Fit new Brake and Clutch Lines (all years)

[gsxbarmy]

HOW TO Fit new Brake and Clutch Lines (all years)

NOTE: This thread is also available to download as a PDF file from the Downloads (General) Section

Very easy job so long as you take your time. If you've never done this before, allow yourself a few hours. Go at a steady pace, think about what you are doing and stop to have a tea break half way through.

Take 10 minutes to familiarize yourself with the way in which your current system is fitted. Look at how the bolts and washers are fitted. Look at exactly how cables are routed. If nervous, photograph your system and each joint before you start, that way you can see how it was assembled if you forget half way through.

If you are in a hurry to be somewhere, don't start the job. You need to take your time the first few times you do your brakes, and allow longer than you think the job will take.

It’s important that you read these instructions carefully and feel comfortable with what you are about to do. You don’t necessarily have to be totally mechanically minded to do this â€" although a basic understanding of using spanners etc will most certainly help. The most important thing of all though is that if in any way after reading these instruction you feel uncomfortable don’t do it â€" get someone to help who knows what they are doing â€" this is your braking system you are adjusting, which is one of, if not the most important system on your bike. Your life could depend on it. The instructions are mean to assist those who feel comfortable enough to work on their own machine but may not have done the job before. They are not meant for those who have never touched a spanner before.

Lastly, this might all sound intimidating or difficult. It actually isn't. Anyone with a little experience can do this providing that they are confident and methodical. It's good to do this job yourself if you are able, as you then understand your bike and how it works that little bit more.

Before you Start

What you will need to hand before you start:
1.   Spanners/socket set/torque wrench. I recommend a torque wrench and spanners)
•   needed for all bolts banjo + a little spanner for the bleed nipples
•   check the correct torque for bolts and have it written down and to hand before you start
2.   A small Posidrive screw driver (for undoing the standard screws on the master cylinder)
Note:    The standard screw heads are quite soft and easily damaged. Now would be a good time to consider replacing those screws with allen screws (size M4x12 Countersunk)
3.   A bottle for all old fluids (1 litre plastic type will be adequate)
4.   1 kitchen roll and a few clean rags or cloths (it's messy and you want to cover tank, tyres, etc just in case you spill things)
5.   pack of Latex gloves (optional but highly recommended)
6.   a Brake bleeding tool or kit
•   'little bleeder' kits are alright (it's a little one-way valve on a length of tube)
•   'big bleeder' vacuum kit is the best £60 spent if you service your own brakes!
Note:    I've used both with success but bought a vacuum kit as it's worth it, and I service my own brakes a few times a year
7.   2x 500ml bottles of FRESH AND UNOPENED brake fluid
•   Same fluid used in both brakes and clutch (hence 2 bottles required as you'll probably use around 750ml with filling and bleeding)
•   Either dot 4 or dot 5.1 is ok but DON'T MIX those types together
•   Open brake fluid bottles can go off in a day so please don't keep old DOT 4 and re-use it
•   Do not use the brake fluid immediately after purchase or after shaking it around; let it settle for 24 hours to reduce the chances of air being in the fluid
•   I use dot 5.1 as it's less corrosive, has a higher boiling point and is nicer to work with - personal choice
8.   A can of Brake Cleaner and an old toothbrush
•    "while you're down there" take the opportunity to clean up those calipers!
•   the Muc-Off brake cleaner stuff is blindingly good at removing old brake crap, but any brand will do the job
Caliper:   Spray on, leave for a few seconds, scrub and wipe clean
Disc:    Spray on, wipe with clean rag to avoid any contamination


Approaching this job:

•   Be methodical!
•   Lay your parts out around the bike neatly, offering lines up to the existing ones as you go to ensure you have the correct parts in the correct places.
•   Observe how lines route, and bolts are fitted, as you'll use the same path when fitting the new ones.
•   Do one line at a time, don't take everything off at the same time, then fit everything at the same time - recipe for confusion or forgetting to torque a crucial bolt.
•   Place an old rag over the tank / under the master cylinder. Place a rag over your wheel/tyre under the caliper you're bleeding/servicing.
If it's your first time, this is going to be messy and you will spill fluids. Best you do it on old rags and not your paint - dot 4 will eat it if not clean up. Wear old clothes and put cardboard down around you & the bike as it'll get on the floor. I keep a washing up bowl to hand to place parts in when cleaning calipers, etc.


