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Post by retrobrian on Mar 15, 2015 11:20:33 GMT -5
So yesterday it was  + degrees in San Diego so I wanted to spend the day on the Scooter. I live inland and decided to work my way to the coast. Avoiding the highways... its 25 miles each way. About half way into the ride, the front hydraulic brake lever got real hard to pull and I lost a lot of the front braking. The lever would only move a couple millimeters. Now it sat all night and is still hard to squeeze. Any ideas? |
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Post by JoeyBee on Mar 15, 2015 11:56:28 GMT -5
How many miles do you have on your scooter? And has a brake service ever been conducted?
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Freshman Rider
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Post by retrobrian on Mar 15, 2015 12:01:33 GMT -5
1100 miles and no srvice. ive had the scoot for a year. it does have what is called Anti lock
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Post by william42 on Mar 15, 2015 12:05:39 GMT -5
What have you tried so far?
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Post by JoeyBee on Mar 15, 2015 12:14:02 GMT -5
Have you checked your brake line to ensure you don't have a qink or twist in the line?
Something is causing the pressure of your brake fluid to build without reaching the front system. That would explain the hard brake handle without transferring to stopping power.
If the line is good, the next step would be to bleed the line of old fluid to try and fix the problem.
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Freshman Rider
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Post by retrobrian on Mar 15, 2015 12:14:55 GMT -5
nothing... looking for ideas what may be causing it... bad fluid?...bad cylinder
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Freshman Rider
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Break in done.
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Joined: Jan 26, 2014 23:57:50 GMT -5
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Post by retrobrian on Mar 15, 2015 12:16:07 GMT -5
Have you checked your brake line to ensure you don't have a qink or twist in the line? Something is causing the pressure of your brake fluid to build without reaching the front system. That would explain the hard brake handle without transferring to stopping power. If the line is good, the next step would be to bleed the line of old fluid to try and fix the problem. i'll check |
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Post by lain on Mar 15, 2015 12:19:14 GMT -5
It sounds like your caliper may be dirty and/or the oil may be bad. I've had the same issue when dirt got into my caliper and into the oil, it changed the way the oil worked, made it so the oil was thicker and would build up pressure in the oil in the brake.
Remove the front brake caliper, take the piston and pads out and remove the antilock canister from the brake. Set the pads aside and clean everything else with brake or tire cleaner. Let it sit in open air for about 20 minutes or so depending on what your cleaner says it may take some time, I use tire cleaner for this and works great and dries fast. Blow through the holes with compressed air, the handheld cans work great, a compressor is even better lol. Once you have made sure it is entirely dry, reassemble the brake caliper back to how it was before you took it apart. Drain the oil from the hose and reservoir box on the handlebar before hooking the hose back up to the caliper. Refill the system with new brake oil and you should be enjoying a front brake that feels great!
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Post by JerryScript on Mar 15, 2015 14:01:35 GMT -5
Start at the beginning, does the caliper itself have free play? Is the plunger the caliper compresses clean and moving freely with the bleeder valve open? If these parts work fine, then it is most likely a problem with the piston.
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Freshman Rider
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Post by retrobrian on Apr 12, 2015 10:46:05 GMT -5
OK finally had some time to work on the brakes. Took the whole thing apart and drained the system. Calipers and pads were good. Looks like there was some dirt in the fluid. And the fluid was discolored. Thinking maybe bad Chinese fluid. This was a little expensive since I went and bought a vacuum bleeder to replace the fluid. $24 at Harbor Freight.
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Post by JoeyBee on Apr 12, 2015 12:02:16 GMT -5
Did changing the fluid fix the problem?
I recently changed the fluid for my front brake. The reservoir screws were complete garbage and striped during my attempted removal after being inserted by a trained weight lifting gorilla for low wages. I had to use a screw extractor and replace both. Afterwards the brakes are very firm. I also blame cheap Chinese brake fluid / "water".
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Freshman Rider
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Break in done.
Posts: 84
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Joined: Jan 26, 2014 23:57:50 GMT -5
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Post by retrobrian on Apr 12, 2015 19:52:03 GMT -5
yes...it is fixed. i think it was the fluid
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Post by JerryScript on Apr 12, 2015 22:29:50 GMT -5
I'm pretty sure the cheap fluid is the reason those screws on the reservoir get stuck. Any water contamination in the fluid can cause it to boil, this would release moisture inside the system, and one way it would escape is via the screw holes, with pressure helping it through. The cheap metal these screws are made of then rust and get stuck.
I've changed the brake fluid on four Chinese scooters during PDI (reverse bleed and fill method), and each one had burnt looking brown fluid. And at least one if not both screws were stuck on each reservoir.
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+ degrees in San Diego so I wanted to spend the day on the Scooter. I live inland and decided to work my way to the coast. Avoiding the highways... its 25 miles each way. About half way into the ride, the front hydraulic brake lever got real hard to pull and I lost a lot of the front braking. The lever would only move a couple millimeters. Now it sat all night and is still hard to squeeze. Any ideas?
