Bleedin' brakes

[guitarman]

Just bled the brakes on the 1150 after 3 years and 18000 miles (oops slapped wrist ). Front was no problem but even though I'm sure I've got all the air out of the rear the pedal still appears to be moving over it's full travel (if you see what I mean) and doesn't appear to be having much effect on the braking.

It's almost as if there's a leak somewhere although I can't find any fluid leaking out and the reservoir level isn't moving.

I will say that there has always been a fair amount of travel in the lever and it's never really been that effective anyway.

Any ideas?

Cheers

Dick

 

[Mick Fagan]

I take it from your description that you got air inside the rear lines?

If this is the case then it's highly possible that you may have air in the lines upwards from the rear reservoir, which means if you have ABS, air is possibly in the ABS housing. That is the reason there are bleed nipples on the ABS system under the tank.

Air does rise!

If that is the case then I think the safest course of action is to get it done proffessionaly and tell them what you may have allowed to happen. Using their pressurised system they are able to completely bleed the entire ABS system as well as the normal brake lines.

I think it's better to look, sound and feel like a fool, than be a dead one. Brakes are one aspect of safety that you really don't often get a second chance when they are badly needed.

Mick.

 

[guitarman]

Thanks Mick. I've just done a search and found a whole string of threads relating to this very subject! At least it's comforting to discover that I'm not the first (and probably won't be the last) to have this problem.

It would probably have been better to have read those threads instead of the downloaded manual as I would have decided to leave it to someone who has all the relevant equipment.

What is worrying is that the system must have had loads of air in it anyway as the back brake has always been very bad (they all do that sir) with no feel and excessive lever travel.

So any tips for trying to bleed the ABS system without a vacuum pump or syringe?

Cheers

Dick