Well I finished my brake mod today, but I still have a spongy lever. I have bleed it several times and still not great. I seem to remember someone saying that one should loosen the Master bango bolt and slowly squeez the lever and hold down and retighten and repeat. Is that correct?

Other than that what a cool and awesome mod! Calipers look great and master will look great once I get a new lever (the one that came with it is Red). I will put up some pics as soon as I can.

 

Yes that is correct, you can also let it,(calipers), gravity bleed after that if it doesn't work. Just open one bleeder and let gravity do the rest, just keep an eye on the fluid level. Repeat on the other side when done, oh and do the master slowly.

 

what mod did you do? Loosening at the MC can release some air if a bubble is trapped up high in the system. The compression washers at that point have already been compressed but I haven't encountered any leaking after doing this without taking it all apart just to change the washers. Also, try tapping from the calipers on upward to dislodge any small bubbles, and holding the brake lever with a bungee overnite and then rebleed again.

 

Thanks guys,

I did F4i Calipers with a 954(19mm) mastercylinder swap. But I can't seem to resize the pics to fit the 19.5k, if I do it makes them so small you can't see real well.

 

well I let the brake system sit for a few hours with the lever zipped tied and rebled....and no bubbles. I went and tapped on the calipers and lines and flicked the lever a million times and no bubbles. I think I am going to let it sit with the bars to the left for a few days and check it out again.

I just would have thought it would have had a firmer feel to the lever. Can't bring it all the way down but still more lever travel than I wanted (of couse I haven't riden it on the road to do a road test do to the ice everywhere).

Anyhow it was fun freezing in my garage doing the whole mod. Now I just have to figure out how to resize the pics so I can post them.

 

I believe the 954 MC has a 17 mm diameter (or is that 16) and 19 (as did the 929 and RC51). I hope that you can get rid of the air bubbles and enjoy improved braking. Good luck

 

When I got it from ebay it said it came off a 2003 954. I looked at the stamp mark on the M/C and it has 11/16 on it...I thought that was a 19mm. Is that right?

 

So do you have s/s braided lines, or what?

 

No...don't have those yet. Wish I did. Next time I run across a good deal on Galfers or Goodridge. Not sure which is better.

 

Well, I tell ya this.. I pretty much wish I spent the $160 on the kit for F/R and clutch lines.. #300044811352. You get your color choice also, if you have a preference. And free shipping! They're Galfer, and they're what I've got now; which cost me $92 w/ shipping.

And then there's also this I happened to just come across.. #180043316722, but the calipers are red, so I guess they wouldn't go with your bike.

 

Are you bleeding into a jar of spent brake fluid? Are you closing the bleed screw while fluid is still coming out? You have to tighten the screw while the lever is being pressed not at the bottom of the stroke. Some mechanics suggest pumping up the lines - like pump, pump, pump, hold and bleed - close. And when it's all said, I still think bleeding hydraulics is a two man job - even on a bike. To follow on Scooberhawks comments I agree completely on the kit. I also like the idea of using colors to add to the look of the bike. Whatever color you choose, gold, black, red enhances the look of the bike IMO - the plain old ss is just that - plain.

 

I bleed brakes on my own and use a one way bleed valve.

I will post pics if no one has seen one.

Open fluid cap, take the membrane out, loose fit cap again,keep any on the fluid so it doesnt go below

Attach the one way valve to the bleed nipple, open bleed nipple 1 quarter of a turn, pump the lever and watch the air come out,no need to close the bleed nipple as the one way valve stops air getting back up the line.

If there is a slight leak at the bleed nipple put some ptf tape on the thread of the bleed nipple and screw back into the caliper.(it would be wise to do this first as a precaution at the beginning)

When no more air comes out after pumping the lever (no need to hold the lever in either) tighten the bleed nipple,swap to the other caliper,repeat the process.

 

Thanks guys,
I have been doing just that....using a clear bottle of spent fluid and pumping and closing before the lever bottoms. It would be easier with one other to help I think, but not impossible.

