RS Warrior Forum banner

Rear Brake not working

1 reading
4.9K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  RPDale  
#1 ·
I installed the Phat Performance forward controls - love them - but now I have no rear brake. I bled the brakes, even took it to the dealership and they used a vacuum to bled the brakes, pulled out of the dealership parking lot and still no brakes. I called Phat, and they said that you wont see the same braking performance as the stock brakes, but I'm not getting anything - I can turn the wheel by hand with the brake on! Phat is good about it, they said they would exchange them if I felt that was necessary, but I'm trying to avoid it since I'm in Canada and it's a pain in the but to send stuff over the border.
Anything else I can try before I exchange them?
Rob
 
#2 ·
Well first I'd find a new dealership.
Does it look like all the mechanical parts are doing their proper stuff. When you depress the brake lever does it look like it is drepressing the plunger into the master cylinder all the way? If it's not maybe something isn't assembled correctly. It's seems pretty strang that you would have no brake at all.
 
#3 ·
Probably have gotten air into the cylinder reservoir and need to open the banjo at the reservoir. Basically purging the air pocket from the cylinder itself.

Fill the master cylinder with fluid then break the banjo loose that is closest to the cylinder then pump a few times making sure you don't run out of fluid. Continue to the next banjo connection..... break loose and bleed. Then bleed the caliper itself.

Had this happen on an Intruder that I had once.
 
#4 ·
It seems like all the mechanics are working right, but I will definately try bleeding right at the bangos themselves ... I'm assuming that it wouldn't take much to get air out from those spots. It seems what happens is when I pump the brake, then bleed it, the brake pedal pushes down all the way, after I pump it a few times, it only pushes about half way ... I keep thinking it's an issue of air somewhere in the line ...
 
#5 ·
As I think about it more and drink a beer more of it is coming back to me. Pump the brake like you are going to bleed but open the banjo instead of the bleeder screw. Remember to keep the brake applied until you tighten the banjo back up. Then move to the next banjo fitting, then bleed at the bleeder screw.

If you follow my instructions above you will simple keep adding air into the system.

It's amazing what a Miller Lite will do for the memory.
 
#6 ·
I had the same problem when I got my Legend's. There is a plunger at the rear, lower portion of the resevior(sp)it is not allowing the brake fluid to properly return from the caliper, thus it allows air to be trapped inside your line. You must adjust that plunger. On the outside is the threaded adjusting rod. Not sure what direction you need to move that plunger, but play around with that. Also, a bit of advice.....get yourself a MityVac Bleeding System and do not ride the bike till you get those Legend's properly adjust.......if the plunger does not allow the fliud to return the pressure will build and the brakes will slowly lock up and fail..........it happened to me...........
 
#8 ·
Well, it's fixed! Sure enough, Darkstar, it was that plunger! It needed to be adjusted. I loosened the locknut all the way and used that nut to tighten the plunger into the resevoir further. Once I did that, I started getting braking power. I now have full braking. I'm going to go by the dealership and ask for my $20 back and tell them what the problem was, and I'm going to phone Phat later on and let them know as well. The guy at Phat seemed to be very understanding, but he kept insisting that it needed to be bled. I figured I'll let him know the solution since at least one other person beside me has this problem with the warrior.
Thanks for all the suggestions!

Of course, it was only after I put 1500 kms on the bike this weekend that I read from one of you about the potential of the rear brake locking up! lol ... oh well.