I am at my wit's end about 750E front brakes

[ZacharyB]

My front brakes drag eventually on most rides. It will start out okay. Then they will tighten up more and more until they start to drag a little. The most frustrating part is that they will eventually release, even as I am riding. Sometimes a good squeeze on the lever will help the brakes to release. I know about the pressure relief orifice in the brake master cylinder reservoir. I have cleaned it multiple times over the past couple of years and each time it was clogged a little.

I have the exact same problem as this gentleman here: http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...ad.php?t=96350

I even have the same model bike.

My question is, how often must this relief orifice be cleaned out? I remember doing it several times over the past two years and I would still get a reoccurring brake dragging problem. All components in the brake system (save for the hoses themselves which I have not checked?) are clean. I cleaned them myself.

I am at my wit's end because this motorcycle needed to be inspected last week. I keep failing the inspection exam and I am getting really frustrated. What makes it really infuriating is that I failed when the same guy passed me with the same problem last year. Man am I mad.

[beby99]

That thread seems to cover it all...not sure what else to add other than if you are using the original brake line it might be a good time to upgrade.

[ZacharyB]

Is there a code on the brake line that will be able to tell me how old it is?

I know they can look good on the outside but be bad on the inside

[bwringer]

The year of manufacture is usually printed on OEM brake hoses. If it's a rubber hose it is probably original.

And if you've already disassembled, cleaned, and rebuilt all other components, the brake line is the only other source of schmutz.

Time to replace with tasty stainless steel...

Another thought that occurs to me is the rubber diaphragm seal between the MC cover and MC reservior. Has this been inspected/replaced? If it's bad, it could be letting in moisture, which leads to corrosion.

[ZacharyB]

1) the date on the hoses is 20.78 (presumably the 20th week of 1978, the original hoses...)

2) the seal between the cover and reservoir is OK; when I bleed the brakes the new fluid holds off on lightly tinting darker for a year.

Thanks! I'll just see if I can get away with buying the piston and cup set before spending $75 on new hoses...

[retchidxs]

can you just get regular rubber hoses made at an equipment hose dealer? mostly this place sells construction equipment hydralic hose. I read sometimes they can match up your lines and save you some money.

[ZacharyB]

That's right, I forgot hydraulic hose could be purchased in bulk. How would the banjo fittings go on the end? It seems like they are crimped on somehow... a special tool?

[beby99]

http://bwringer.com/gs/brakelines.html

[ZacharyB]

It turned out to be that the inside of the front brake master cylinder was kind of corroded. Flakes of old aluminum or whichever metal corroded away would plug up the relief hole. Cleaning out the master cylinder and installing a new piston and cup set solved my problem. A small bonus is that the replacement piston and cup set from Suzuki has been redesigned to be about 1/6" longer than the old one, taking up slack in the brake lever that used to be there.

[txironhead]

http://bwringer.com/gs/brakelines.html

Or, you can just pick up a Dennis Kirk catalog, look for the Russell universal brake lines and fittings section (pg. 643 in the current catalog) and order what you need and might even save money. There's even some cheaper alternatives in the catalog (different brands/options.)

One thing that the article forgot to mention when dealing with braided steel: WEAR LEATHER GLOVES!!! That s**t HURTS!