Changing the Front Brake Lines

Let's begin with the FRONT brake system. You then use the same methods for the clutch or rear brakes. The same rules apply for 2 or 3 line brake kits.
Note:    If using a 2 line kit, note that you will have one long banjo bolt for the master cylinder.

1.   Remove the master cylinder cap (be careful as the screws can be a little tight at times and it’s easy to slip and damage the head)

2.   Remove the plastic cover and rubber seal from the top of the master cylinder â€" take care as these can be covered in brake fluid. Place on some kitchen roll in a safe place where you won’t step on them (if you are working outside, place some kitchen towel over the top of the master cylinder to stop any dirt or other mucky getting in)

3.   Drain all fluids from the front brake system. Drain from one caliper at a time by placing your bleeder kit on the nipple, the other end going into a fluids bottle. With a spanner, gently start loosening the bleed nipple off a little, then pumping the brake lever a little. The old fluid will start to be pumped from the master cylinder, through the hose system and then out the calipers’ bleed nipple. If you use a vacuum kit it, sucks all the fluids out the system via the caliper bleed nipples (quick, brilliant and mess free).

4.   Repeat this method on the other front caliper.

You’ve now got an empty (front) braking system.

5.   Time now to remove the old brake lines. Go around the front brake lines un-doing the banjo bolts â€" start at the bottom first (have some kitchen roll handy in case any residual fluid comes out of the line).
•   If you are replacing the OEM (rubber) lines with new OEM (rubber) lines, keep the banjo bolts, noting which bolt came from where
•   If you are replacing the OEM lines with aftermarket lines (Hel, Goodridge etc), then these usually come with new banjo bolts, so discard the OEM banjo bolts you remove
•   Do not keep any of the washers that come from either side of the banjo bolts. New ones should always be used during re-assembly. Always check that you got the 2 washers off of the caliper, they sit in a recess in the caliper, look like they're part of it and can be easy to miss.
•   If you are replacing the standard 3 line set with an aftermarket 2 line set, then remove the splitter under the bottom yoke (as this will not be used in re-assembly)
•   Keep the brackets that the brake lines pass through on the front mudguard â€" these will be needed during re-assembly

Once the old brake lines have been removed then they can be discarded.
Tip (1):   If you are fitting aftermarket brake lines (Hel, Goodridge etc), before discarding the lines, gently remove the rubber grommets on each line (the ones that fit in the brackets; to do this you will need a Stanley knife with a sharp blade. You’ll find that these were glued on by the factory, and with some careful cutting can be removed. These then can be used during re-assembly to protect the aftermarket lines fitted.
Tip (2):   Once the lines have been removed, it's a good idea to then remove the caliper from the forks, remove the pads and push the pistons back in to get the old fluid out the caliper - you'd be surprised how much is in there. Personally I remove the calipers from the bike, strip them down completely and then give everything a thorough clean and service (makes a big difference in performance). If you're not servicing the calipers, at least take a moment to give them a good spray down and clean with the brake cleaner (and do your discs on both sides too). Wipe with clean rags to remove any residue.

Make sure you don't get anything on the pads, disc or tyres as you'll reduce the performance of that part (that includes your messy fingers!)

