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Replacing brake fluid

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  • leachy
    leachy
    4 years ago
    Hi All,
    Ive got a 2016 Low Rider that needs to have the brake fluid changed. Is this something that needs to be done buy a HD, any special tools required to do it.

    Regards
    Leachy
  • paulybronco
    paulybronco
    4 years ago
    Quoting leachy on 19 Mar 2020 02:34 AM

    Hi All,

    Ive got a 2016 Low Rider that needs to have the brake fluid changed. Is this something that needs to be done buy a HD, any special tools required to do it.

    Regards
    Leachy

    Sadly yes. They have a pump that forces the fluid through the ABS block. HD want you to flush the whole system every 24mths.  Went through it fairly recently with my 2012 Street Glide
  • leachy
    leachy
    4 years ago
    Thanks, thought that might be the case. They want a few dollars to do it as well.
  • paulybronco
    paulybronco
    4 years ago
    Quoting leachy on 19 Mar 2020 04:12 AM

    Thanks, thought that might be the case. They want a few dollars to do it as well.

    Cant remember but $70 plus fluid comes to mind...
  • leachy
    leachy
    4 years ago
    Quoting leachy on 19 Mar 2020 04:12 AM

    Thanks, thought that might be the case. They want a few dollars to do it as well.

    Quoting paulybronco on 19 Mar 2020 04:14 AM

    Cant remember but $70 plus fluid comes to mind...

    Thats OK, I got quoted a lot more than that, almost 3 times that price
  • paulybronco
    paulybronco
    4 years ago
    Quoting leachy on 19 Mar 2020 04:12 AM

    Thanks, thought that might be the case. They want a few dollars to do it as well.

    Quoting paulybronco on 19 Mar 2020 04:14 AM

    Cant remember but $70 plus fluid comes to mind...

    Quoting leachy on 19 Mar 2020 04:21 AM

    Thats OK, I got quoted a lot more than that, almost 3 times that price

    Ouch would remember that! I did consider at one point by passing the ABS block as to replace it was north of $700 plus labour. Very luckily for me the flush fixed the issue
  • Ken in Cairns
    Ken in Cairns
    4 years ago
    Last time I had it done cost was about $130 each end.
    I just brought a vacuum brake bleeder to do it myself every 12 months.
    Will not get 100 percent of the fluid, but hopefully 70 percent, then get HD to do it every second time, as the local shop says we need to do it more often due to the high humidity up here.
  • leachy
    leachy
    4 years ago
    Yeah not cheap but want it to work when you need it.
  • paulybronco
    paulybronco
    4 years ago
    Quoting Ken in Cairns on 19 Mar 2020 05:02 AM

    Last time I had it done cost was about $130 each end.

    I just brought a vacuum brake bleeder to do it myself every 12 months.
    Will not get 100 percent of the fluid, but hopefully 70 percent, then get HD to do it every second time, as the local shop says we need to do it more often due to the high humidity up here.

    Same here regarding humidity.
  • Far Canal
    Far Canal
    4 years ago
    Can't you bleed the ABS ones the same as the old non ABS ones?.
  • paulybronco
    paulybronco
    4 years ago
    Quoting Far Canal on 19 Mar 2020 07:51 AM

    Can't you bleed the ABS ones the same as the old non ABS ones?.

    Nope. The valves in the  abs block require high pressure to flush them
  • Far Canal
    Far Canal
    4 years ago
    Quoting Far Canal on 19 Mar 2020 07:51 AM

    Can't you bleed the ABS ones the same as the old non ABS ones?.

    Quoting paulybronco on 19 Mar 2020 07:53 AM

    Nope. The valves in the  abs block require high pressure to flush them

    Oh boy!, that sucks. Another reason to not upgrade.
    Having to get a shop to bleed your brakes!. The pits.
  • paulybronco
    paulybronco
    4 years ago
    Quoting Far Canal on 19 Mar 2020 07:51 AM

    Can't you bleed the ABS ones the same as the old non ABS ones?.

    Quoting paulybronco on 19 Mar 2020 07:53 AM

    Nope. The valves in the  abs block require high pressure to flush them

    Quoting Far Canal on 19 Mar 2020 08:00 AM

    Oh boy!, that sucks. Another reason to not upgrade.
    Having to get a shop to bleed your brakes!. The pits.

