With my next paycheck will come my next upgrade to my bike. The bike definitely seems like the brakes need some maintenance such as getting bled. I have been poking around and it seems like upgrading to stainless steel brake lines are a good reasonable price option. I plan change both the front and rear brake lines , also bleeding and changing brake fluid since the PO did not keep proper maintenance or even having an idea when he changed anything last.
I'm currently looking at lines from Spiegler (mostly cause I've seen stickers of theirs and I can customize the colors :icon_biggrin
I think those seem to be the right ones... but anyways, the last of my questions. Is bleeding the brakes and installing the SS lines possible to do at home or should I leave it for trained professionals? I don't want to lose an arm or a leg with paying someone when I can do it at home, or lose the arm and a leg cause I installed incorrectly lol. I personally would like to do it myself so I can do it in the future again. Anything you guys can tell me is a help. thanks
Pretty simple job. I have Spiegler SS on the front, never seen the need to have SS on the rear for street use. The largest hurdle is always bleeding, much much easier to do with somebody helping to squeeze a lever. Otherwise just open the bleed valve on the caliper and pump out the old fluid, detach lines and hook up new ones, fill with fluid and bleed.
If you can find a big syringe, the bleeding process is pretty quick.
You take a small piece of hose that fits on the bleeder and the end of your syringe and push the fluid from the bleeder valve on the caliper upwards to the MC.
Do this twice on each side (making sure not to overfill the resevoir) and then bleed by hand a couple times the old fashioned way.
Seems right. My kit had two front lines. The little plastic block is to help you spin the banjo fittings until they are lined up. Scroll about halfway down my build thread and you can see them installed. http://www.svrider.com/forum/showthread.php?t=108993
I'd install the lines myself, but then take the bike to a shop that has one of those vacuum machines that suck out the old fluid and inject new fluid. Too many bad experiences under my 300zx bleeding brakes, lol. I am paranoid about air pockets in the caliper, etc.
It is a pretty simple swap. Just remember brake fluid will eat paint so be careful with that. Syringes work good from the bottom. Vacum tools work well also and my favorite for one man bleeding is Speed Bleeders. You can do a search here to read about them or just Google it. They work great.
Any time you bleed brakes, first suck all of the old fluid out of the MC with a syringe and fill the MC with new fluid. That way you won't have to pump all of the old fluid out before you add the new fluid. Saves a ton of time.
You should pop for Speedbleeders. They make the brake-fluid bleeding job way easier (and easier to learn!), and they're cheap. I put them on all my bikes now. That way you don't need to buy that MityVac or other stuff.
but I'm curious about the speedbleeders now. The idea sounds great.
if you pay a "mechanic" to bleed your brakes, your wasting money. its too simple.
Or if you want to be super cheap, just use a short piece of hose and a mason jar / drinking glass. Same effect as the one man bleeder, without the magnet.
I have a full set (f & r) of Speigler lines on mine. I ordered them same time I ordered a new set of pads. Figured since I needed the new pads, and was gonna flush out the brakes, I might as well swap the lines too...
+1 for the bovine syringe technique, makes it super easy.
Just make sure you don't get brake fluid on anything you care about (paint, tires, etc...)
I'll put it you this way, my bike is going on 10 years old. The lines were stock and with the abuse they receive from riding over 10 years, you should notice. I noticed the fronts specifically. My front stopping power is consistent with no fade. I was pretty surprised at this change as I was just looking to replace the worn old rubber hoses. Once the brakes are fully bedded I would like to get on it a bit harder to see just how snappy it responds, no doubt this thing could endo pretty easy at this point. I'm barely squeezing the brakes now and it stops like a dream. Of course I have new pads too
When I changed to SS lines on the front I could feel the holes in the disc, and small things on the road more than with the rubber lines. Power didn't really change much as the stock lines are pretty good at resisting flex, but the more solid lines give you more 'feel'. Absolutely.
Anyone have experience with Goodridge brake lines? The site says they are steel braided, does that mean that they are stainless? or are they all stainless?
Should I just stick with a well known brand like Galfer and Speigler?
All of your braided brake lines will be stainless. I do have Goodrich on mine! I have no problems with them. Great feel! Goodrich has been around a long time, they make lines for everything!
I put Speigler SS lines and Carbone Lorraine pads in the front and like the improved bite and the more positive feel. The mechanic told me as long as the standard rubber brake lines are not old and degraded, the pads would make a more noticeable improvement than the SS lines.
+ 1 on no need for SS line in the rear since the stock rubber line is adequate.
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