6.   Before we start fitting the new brake lines, just take time to check the following:
•   If you have an aftermarket kit with new banjo bolts, just take a minute to check that all the banjo bolts screw freely into the relevant cylinder / caliper (note that if you have bought a clutch line as well, and have opened all packets and mixed up the banjo bolts, the banjo bolt that fits in the clutch slave cylinder is a different thread to all other banjo bolts; so if one banjo bolt will not screw in, check you have not accidently picked up the wrong one!). Be careful not to “heave” on the bolts if they will not screw in easily â€" check why!!!!
•   Check the run of the new lines, and that they will fit properly. If you look at the connectors, you will often find these are angled, and it is easy to connect a line “upside down” or with the connector facing the wrong way
•   Check that you have enough copper washers. Each banjo bolt requires 2 copper washers (one either side of the connection). Where two lines are joined by one bolt (on 2-line kits this would be the master cylinder, on 3 line kits this would be the splitter under the bottom yoke), you will require 3 washers (one in between the two brake lines, and one each on the outside(s). The copper washers are there to prevent your system leaking. Don't ever assume that you'll be ok without, you simply won't - this is a high pressure hydraulic system that your life relies on every time you pull the lever. Without washers, fluids can leak around the bolts.

7.   We are now ready to fit the new brake lines. Work your way down from the master cylinder, threading the hose as you go and fitting the bolts and washers into correct place (finger tighten only at this stage) - Personally I like to get everything fitted and in place first to ensure all parts are present and correct, and the lines thread ok, then I go back across and torque up bolts once I know everything is fitted correctly. If you removed the calipers for cleaning these should now be refitted inclusive of brake pads etc. The only items not to fit yet are the rubber seal, plastic template and master cylinder cover, as we will need to access the master cylinder for pouring in the new fluid!. Once everything is fitted, rotate the handlebars to full lock both ways a few times and check that the hoses do not, snag, pull tight or restrict movement. If they do, then you need to re-route.

8.   One all items are fitted, go around all bolts, including the banjo bolts and torque up accordingly. Banjo bolts should be torqued to 16.5 lb/ft (23 N-m) and Front Brake Caliper mounting bolts to 18 lb/ft (25 N-m).

9.   The system should now be fully fitted, all bolts tight and be ready to fill and bleed. Before starting to bleed the system note the following
•   Don't shake or agitate the bottles of fluid for 20 minutes before. It's thick stuff and you'll end up with lots of air bubbles in the fluid â€" which you don’t want
•   Be careful when filling the master cylinder with fluid. If you look on the inside of the cylinder there is a small line molded into the casting â€" the cylinder should be filled to that line (some people find it useful to purchase a large plastic syringe to fill the master cylinder with fluid. Whilst this helps avoid any spills, do be careful not to totally empty the syringe, as this can cause air bubbles in the fluid)
•   You do not need the master cylinder lid on before bleeding the system
•   At this stage the bleed nipples on the calipers only need to be finger tight.

10.   We can now fill and bleed the system. Start by filling the master cylinder to the line molded within the cylinder. If you are using a brake bleeding line, then continue at step 11. If you are using a vacuum kit, attach that to the nipple of the first caliper and use the vacuum to suck the air out and ‘pull’ the fluid through. Keep a careful eye on the fluid level in the master cylinder to ensure that it does not run out of fluid â€" top up regularly. The caliper is bled when no more air bubbles appear in the vacuum tube. One you have that nip up the bleed nipple with a spanner. Once one caliper is done, perform the same process on the other caliper. Once that caliper is done, repeat the process on the original caliper to ensure that no air remains in the system as a result of both calipers being bled (this last stage is less likely to happen on a 2-line setup). Continue at Step 12.
11.    Attach the brake bleed line to the caliper nipple, placing the other end of the bleed line in an empty container. Making sure the nipple is closed (finger tight), make 3 sharp pulls of the front brake lever to the handlebar, on the third pull, hold the lever against the bar whilst opening the caliper nipple slightly for a second, then close it and repeat the process until fluid appears. Keep doing this until no more air bubbles appear in the bleed line, nip the nipple down using a spanner and then repeat the process on the other caliper. Once that caliper has been bled in the same way, repeat the process on the first caliper just to ensure all air has been expelled from the system. Throughout, keep an eye on the fluid level in the master cylinder to ensure it does not “run dry” and allow air into the system.
12.   Once you have completed bleeding the system, top the master cylinder back up to the molded line within, and then refit the rubber seal, plastic template and cap. When screwing down the cap, make sure you pull both sides down evenly and nip up the screws. No great force is required to tighten the screws fully, else this could distort the rubber seal.
Note when you (eventually) start to ride the bike, if after a while of riding some seepage is observed around the lid, just tweak the screws a ¼ turn. If that does not resolve the seepage, loosen both screws and start the process of fitting the cap again.
13.   THIS STEP IS IMPORTANT. Once the master cylinder lid is refitted and the screws tightened down, pull the brake lever towards the handlebars 2-3 times. If the system is bled properly, then you will feel the level firm up as you pump it. If it doesn’t â€" then the brakes are not bled properly and you should repeat the bleeding process.
14.   If after performing the above, you are still having problems getting the system to bleed, leave the master cylinder cover off (but lay some paper towel over it to stop dirt getting in the system), cable tie the brake lever back against the handlebar and leave overnight. In the morning repeat step 13.


