K11 Owners Group

[kevinaye]

Hello All,

I have had a k1100lt sitting in Scotland since July last year. It was on a tender but didn't get ridden until a month ago. Apparently, both front brake calipers are now seized and the ABS warning lights are, not surprisingly, showing a fault. It has failed a safety inspection due to these problems and also because of a worn front wheel bearing. I am also told I need an ABS ring.

So I guess the first step is to get some used calipers. But the mechanic I am dealing with says after fixing the front end issues if there is a problem with the ABS hydro unit the bike may not be worth fixing. I am not sure if that is just a guess on his part. The bike was running great when I put it away last year. It was suppossed to be ridden by a friend but it never happened.

So does anybody know....

Is there a way of testing the hydro unit, before going ahead with the other repairs?

Is it typical for these calipers to seize?

Will calipers from a 95LT fit a 94LT?

Is removing the ABS a better solution and has anybody done this in the UK?

I am basically being told the bike may be a right off due to having seized front calipers!!!!

Need some help!

Cheers

[Scott_Anderson]

While I can't speak to your UK MOT inspections, from the jist of what I have read here and on other forums with UK riders, if the ABS is totally removed then there should be nothing to fail the inspection in that respect.
Basically if it's there it has to work.

I can't believe that just setting for a year would kill an ABS system, unless you had water in it or something and it froze.

Calipers from a '95 should fit a '94.

Why do they think you need an ABS ring?

There would be some brake line work involved if you do think about removing the ABS.
_________________
Ride safe.



1995 K1100LT 0302044
2017 FLHTK Ultra Limited
Garmin StreetPilot 2820
Garmin Zumo 550
Garmin Zumo XT
"One who does not ask questions is ashamed to learn" Danish proverb
1997 K1100LT 0302488(R.I.P.)
1997 R1100RT ZC62149(sold)

[jarnbak]

You dont need new calipers.You can get new o-rings or a complete
rep kit from BMW.
Regards Palle.

[Ted]

No kidding, rebuilding calipers is easy and the rebuild kits are inexpensive! Basically remove, clean (and clean some more), replace rubber and seals, replace, bleed brakes. Only special tools you will need are some very fine (1000-grit) emery cloth and some compressed air to get the piston(s) out once you've split the caliper (try a local garage - make sure to aim it into a phone book or something, they often come out pretty fast.)

Calipers typically seize from long periods of neglect in changing the brake fluid, so you might take a good look at the front and rear master cylinders, and the brake lines themselves.

I have never heard of a ring needing replacement, sure the problem isn't either the gap between the ring and the sensor being out or the sensor itself?
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Ted
KOG#1

[tmarshall57]

The ABS warning lights will likely flash alternately if the battery is not fully charged - and I mean fully charged. It is easy to assume the ABS has failed when the lights won't clear when all that is required is a battery charge or a new battery. As the bike has stood for a while this would be something to check before more expensive alternative routes.
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K1100RS Special Edition 1997
Arctic Silver/Black

[jarnbak]

""No kidding, rebuilding calipers is easy and the rebuild kits are inexpensive! Basically remove, clean (and clean some more), replace rubber and seals, replace, bleed brakes. Only special tools you will need are some very fine (1000-grit) emery cloth and some compressed air to get the piston(s) out once you've split the caliper (try a local garage - make sure to aim it into a phone book or something, they often come out pretty fast."""

Do not use compressed air.Pump the pistons out before disassemply.hold them back one by one so thay are almost out or use an old grease gun
with oil in.The tread is normaly the same(end of hose) as the banjofitings
and then pump the piston slowly out.If one piston get all the way out
put it ind again,so you are not loosing the pressure.
Regards Palle.

[Mystic Red]

Geez Palle, your taking all the fun out of it!
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Scott Hespelt, '94 K11LT
K11 OG #466

[Ted]

Hey, I was originally going to suggest using M-80's
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Ted
KOG#1

[kevinaye]

Thanks everybody for the advice. It's not so easy dealing with a bike that is on a different continent! After a bit of reasearch, I had found the battery may be the problem too.

I take it that nobody thinks the ABS hydro unit would fail just from the bike sitting around. It didn't make sense to me. I'll need to make sure the bike gets ridden more when I am not around.

Cheers.

[chrisk1100rs]

Hi just seen your problem would suggest that you do not split calipers unless you have to I got my pistons out without spliting and cleaned them. If you do split them then look out for the O ring asyou will need to replace it

Chris K1100rs
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Stelth