Brake Servicing

[GuzziPaul]

This thread has stall a bit because i had a little problem. Bleeding the fron right brake ( front left is on the foot pedal) I couldn't get a decent pressure/hardness, so left it overnight with the brake lever tied back to the bar to let any trapped air up the brake line. Went to chack the following day and I had a leak.
After close investigation it appears to have been coming from the banjo bolt area. The replacement copper washers from my spares were too narrow/thin and not sealing correctly. I tried re anealing the old ones but replacement ones are cheap and it is the brakes after all, don't want to be skimping so ordered some new ones specifically sold as brake banjo washers. Got 10 in total so that will do a few changes.

copper small.jpg (45.18 KiB) Viewed 698 times

original on top, spare in the middle and new on the bottom.

They took over a week to come so have only just fitted them. As you can see below the copper is visible top and bottom of the banjo, which it wasn't before. Both are M10 but the spare was 14mm OD whereas the correct washer is 15mm OD.
I've put a small peice of wood between the pads which will keep the piston back and allow me to bleed the brakes and check for leaks without the wheel being in.

I'll may bleed them tonight or over the weekend depending on the weather and other jobs. Its not as if I'm going anywhere.

[GuzziPaul]

Thought I add a bit to this thread. Went out on the Tuono on Monday and was unipressed with the brakes especially the rear. Took the brake pedel off and gave it a clean, greased up the pivot and adjust the piston rod. Took the rear caliper off andtied it up to the rear put ped to get it above the master cylinder. Managed to get a bit of air out it, did the fronts as well but didn't get any noticeable air out. A quick test ride and everything was much improved.
It was a lot easier doing the Tuono than the linked brakes on the Guzzi, so I thought I would treat myself to a vacuum brake bleeder. This came Friday and I popped out to the garage a quickly bled both the rear and front (linked) brakes on the Le Mans. Took no time at all, the biggest problem was getting a decent seal around the nipple, even with two cable ties around the tube I was still pullinf air in. Pulled about two master cylinders full of fluid through the linked system. Not had chance to test them yet though.

[iansoady]

I have one of those vacuum bleeders and found it useful for the linked brakes on my V50.