Changing the Rear Brake Line

The procedure for changing the rear brake line is exactly the same process as above, with one difference. Whereas the front calipers only have one bleed nipple, the rear caliper has two. When bleeding the rear caliper, work exactly the same as you would the two front one, bleeding the “outside” nipple (under the rear disc) first, followed by the “inside” nipple (under the rear wheel centre), followed by the “outside” nipple again.

Once you have completed bleeding the rear brake, press on the brake pedal 2-3 times to ensure that pressure is felt when pressing on the lever. If no pressure is felt then the rear brake is not bled properly.

It is also worth ensuring that the pistons in the rear caliper move freely whilst you have the caliper off, particularly more so than the front ones (as the rear caliper is “upside down” compared to the front ones and can therefore trap more dirt, causing the pistons to jam. If you find or think you have a jammed piston, before draining the rear brake system, remove the caliper and gently press the brake pedal to “push” the pistons out a little. If they will not move then spray some brake cleaner around them and work this in with a toothbrush. Once they do move and have pushed out a little, wipe away any crud on the piston with a clean cloth.


Changing the Clutch Line

Again the process is much the same as replacing the brake lines, but with the following differences:
•   The clutch line is held in place against the frame up by the left hand side of the headstock by a small clip, which is easy to break if force is used. The clip itself is round with two prongs on each end which “catch” on the inside of the frame. If you get a small bladed screwdriver and press down on one side of the clip, it is possible to remove it without breaking it. Don’t forget to replace it when you fit the new line!
•   The banjo bolt for the clutch slave cylinder is a different thread to all the other banjo bolts. Before fitting your new line make sure you have located that banjo bolt!
•   Bleeding of the system is exactly the same as for the brakes, except of course, the lever will not go firm â€" however, you should still feel pressure on the lever once the system is bled. If not, then as for the brakes, cable tie the clutch lever to the handlebars overnight and continue bleeding the following morning until pressure is felt.
•   Whilst you have the sprocket cover off, it is often a good idea to remove the clutch slave cylinder completely to clean old chain grease from the clutch pushrod (which is located behind the slave cylinder. To do this, remove the 3 bolts holding the slave cylinder and pull the whole assembly away from the engine. Once the clutch push rod is evident, clean around it using WD40 (or other de-greasers) to remove the old grease,  then carefully re-mount the clutch slave cylinder, insert the 3 bolts and torque up to 7.4lb-ft (10 N-m)

Finishing up
•   Before clearing everything away, just make sure that you don’t have any “spare” bits lying around that shouldn’t be! Do a visual check of everything you have done
•   Double check that all nuts and bolts that need to be done up are done up and torqued correctly.
•   Check that you have pressure on the front and rear brake levers, and feel resistance in the clutch lever.
•   Check that you have not split any fluid on braking surfaces or tyres â€" if you have make sure they are cleaned perfectly, as if not your brakes may not work, or you might think you’ve hit an oil spill when taking that first corner!
•   If all is good, take your bike for a gentle ride down the road when it is quiet to check all is well. Leave plenty of time to brake when braking and apply the brakes gently at first â€" if there is a problem then you are much less likely to have an accident if you take care, ride gently and leave plenty of time to brake. When you are sure all seems OK, take the bike home and check it over one more time â€" all nuts and bolts good? Correct fluid levels?