After realizing my rear brake quit working, I got home and started to look for the problem. 1st checked brake fluid & looked for leaks, tried pumping the pedal, etc. I was feeling the brake line from the foot pedal back; I discovered a very rough gouge where the brake line route snaked between some rear frame members and the exhaust crossover pipe.
BTW: This brake line dropped just a little bit from the line clip holding it and was rubbing on framework till it ruptured. Very easy to have happen. *Check/Secure those brake lines to their path.*
Removing it from the back of the pedal was easy. The brake line route went between the exhaust crossover and up behind that funny black covered thing which I learned was the ABS control box. Finding my way into the top of the ABS control box to undo the next connection was crazy. At first I tried going down from the top under the battery box – that would require removal of the “saddle compartment”. I wanted to find an easier way. So, I went back under the bike:
Remove 2 bolts to take off the ABS control box “cover”(pic). I could tell that all the brake line routed up into the “top” but you can’t see or feel up over the top from down below! NOTE you may be able to leave the cage attached if you have a tool that will work through the removed cover plate on the next step. I had no such tool and had to remove this cage.
Remove 5 bolts holding the mounting cage (pic), around the ABS control box. The only thing holding the ABS box up there now are the 4 brake lines, beware how much you twist around on that ABS box.
Remove 3 bolts to take off the cover plate right below the rear shock canister (pic).
Through there you will see the brake line bolt and “may” be able to get to it with the right tool. I didn’t have anything that would work, so I had to get to that nut from the bottom.
Grab ahold of the free-hanging ABS box and reach up with a 10mm open end to break the line bolt loose. If that works – you are home free! {Mine was so freakin’ tight it stripped the bolt head before cracking loose. I had to yank the ABS box down more (slightly bending all the brake line connections), to use a pair of vice grips to crack loose the brake line bolt}!
Attach your new rear brake line to the ABS box and remount the ABS box cage as well as the cover.
Bleed the rear brake by pumping it with the brake pedal – not vacuuming or sucking it through.
NOTES:
* My brake line was routed in between the framework and the exhaust crossover (pic); there is only about 1 ½” space and the heat from the exhaust crossover melted through the plastic brake line coating and was destroying the stainless-steel mesh tubing. You can see this burn spot in the pics.
*Wanting to keep the routing the same, I tried using some exhaust header wrap on the crossover to prevent the excessive heat on the brake line. Now there was less than an inch between the brake line and the crossover wrapping (pic). I was not confident with this solution. The original routing of my brake line may have been wrong from the factory or it was just poor engineering.
*I re-routed my brake line to go under all the framework. Problem solved. The downside to routing your brake line this way is that the brake line is now more exposed.
BTW: This brake line dropped just a little bit from the line clip holding it and was rubbing on framework till it ruptured. Very easy to have happen. *Check/Secure those brake lines to their path.*
Removing it from the back of the pedal was easy. The brake line route went between the exhaust crossover and up behind that funny black covered thing which I learned was the ABS control box. Finding my way into the top of the ABS control box to undo the next connection was crazy. At first I tried going down from the top under the battery box – that would require removal of the “saddle compartment”. I wanted to find an easier way. So, I went back under the bike:
Remove 2 bolts to take off the ABS control box “cover”(pic). I could tell that all the brake line routed up into the “top” but you can’t see or feel up over the top from down below! NOTE you may be able to leave the cage attached if you have a tool that will work through the removed cover plate on the next step. I had no such tool and had to remove this cage.
Remove 5 bolts holding the mounting cage (pic), around the ABS control box. The only thing holding the ABS box up there now are the 4 brake lines, beware how much you twist around on that ABS box.
Remove 3 bolts to take off the cover plate right below the rear shock canister (pic).
Through there you will see the brake line bolt and “may” be able to get to it with the right tool. I didn’t have anything that would work, so I had to get to that nut from the bottom.
Grab ahold of the free-hanging ABS box and reach up with a 10mm open end to break the line bolt loose. If that works – you are home free! {Mine was so freakin’ tight it stripped the bolt head before cracking loose. I had to yank the ABS box down more (slightly bending all the brake line connections), to use a pair of vice grips to crack loose the brake line bolt}!
Attach your new rear brake line to the ABS box and remount the ABS box cage as well as the cover.
Bleed the rear brake by pumping it with the brake pedal – not vacuuming or sucking it through.
NOTES:
* My brake line was routed in between the framework and the exhaust crossover (pic); there is only about 1 ½” space and the heat from the exhaust crossover melted through the plastic brake line coating and was destroying the stainless-steel mesh tubing. You can see this burn spot in the pics.
*Wanting to keep the routing the same, I tried using some exhaust header wrap on the crossover to prevent the excessive heat on the brake line. Now there was less than an inch between the brake line and the crossover wrapping (pic). I was not confident with this solution. The original routing of my brake line may have been wrong from the factory or it was just poor engineering.
*I re-routed my brake line to go under all the framework. Problem solved. The downside to routing your brake line this way is that the brake line is now more exposed.