Anyhow I am going to go and check it out this morning and bleed some fluid out and then push my caliper pistons back in and rebleed again to see if that helps.

Thanks again for all the help.

B

 

I put 6 pistons on my bike. pr 19. Oil dot5 You can see the pistures in the gallery.

 

here's some pics.

 

I think I finally got this to work.

 

here's a pad comparison

 

By the way the pads are EBC HH. Got a great deal on ebay for $40 (both sets) shipped to my door. Between ebay and this site....I have got it all!

 

[QUOTE=Alan;39459]I bleed brakes on my own and use a one way bleed valve.

I will post pics if no one has seen one.

Alan, could you also post up a link to the place where you got yours? Sounds like a good device to make bleeding easy for one person! Thanks

 

That would be great...One way bleeders sounds like the way to go. I am going to go and bleed the calipers again and then recess the caliper pistons to see if any bubbles come up to the M/C.

 

[QUOTE=nuhawk;39473]My son got it from where he works at an ATV quad centre but i do know a bike shop that sells them for about 10 pounds thats about $18 i think.I'll ask my lad how much they are at work.

I will take a pic tomorrow and post a link.

Basicaly all it is is a length of tube about 8 inch long with a clever little valve in there.So much easier and stress free bleeding, i know i've tore my frigging hair out before now bleeding some brakes.

ps do you have a shop called Hein Gerecke because they do them they have a few stores through out europe not sure about US.

 

[QUOTE=Alan;39476]I don't think there is any kind of shop like that here in Oklahoma, but my family in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida own a BMW motorcycle dealership....my cousin might be able to find something along those lines of speed bleeders. Thanks for the info anyway.

 

Thanks, Guys! I have seen the valves being sold in kits with a whole bunch of other stuff that has absolutely nothing to do with motorcycles for anything like $50 to $250. I have not found just the little valves themselves. Rigging up the tubing and keeping an eye on the master is all "got to" anyway so that's no big. The valve is the key to the whole puzzle. Ha! It's snowing here! Good day to work on that stupid motorcycle jack!

 

These one way valves are commonly called "speed bleeders" here in the US.

I've had 'em before and they work as advertised but at around $10 a pop and the way I go through bikes, I don't typically use them. Bulk purchase would be the way to go for me! LOL.

 

I think I am going to get some for the hawk, but first I am going to do the auto bleed way (overnight) and see if it improves.

I got nothing better to do since there about 1.5 inches of ice out here in Oklahoma. So I will surf the web for parts that I can't buy.

 

Here is the company that sell the valves.In the uk they sell accessories but this US site there is no listings for them but i think you could order through the company which is selling Hein Gericke products.

I think there called Fairchild Sports anyway have a look if you click on contact it gives you an address in the US

http://www.fairchildsports.com/

 

cool thanks,

B

 

speedbleeder.com

lots of info. I've heard mixed reviews from a couple of people who've used them. If you are going to back out your current bleed nipples to swap them, be sure to raise the calipers to minimize the mess with brakefluid gravity flowing out.

I'm not sure how the F4 calipers and the 954 MC match up, relative to their stock applications. The total surface area of the calipers would ideally be about the same as that for the 954 brakes (which I would sort of doubt, but I don't know). Otherwise you can alter both the pressure (feel) and lever travel from original design. I don't know, perhaps this pairing has done often and works great, but unless they are consistent with the original pairing, you aren't going to get 954 feel or F4 feel.

bill

 

From what I understand is the Shawk uses a 14mm Master and the calipers pistons are 30mm upper 27mm lower. My plan was to use the 954 master (19mm) and the F4i calipers (which have larger pistons than the Shawk but smaller than 954 calipers) to have less lever travel and improved surface area on the pads (F4i has larger pads than Shawk). I can already tell the amount of lever needed to contact the rotor is less, but I think I still have air in the lines. I have read that others have used a total 929 or F4i or 954 or RC51 system and are pleased with the results. I am sure once the air bubbles are gone I will be very pleased.

 

Has anyone done the mod with the F4i MC?? Would that be an improvement over the OEM system that is on the hawk?