    Fuckers have you at every step
  • DocGreen
    DocGreen
    4 years ago
    Another option is purchasing a unit to fully flush the ABS yourself - something like this the set up available here http://infotechmercenary.com/news/ isn't badly priced and would pay for itself after a few flushes, if the AUD comes back up anyway :(


    DocGreen
  • berserker
    berserker
    4 years ago
    Quoting Ken in Cairns on 19 Mar 2020 05:02 AM

    Last time I had it done cost was about $130 each end.

    I just brought a vacuum brake bleeder to do it myself every 12 months.
    Will not get 100 percent of the fluid, but hopefully 70 percent, then get HD to do it every second time, as the local shop says we need to do it more often due to the high humidity up here.

    This is exactly what I've done every time I've replaced fluid on my abs equipped dyna. 150k on the odometer and havent had an issue with the abs or braking in general. I was told by a hd mechanic that you can do it with a vacuum pump as long as you dont let the brake fluid drop below the reservoir (keep filling it with fresh fluid) you can do it this way without reprocutions. He gave me an explanation of why and how but i cant remember the technicalities. Either way it seems to work. I certainly cant be fucked taking time off work to take it to the dealer just to bleed the brakes. Especially with the labour rates they charge. 
  • Muzza Wa
    Muzza Wa
    4 years ago
    Quoting DocGreen on 19 Mar 2020 09:01 AM

    Another option is purchasing a unit to fully flush the ABS yourself - something like this the set up available here http://infotechmercenary.com/news/ isn't badly priced and would pay for itself after a few flushes, if the AUD comes back up anyway :(


    DocGreen

    I might be wrong but as far as I can make out, you still need to buy the vacuum unit to replace the brake fluid?
  • Ken in Cairns
    Ken in Cairns
    4 years ago
    Yep that's exactly right berserker.
    Yes Doc, mine was from super cheap, not a crap no name brand, about 70 bucks I think, might have been a tad more or less.
    I had to do the master cylinder last time as it was sticking a little, bike always serviced by HD by previous owner, so that shut em up when they had a go at me for not getting it done every two years, I only had had it for 14 months.
    Did the calipers as well, the kits are bloody expensive, which I wasn't warned about.

    Actually due to do it, picking up the fluid tomorrow.
  • DocGreen
    DocGreen
    4 years ago
    Quoting DocGreen on 19 Mar 2020 09:01 AM

    Another option is purchasing a unit to fully flush the ABS yourself - something like this the set up available here http://infotechmercenary.com/news/ isn't badly priced and would pay for itself after a few flushes, if the AUD comes back up anyway :(


    DocGreen

    Quoting Muzza Wa on 19 Mar 2020 11:13 AM

    I might be wrong but as far as I can make out, you still need to buy the vacuum unit to replace the brake fluid?

    Hey Muzza, he's got a  YouTube clip of himself flushing his system and only uses a glass jar, I've got a cheap Ebay unit you connect to your air compressor to pull the fluid through so not a big deal anyway. Without cycling the HCU with a bleeder open,  you won't get all the fluid out. 
    DocGreen
  • Grease Monkey
    Grease Monkey
    4 years ago
    Quoting DocGreen on 19 Mar 2020 09:01 AM

    Another option is purchasing a unit to fully flush the ABS yourself - something like this the set up available here http://infotechmercenary.com/news/ isn't badly priced and would pay for itself after a few flushes, if the AUD comes back up anyway :(


    DocGreen

    Quoting Muzza Wa on 19 Mar 2020 11:13 AM

    I might be wrong but as far as I can make out, you still need to buy the vacuum unit to replace the brake fluid?

    Quoting DocGreen on 19 Mar 2020 07:57 PM

    Hey Muzza, he's got a  YouTube clip of himself flushing his system and only uses a glass jar, I've got a cheap Ebay unit you connect to your air compressor to pull the fluid through so not a big deal anyway. Without cycling the HCU with a bleeder open,  you won't get all the fluid out. 

    DocGreen

    They are on special at the moment Doc, exchange rate is horrible though
  • Fey
    Fey
    4 years ago
    Get my brakes done every 2 years when it's getting it's service. 2016 Slim 103 The charge both times was a very reasonable $70.00. Once at Harley Heaven Adl and again at Adelaide Bike Works. Never had a bad experience at either.
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