When you have had a completely empty master cylinder or reservoir it is usually easier for the piston to push air and then pull the air back when you let go of the lever. In a few cases what I have had to do is,
Fill the reservoir and remove the banjo bolt and brake line. Now you have to be very careful hear not to get brake fluid all over, use an old towel to protect every thing. Next what you do is, put your finger over the hole where the banjo bolt goes and slowly squeeze the lever letting any air out past your finger, keep your finger tight on the hole when you release lever and repeat until all you get is fluid (top up when necessary). Once you have done that you can put brake line back on to master cylinder (reservoir) This way you are bleeding reservoir first and now you should be able to bleed brake system as normal. This does seem a little excessive but it does work as the little piston will pull air back on it's self.
Tad.
Click to expand...

After a considerable amount of time going through the lines to find the issue, I have tracked the problem down to the revolving bung that connects the remote reservoir to the banjo bolt. No fluid is coming thru to the bolt. Squeezing the brake lever does not let fluid come thru.

I have tried using a syringe filled with brake fluid and hose shoved into the revolving bung with fair pressure and a little fluid comes thru but with the remote reservoir, nothing at all when the caliper is pressed.

At one point, I removed the lever and bolt and fluid was dribbling down the banjo bolt hole for a short amount of time. Then it stopped. Could the bolt holding the lever be too tight and squeezing too much or is it the lever pressing against the little piston on the brake lever body? Or is it just that the revolving bung is blocked/hole too small/need to be rebuilt? :-\
 
I have gotten the fluid to flow all the way through to the bleeder valve and have run through 2 'reservoir full' amounts of fluid to clear and fill the lines. I believe I cleared the air out.

I did this by removing the brake lever and compressing the small piston itself

Another issue has cropped up (seems related) and that is, with the fluid flowing through the lines, the piston that pushes against the brake pads have not gone back to place. I have re-attached the brake lever and it's still spongy and no brake effect at all.

:-[ This is really getting frustrating now...
 
Make sure that the piston has returned back out and there is free play in the brake lever, as if not then the lever is holding the brake on slightly. What then is happening is the piston can't come back far enough to get more fluid to push pads on, making brake spongy using the same small amount of fluid even without air.
I have had this problem on cheap Chinese brake systems. If there is no adjustment on lever then you might have to grind lever down where it touch's piston until you have freeplay.
 
After 3 frustrating days of trying to figure out the problem, it is now all done. Multiple small problems compounding into one big problem(no front brakes).

*Seems the banjo bolt that came with the Earls braided line has a small a hole to let more fluid in - rectified by using the longer and 'bigger holed' banjo that came with the brake lever set.

*Brake lever itself was not letting the small piston fully compressed (Thanks for the heads up Tad) to gather more fluid to push down the line - Removed lever and pushed on the piston itself then modified the lever)

*The pistons on the brake caliper was not uncompressing/expanding with fluid pressure (slightly seized) - rebuilt/serviced the caliper and compressed the pistons a little and they freed up

Thank you guys for offering advice and techniques. I now have a better front brakes! :) Thank god that is all over...
 
That's good news Xris, Glad you got it sorted.
There's always the next something to tinker with.
 
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