N41EF Flying Brick Rider
Joined: 23 Mar 2014 Posts: 406 Location: Aiken, SC
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2016 7:55 pm Post subject: Spiegler Stainless Brake Lines for an LT |
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So with the bike apart I installed the stainless brake line last night and bled them today. Spieler makes the lines in a dozen colors and with another dozen colors for the fitting it gives you hundreds of options. I went for the clear lines with natural fitting. There are several vendors on eBay that offer them, I looked up the part number on Spiegler's website, S-BM0106 then looked for a deal with shipping. Check Amazon and eBay, sales pop up from time to time.
Spieler's website says this is a one wrench job, and it did go pretty easy. Several of the lines required "clocking" or twisting the end to get them to line up with the old ones. The rubber lines could be twisted and bent easier than the stainless ones. They include the tools for clocking and instructions to twist only in one direction only, and no more than 180 degrees. They give you two blue blocks and you clamp down on the swedged part of the fitting and insert a round plastic rod in the fitting and twist. Hold the line in place, figure out which end needs to be twisted, then put the blue blocks in a vice and twist it. I went in small increments, 45 degrees at a time until they lined up.
Pay particular attention to the front caliper lines, they have to bow out like originals to make sure they don't contact the tire.
The worst part was the line from the front master cylinder to the hard line. It's under the tank (I had ALL body work off my bike) under the wire loom. Clip the the wraps on the loom to raise and separate it, then remove the allen head cap screw holding the plastic nile holder down. Now you can lift the line a little, it's a 14mm and 1mm to get it disconnected. Put a paper towel under the connection because it will drip. The long hose with female connection goes here. The other female hose goes from the hard line down the the front tee. The Male line is rear master cylinder to the rear ABS. I bought a quart of DOT 4 fluid and have a miti-vac bleeder. Fill the reservoir and bleed from the ABS unit first, then the brake calipers. I did two pulls from each to make sure the air was out.
Results were incredible! Front brake lever is much firmer than before. I was having problems with the front brakes being weak and then slow to release when you let go. Reading here made me think one of the lines was restricted which held pressure when you braked hard. Foot pedal travel is about half of what it was. Again very firm. I inspected the original hoses and didn't see any damage other than some surface cracking from age. No way to inspect the inside but there was some brownish fluid that drained out of the old hoses. aO note I did flush the fluid last spring prior to HM.
I think the hoses were about $230 with shipping. IMHO this is a no brainer, and brings the 1993 braking system up to date. _________________ 2014 R1200RT Water Cooled
2001 R1100S Light
1993 K1100LT. Nissan Ice Blue.(Gone) |
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