inroads
0
ABS and spongy brakes just go hand in hand.Braided lines didn't fix it for me either.I'm thinking it isn't just a Suzuki thing.
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Spongy front brakes 1250 ABS
- Thread starter bpcs
- Start date
GSXish
0
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2015
- Messages
- 35
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Austin, TX
- First Name
- Jeffrey
- Last Name
- Thomas
So I had the spongy brake lever since the first day I bought the bike a year ago. It was never a problem until the other day when I had to emergency brake and it just was not enough to stop me in time and I had to swerve in the shoulder to miss the truck in front of me. I started to research the problem. Since I am a member here, I thought I would share how I fixed my spongy brake lever.
I have always been able to squeeze my lever all the way down to my grip even when I adjusted the lever all the way out. After I pump it a few times, it will feel harder and I can no longer squeeze it back to the grip. I always thought it was a MC issue. I decided to do some MAJOR bleeding. I bought 2 cans of DOT4 brake fluid and started going at it. I started bleeding at the furthest bleed point from the MC, the front right side caliper. I got a lot of bubbles and they never stopped. I put in an entire bottle of DOT4 and I was now getting clear fluid, but the bubbles did not stop. I had some concerns that the air was coming in thro the threads of the bleeder... So I added teflon tape to the threads, and the bubbles stopped!
As this point I started to recycle my fluid because I only had about 3/4 left of my second DOT4 bottle. I planned on bleeding from the other 4 bleeders, so I took them all out one at a time and cleaned them using brake cleaner and adding teflon tape to the threads. I bled the bleeders one at a time (with no bubbles from the threads) from the closest one to the MC and ending up at the furthest. Then I stayed there and just pulled a **** ton of fluid through the entire system for about 10 bottles refills.
I used a vacuum bleeder and after the teflon tape, I had to use a lot of vacuum to get fluid to move (like -25 PSI). After I closed the bleeder, the lever did not feel any different. I was disappointed so I went to bed. When I woke up the next morning (this morning), the lever was firm and I could not squeeze it to the grip at all! So I took the bike to work and she stops MUCH faster.
I hope this helps anyone else with this issue. I bet that the factory just did not get all the air out when they installed the system.
Things I learned:
1. There is a LOT of hoses with the ABS system and I takes a lot of fluid movement to get all the air bubbles out. Just be patient and move a **** ton of fluid thro.
2. After you get all the old fluid out, recycle it so you are not wasting any fluid.
3. Have a friend be in charge of putting fluid in the reservoir. If you drain it all out, you have to start the process all over again and bleed the bleeders one at a time all over again. Its not fun after the third time, TRUST ME!
4. Teflon tape is your friend, but ONLY apply it to the threads.
5. Use a vacuum pump.... squeezing the lever will take FOREVER!
I have always been able to squeeze my lever all the way down to my grip even when I adjusted the lever all the way out. After I pump it a few times, it will feel harder and I can no longer squeeze it back to the grip. I always thought it was a MC issue. I decided to do some MAJOR bleeding. I bought 2 cans of DOT4 brake fluid and started going at it. I started bleeding at the furthest bleed point from the MC, the front right side caliper. I got a lot of bubbles and they never stopped. I put in an entire bottle of DOT4 and I was now getting clear fluid, but the bubbles did not stop. I had some concerns that the air was coming in thro the threads of the bleeder... So I added teflon tape to the threads, and the bubbles stopped!
As this point I started to recycle my fluid because I only had about 3/4 left of my second DOT4 bottle. I planned on bleeding from the other 4 bleeders, so I took them all out one at a time and cleaned them using brake cleaner and adding teflon tape to the threads. I bled the bleeders one at a time (with no bubbles from the threads) from the closest one to the MC and ending up at the furthest. Then I stayed there and just pulled a **** ton of fluid through the entire system for about 10 bottles refills.
I used a vacuum bleeder and after the teflon tape, I had to use a lot of vacuum to get fluid to move (like -25 PSI). After I closed the bleeder, the lever did not feel any different. I was disappointed so I went to bed. When I woke up the next morning (this morning), the lever was firm and I could not squeeze it to the grip at all! So I took the bike to work and she stops MUCH faster.
I hope this helps anyone else with this issue. I bet that the factory just did not get all the air out when they installed the system.
Things I learned:
1. There is a LOT of hoses with the ABS system and I takes a lot of fluid movement to get all the air bubbles out. Just be patient and move a **** ton of fluid thro.
2. After you get all the old fluid out, recycle it so you are not wasting any fluid.
3. Have a friend be in charge of putting fluid in the reservoir. If you drain it all out, you have to start the process all over again and bleed the bleeders one at a time all over again. Its not fun after the third time, TRUST ME!
4. Teflon tape is your friend, but ONLY apply it to the threads.
5. Use a vacuum pump.... squeezing the lever will take FOREVER!