Brakes
Brakes
The brakes on my low miles (5k) '01 VTR work but lack bite and power. I had it serviced in April (inc. new brake fluid) when I bought it at 4.4k, so wondered if it just needed new pads due to previously standing idle for a long time or am I expecting too much? It is showroom standard so maybe s/steel hoses might improve things? anyone else found this and found a suitable improvement?
Left the fold for 10 years, now I'm back and alive again! Why does being on a bike feel soooo good?
-
RedStormV
- Posts: 1372
- Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2007 9:41 pm
- Location: West Yorks (Bronte Country) - Home of the Negro Lesbian Cornet Players
- Contact:
Hi Garth,
Welcome back to biking? or Forum?
More than likely in need of a good bleed. Brake fluid loses it's properties and 'soaks' moisture up over time.
IMO bleed the old fluid out in front & rear replacing with new fluid as you go.
If you're going to put braided lines on, then the whole system will get bled anyway.
One tip from a trade friend of mine (just done my own) push the pads as far apart as you can, ie push pistons all the way back, this will remove all but a drop of old fluid from the caliper reservoirs.
While you bleed the new fluid through, you can jam pads apart with a small piece of wood between pads, 1" X 1/2" X 2" (no exact, depends on pad wear for thickness.)
[Edit]
Nicked from another website...
Most major vehicle manufacturers recommend that drivers should change their brake fluid at least every two years. This is because brake fluid is a hygroscopic fluid - meaning that it absorbs water over time reducing its effectiveness.
If the fluid is not changed before the water content reaches the 3% mark, the water brings down the normal boiling point of the brake fluid and air bubbles are created as a result. Once this happens, the brakes become ineffective and dangerous.
If that wasn't bad enough, a motorist probably won't even be aware that this has taken place because the braking system will appear completely normal until the brake fluid reaches the reduced boiling point - which usually occurs after braking heavily.
What happens next is this: the brakes take on a sponge-like feeling and don't work - so the car fails to stop. If the driver happens to be on a hill or driving along a motorway when this happens, the consequences don't even bear thinking about.
The only way to ensure that this doesn’t end up happening to you is to check that your brake fluid is changed at least every two years – preferably once a year.
[Edit]
HTH
Graeme.
*
Welcome back to biking? or Forum?
More than likely in need of a good bleed. Brake fluid loses it's properties and 'soaks' moisture up over time.
IMO bleed the old fluid out in front & rear replacing with new fluid as you go.
If you're going to put braided lines on, then the whole system will get bled anyway.
One tip from a trade friend of mine (just done my own) push the pads as far apart as you can, ie push pistons all the way back, this will remove all but a drop of old fluid from the caliper reservoirs.
While you bleed the new fluid through, you can jam pads apart with a small piece of wood between pads, 1" X 1/2" X 2" (no exact, depends on pad wear for thickness.)
[Edit]
Nicked from another website...
Most major vehicle manufacturers recommend that drivers should change their brake fluid at least every two years. This is because brake fluid is a hygroscopic fluid - meaning that it absorbs water over time reducing its effectiveness.
If the fluid is not changed before the water content reaches the 3% mark, the water brings down the normal boiling point of the brake fluid and air bubbles are created as a result. Once this happens, the brakes become ineffective and dangerous.
If that wasn't bad enough, a motorist probably won't even be aware that this has taken place because the braking system will appear completely normal until the brake fluid reaches the reduced boiling point - which usually occurs after braking heavily.
What happens next is this: the brakes take on a sponge-like feeling and don't work - so the car fails to stop. If the driver happens to be on a hill or driving along a motorway when this happens, the consequences don't even bear thinking about.
The only way to ensure that this doesn’t end up happening to you is to check that your brake fluid is changed at least every two years – preferably once a year.
[Edit]
HTH
Graeme.
*
