Brakes question

Second thing I was doing yesterday apart from fitting shiny new fairings
was changing the front disks and overhauling the calipers.

Everything went smoothly (I think...) but I am definitely glad I did it
since the dust seals were in a bad way. There is definitely a knack to
getting the pistons out of the caliper body. And the Haynes manual is
most definitely a Book of Lies - don't believe it when it tells you to
put the dust seals in _after_ putting the piston back....

But having bled the brakes for the umpteenth time the front brake lever
still seems to have a helluvalotta travel compared to normal. It doesn't
_seem_ to be pumping up, either, so I don't _think_ it's air in the system.

So the question is - WTF is it? AFAICS, it will either be:

1. an air trap in the system - although as I said the lever doesn't seem
to get harder the more you pump (ooer missus)

2. new caliper seals => stuffed master cylinder. After all, the seals
were in pretty poor condition, and there's no guaranteeing that the
master cylinder seals are any better.

3. it's my imagination, and the lever always had that much travel (I
don't think so...)

4. Something I haven't thought of - some kind of master cylinder
adjustment, or other tweak I need to make.

Thoughts and comments appreciated.

Anyway, I am happy that the front brakes are safe enough to ride short
distances, so its off to work with new disks and pads....wish me luck.
It's like having a front brake but less so. :-7


Chris

 

OK, I'll give it a try. But HTF do you bleed the pipes?! Slacken off the
banjo bolt, and mop up the resulting brake fluid?

BTW, brakes are bedding in nicely - I can nearly stop :-}


Chris

 

I was worried you were going to say that....

I'll give it a go, along with a bunch of other tips I've received in
ascending order of messiness.

Cheers.

Chris