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lately my bike is needing brake line bleeding a lot. help?

Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 3:16 am
by VermilionX
i estimate maybe every 5 months or so.

before that it was needed every month. so my mechanic replaced my brake lines to braided and that lasted for a whole year until i needed bleeding again.

now, it seems like im needing it more often again.

my mechanic said i should replace the... i forgot what it's called but it's the part that the brake lever is connected to.

does that sound right? any ideas why this is happening?

Re: lately my bike is needing brake line bleeding a lot. hel

Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 3:26 am
by MmeMagpie
The master cylinder?

SInce it controls the pressure in your brake lines (allowing you to brake) I think it's kinda important to replace it if it's worn out.

Re: lately my bike is needing brake line bleeding a lot. hel

Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 3:44 am
by VermilionX
MmeMagpie wrote:The master cylinder?

SInce it controls the pressure in your brake lines (allowing you to brake) I think it's kinda important to replace it if it's worn out.
yes, master cylinder.

my bike is an 06 model so i guess that doesn't sound bad to replace it now.

thanks.

Re: lately my bike is needing brake line bleeding a lot. hel

Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 5:03 am
by Wrider
You won't need to replace it, but rebuilding it isn't a bad idea. Same with the front calipers.

Re: lately my bike is needing brake line bleeding a lot. hel

Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 7:19 am
by dr_bar
How the heII do you wear out a Master cylinder???

Re: lately my bike is needing brake line bleeding a lot. hel

Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 7:32 am
by VermilionX
Yeah i dunno how.

He just told me that replacing that should guarantee to fix this problem.

Re: lately my bike is needing brake line bleeding a lot. hel

Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 8:14 am
by fireguzzi
I think your mechanic might should find the actual source of leaking instead of just replacing things and seeing if it works. Thats a waste of your money. It is more cost effective to rebuild the master cylinder then to replace.And it being that your bike is only 6 years old i doubt if it needs replacing. But he needs to check the lines and the caliper as well before jumping to conclusions and spending your money.

Re: lately my bike is needing brake line bleeding a lot. hel

Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 8:23 am
by VermilionX
Alright. Ill have him check out other possibilities.

Re: lately my bike is needing brake line bleeding a lot. hel

Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 10:33 am
by Marvin
DUHHHHH!!!!! I can't believe none of you so called ,,,,experts,,, know this?????
you have to "BACK BLEED"
there's a check valve incorporated inside the master cyl that holds a certain amout of pressure on the brake lines,,,,, the reason being is for quick action of the brakes when you apply the brake lever, so it wouldnt have to wait to build up pressure!

duh! you have to back bleed the brakes, the same way its done at the factory when they assembled your bike when it was new!

ok, ok, you don't want to spend $80 on a back bleeder,,,, I understand, but what works just as good and in my opinion works better is buy a cheap $3 plastic oil can one with the trigger and the metal tube that sticks out, then get a 1 foot piece of vacuum line, or windshield washer hose,,, I don't know 3/16? it streches and clamp one end to the oil can with a hose clamp, then fill up the oil can with brake fluid, and place the other end of the hose to the open bleeder screw of the caliper and just pump the oil can and amazed you'll see the master cyl fill up,, wow!, then close the bleeder screw and instant brakes and no mess of brake fluid on the floor!


what??? a professional motorcycle mechanic didn't know that? ha ha ha ha ha ha really??? ha ha ha ha ha pointing my fingers at him,,, ha ha ha ha ha !

Re: lately my bike is needing brake line bleeding a lot. hel

Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 12:35 pm
by fireguzzi
That procedure has nothing to do with why he is losing pressure a year after getting his brake line replaced.