Non existent front brake

My front brake is non existant until it gets a few pumps of the lever.
Once I leave it a while it goes back to being nothing. I have no idea
why. It is a K7 GSX-R 1000. I've given the brakes a bleed and changed
the fluid but it still is the same. Do I have to bleed the master cylinder?

Fraser

 

Should still be under warrenty.Take it back to dealer.
Ron

 

Have you checked for warped front disks, they may be pushing the pistons
back into the caliper.

How are you bleeding the system?

Perhaps a power bleeder would work better.

Boxer

 

In aus.motorcycles on Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:57:47 +0800

Does it go back to nothing after riding, or after sitting?

If after riding check your front wheel bearings. Happened to me,
turned out that the front wheel was moving slightly and pushing the
pads apart.

Zebee

 

Do I have to bleed the master cylinder?
bleed each section of the system one at a time.. or as stated use one
of them power/vaccum bleeders.

 

Get rid of all, and that means every bit of fluid in the system, then refill
it with new fluid and bleed
You could have water in it or the fluid is old

 

George, did you not read the symptoms? Emptying the whole system and
then refilling it is not something I would recommend.

Theo

 

It would work although personally I would be using a power bleeder and
change the fluid that way

 

No warranty. I bought it from an auction.

Fraser

 

I suggest you try gravity bleeding
tube with a loop into a jar with clean fluid below the nipple and
crack it a little keeping the master filled as you see if the fluid runs
through , slow use of the master may be required if it does not drain ..
usually works in cleaning the fluid , now the question is does it go
soft over night if you don't use it ( the brake seriously)

 

Quoth Fraser from the opening post in the thread,

Quoth Fraser again:

$5 says he didn't bleed the master cylinder.

 

George, did you not read the symptoms? Emptying the whole system and
then refilling it is not something I would recommend.

Theo

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Theo, you can bleed the brakes all you like but never get rid of the old or
poor performing fluid entirely, if you don't get rid of it all in the first
place.
What is it going to cost to replace the lot......about $10 at the most ?
Well worth the extra time, money and effort for starting off at scratch.

Probably the next best thing is using what some others have suggested, a
power bleeder
although I have never used one myself, don't know what they look like

 

Quoth Fraser from the opening post in the thread,

Quoth Fraser again:

$5 says he didn't bleed the master cylinder.

- - = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =


Bleed the master cylinder ??
how the **** do you do that, where is the bleed screw for that??

In all the years I have been doing brakes, in cars and bikes, I have never
seen a master cylinder bleed option
The bleeding facility is all in the slave cylinder, wheel cylinder or
caliper, whichever what way you want to call it.

 

I asked the question to establish posts which did not make it here.. k ?
I suspect there are two possibles
the first is needing a proper bleed or the main seal is stuffed ( or a
caliper seal maybe)

 

Settle down G you are letting the truth get in the way of a ...

 

In aus.motorcycles on Thu, 09 Oct 2008 04:36:18 GMT

having mostly elderly overweight underpowered overpriced underbraked
eurotrash (in other words highly desirable classic drum braked Guzzis)
I've never had to bleed complex systems, but I understand that sometimes
to get the last little bit out you have to unbolt bits (caliper or
cylinder) and get it above or below the other bit (cylinder or caliper)
to persuade the air to get the hell out.

Perhaps that's what's meant - focus on persuading air the other way?

Zebee

 

Manufacturers have finally seen the light and started fitting bleed
nipples to master cylinders when they went radial.

Fraser's GSX-R1000K7, unlike the Bol d'Or in your shed, has a radial
front master cylinder.

Prior to that, rather than tie off the brake lever and hang the bike
by the front wheel like a caught marlin on a Whitsundays pier to try
to get the last tiny trapped air bubble to somewhere where it'll
percolate through into the reservoir, I use the ugly shortcut of
cracking the banjos at the master cylinder end with just a little
pressure on the brake lever, then squeezing just a little further and
quickly whacking the banjos tight again. The copper seals can handle
it being done *once*.

 

The bleeding proceedure for some ABS equipped bikes is very complex and best
left to a workshop with "Power Bleeders".

Boxer

 

I'd assume they would not have many haemophilliac mechanics .. ?

 

Have you been looking in my shed again?

Why would anyone want to hang a bike by the front wheel?

I find it easier to dismantle the brake system, taking the caliper off and
draining it that way, same as if you are replacing the pads,
might take a while longer but,
I have to take the calipers off when I take the front wheel off for any
reason, so where is the extra hassle?