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Greetings all,
A couple of weeks ago I had the front brake reservoir replaced - the translucent plastic of the 37 year-old original had long since completely clouded over, and had even been flaking like plaster on some parts of the outside. Another consequence of the age was that two of the 4 reservoir cap screws broke off during removal, so the mechanics had to drill the old ones out of the base and create ‘taps’ (if I’m using the correct term) to screw them back into after the reservoir was replaced.
There seemed to be a bit of leakage from under the cap on first install, but they thought it was stopped, and they said they didn’t want to put too much more torque on the replaced screw sockets for fear of stripping them.
Now, having had the bike back for a few weeks, I know the reservoir is still leaking … slowly. I can put the handlebars at maximum tilt with the bike on its side stand for 5-6 hours and nothing appears, but after it’s been sitting much more upright on the center stand for a week, there IS fluid on the outside of the reservoir. I don’t have a definite “no” yet, but it’s looking like the aluminum base that the screws go into is among the parts no longer available for this old bike, so in case I can’t get a replacement, I have a couple of questions.
- I’m thinking of trying to remove the cap and seeing if re-seating the diaphragm will help. If I do, are the cap screws supposed to be really tight, or just nicely snugged down? I ask because even though the mechanics were talking about tightening to the point of risking stripping the screws, it seems to me that tightening the cap down that much might pinch the rubber of the diaphragm to the point of opening up the seam.
- Assuming the slow leak continues, do you know of any kind of squeeze/spray-on gasket or sealant I could put around the outside of the seam after the cap’s back on.
- And when you apply the brake, is there ‘back pressure’ against the cap and the diaphragm - that might blow any sealant off anyway (or even eventually cause the new holes for the two screws to fail)?
Being the original owner and having had 37 years of riding it, this bike could fall apart like a clown car tomorrow and I’d have no complaints, but it will be irritating if the thing that finally takes it off the road is a slow fluid leak (but obviously, this is a slow fluid leak that can’t be allowed).
Thanks for any advice.
A couple of weeks ago I had the front brake reservoir replaced - the translucent plastic of the 37 year-old original had long since completely clouded over, and had even been flaking like plaster on some parts of the outside. Another consequence of the age was that two of the 4 reservoir cap screws broke off during removal, so the mechanics had to drill the old ones out of the base and create ‘taps’ (if I’m using the correct term) to screw them back into after the reservoir was replaced.
There seemed to be a bit of leakage from under the cap on first install, but they thought it was stopped, and they said they didn’t want to put too much more torque on the replaced screw sockets for fear of stripping them.
Now, having had the bike back for a few weeks, I know the reservoir is still leaking … slowly. I can put the handlebars at maximum tilt with the bike on its side stand for 5-6 hours and nothing appears, but after it’s been sitting much more upright on the center stand for a week, there IS fluid on the outside of the reservoir. I don’t have a definite “no” yet, but it’s looking like the aluminum base that the screws go into is among the parts no longer available for this old bike, so in case I can’t get a replacement, I have a couple of questions.
- I’m thinking of trying to remove the cap and seeing if re-seating the diaphragm will help. If I do, are the cap screws supposed to be really tight, or just nicely snugged down? I ask because even though the mechanics were talking about tightening to the point of risking stripping the screws, it seems to me that tightening the cap down that much might pinch the rubber of the diaphragm to the point of opening up the seam.
- Assuming the slow leak continues, do you know of any kind of squeeze/spray-on gasket or sealant I could put around the outside of the seam after the cap’s back on.
- And when you apply the brake, is there ‘back pressure’ against the cap and the diaphragm - that might blow any sealant off anyway (or even eventually cause the new holes for the two screws to fail)?
Being the original owner and having had 37 years of riding it, this bike could fall apart like a clown car tomorrow and I’d have no complaints, but it will be irritating if the thing that finally takes it off the road is a slow fluid leak (but obviously, this is a slow fluid leak that can’t be allowed).
Thanks for any advice.
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