Time to change brake fluid

[Guest]

Cleaning up the brakes on my new to me 80 and 81 GS850. Just had a thought. If your brake fluid looks like Starbucks coffee, it's time to flush it out.....LOL

[Nessism]

If the fluid is brown you should be tearing down the caliper and master to clean out all the coagulated chunkies. Replace the brake line(s) at the same time since they have scale on the inside, plus Suzuki calls for replacing the lines every few years anyway.

[Wingsconsin]

..You mean THIS is bad ...?

[IMG][/IMG]

[Rob S.]

...plus Suzuki calls for replacing the lines every few years anyway.

Every two years (on my bike). I assume (hope) those of us who've switched to braided can go a few more.

[jdvorchak]

Yeah it was pretty dark colored.

As for tearing it down, I was doing that when the thought occurred to me. I find that soaking the MC and calipers in vinegar cleans them up nicely although the calipers were not dirty and very little debris was found in the entire system. One thing I've learned is that there is no such thing as too clean when it comes to brakes or carbs. The rear MC on the 850L was locked up solid. I took it apart as far as I could get it and soaked overnight in vinegar. When I pulled it out of the vinegar this morning it took only a nudge to remove the innards and then a #80 drill bit for the spooge hole (return) and they look like new. I didn't dip them in Berrymans Chem-Dip because they are painted and I didn't want to contaminate the dip. Besides I've used vinegar in the past and it always seems to clean brake internals perfectly.

The Suzuki FSM for the GS says replace lines every 2 years.

[tkent02]

Every two years (on my bike). I assume (hope) those of us who've switched to braided can go a few more.

They shouldn't have any rubber inside to deteriorate, I think they are good for a long time.

[Nessism]

I'm not sure what's more ridiculous, changing the lines every two years, or not changing the lines on a bike full of dark and nasty fluid.

Just for kicks I split open an OEM brake line one time and it had a brown scale on the inside. One one of my first GS restores I left the old lines but flushed the fluid, only to find the line getting dirty right away.

[tkent02]

I have had old rubber lines get so bad they acted as one way check valves, the brakes could come on but could not release. Have also had brakes come on and lock a wheel without ever touching the brake due to rust particles blocking the return port.

Brakes coming on unannounced and locking wheels out of the blue are not happy things on motorcycles.

It's all easy to prevent, you just have to get in there and do it.

[mrbill5491]

That is part of my pre-spring ride maintenance ritual, brake fluid get flushed.

[Datsa Noydb]

If your brake fluid looks like Starbucks coffee, it's time to flush it out.....LOL

You are close, here is the corrected version:
" If your brake fluid looks like Starbucks coffee, it's WAAAYYYY PAST time to flush it out."

New fluid is clear. As it absorbs moisture, it gets darker.
When it gets to the color of ginger ale, it's time to change it.
If it gets to the color of root beer, it's PAST time to change it.
By the time it looks like Starbucks coffee, it's WAY past time to change it.

[jdvorchak]

My original post was more tongue in cheek than informative. Yeah these were long past due.

[Nessism]

Once the brake fluid turns dark like that your caliper and lines lines look like these...

[GSXR7ED]

Caliper

I had a dirty caliper when my rebuild was done...



It cleaned up well...



Here's a cut of my old brake line:



Ed

[steve murdoch]

Thanks to Ed and Ed for the pics of the open brake lines.
Never seen that before and a great reminder that the entire system has to cleaned.

[jdvorchak]

Like I've said before there is no such thing as too clean when it comes to brakes or carbs. I even wash my hands before putting any of those components back together after cleaning. One more thing that has not been touched on is to use ONLY brake fluid for assembly lube on any brake component that will live in brake fluid. On floating calipers, like on the fronts, I use high temp lithium grease or ant-seize on the sliding pins and anti-seize on the mounting bolts. Oh and a torque wrench.