Brake fluid service

[Steve Blackdog 687]

Hello all

 

After a year gathering dust, I took the NC700X for a run today and there is a lot of rear brake travel. 
 

So I need to do a brake fluid service. I want to use a decent fluid.  If I recall correctly, it needs to be DOT4. 

I used Pagid when I last did the brakes on the VW Fox, which is good value for money and lasts well. However, I am not looking to save a couple of quid on anything with two wheels, as opposed to 4.   What make do people rate?
 

Cheers

 

steve

 

 

[RoyG 233]

I know nothing, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was all the same stuff with different labels.

[davebike 943]

I would clean and luberacate the caliper first 

I bet you have stiff sliding and sticky dirty pistons

I my view any Dot4 will be fine as it meets the spec required

But I a true tight wadd who buys brake fluid in 5l cans

[Xactly 5,340]

I just use Halfords DOT4.

[steelhorseuk 1,690]

Motorcycle Brake Fluid - FREE UK DELIVERY (sportsbikeshop.co.uk)

 

Brake Fluid DOT4

 

 

[Johnnie Mototrans 2,742]

Yup

Any Dot 4 with a name you recognise.

Scoosh the caliper with brake cleaner.

And grease the sliding pins.

[MatBin 5,080]

6 hours ago, Johnnie Mototrans said:

Yup

Any Dot 4 with a name you recognise.

Scoosh the caliper with brake cleaner.

And grease the sliding pins.

Grease for the pins needs to be proper brake grease rather than any old grease of course. I use a copper based grease, never had any issues but some say don't use copper based stuff. Changed my brake fluid this year, easy enough, plenty of videos on the Tube.

Dont splash it, don't do it when it's raining etc.

[Bostedsprocket 213]

On 25/11/2021 at 17:28, MatBin said:

Grease for the pins needs to be proper brake grease rather than any old grease of course. I use a copper based grease, never had any issues but some say don't use copper based stuff. Changed my brake fluid this year, easy enough, plenty of videos on the Tube.

Dont splash it, don't do it when it's raining etc.

Copper grease is fine lubricating metal on metal brake components as it doesn't melt and spread when hot, but your sliders are metal on rubber and the copper is harsh on the rubber caliper boots causing them to fail ( although this does still take some time) but rubber grease is not expensive so i always use it.

[Grumpy old man 4,670]

22 hours ago, Bostedsprocket said:

Copper grease is fine lubricating metal on metal brake components as it doesn't melt and spread when hot, but your sliders are metal on rubber and the copper is harsh on the rubber caliper boots causing them to fail ( although this does still take some time) but rubber grease is not expensive so i always use it.

Mmm! I'm confused ( not unheard of), the pins are metal on metal, metal pin, metal pad, not the friction materials but the eyes the pin go through. Are you confusing the pins with the pistons?

Ps- Copper grease is not a lubricant, at least I don't think so.

Edited December 2, 2021 by Grumpy old man

[Bostedsprocket 213]

1 minute ago, Grumpy old man said:

Mmm! I'm confused ( not unheard of), the pins are metal on metal, metal pin, metal pad, not the friction materials but the eyes the pin go through. Are you confusing the pins with the pistons?

Well done Grumpy i was halfway through bottle of wine #2 when i posted this, i actually meant the sliders on the calliper carrier not the pins or pistons, the sliders on the calliper carrier ride through rubber boots and as you quite rightly pointed out the pads and pins are indeed metal on metal.  

[Grumpy old man 4,670]

10 minutes ago, Bostedsprocket said:

Well done Grumpy i was halfway through bottle of wine #2 when i posted this, i actually meant the sliders on the calliper carrier not the pins or pistons, the sliders on the calliper carrier ride through rubber boots and as you quite rightly pointed out the pads and pins are indeed metal on metal.  

I forgive you. enjoy that wine, sadly I'm dry for a few days.☹

[Bostedsprocket 213]

1 minute ago, Grumpy old man said:

I forgive you. enjoy that wine, sadly I'm dry for a few days.☹

Dry for few days???...........thats worse than metal on metal lol.

[Honda Bob 124]

Honda has always recommended Silicone Grease for the brake calliper sliding pins, it is what I have always used on Honda's with no problems. The silicone grease keeps the rubber boot lubricated and supple, preventing the ingress of dirt and moisture.

[Steve Case 943]

Just carried out a brake service on mine, cleaned the pistons with brake n clutch cleaner and an old electric toothbrush then bit of copper grease on the back of the pads and red grease on the pins.

 

I still use the red grease cos I've still got a pot full of the stuff.

 

Just need to flush the old fluid out of the rear brake now, but need to find a way to hold the rear reservoir steady while I'm doing it.

[tiger955 8]

Regarding holding brake reservoir, I cable tie it to the frame after unbolting it and moving it in front of the frame, Steve

[Steve Case 943]

Oh tis a complete arse of arses, but I suspect its not uncommon to find inboard rear reservoirs.

 

I actually put a piece of wood in an axle stand to get the height then used a self tapper to screw the reservoir to the wood, meant it was nice and steady and I could leave the cover off between fills.

 

Sucked out the suspiciously original looking fluid from the reservoir then topped up and bled thru then repeated. final top up and put back together.

 

Its easier with the silencer removed, which is also what the brake fluid drops on if you spill any.

[Steve Case 943]

Oh and my two pennies worth, copperslip is not grease its an anti seize compound to stop dissimilar metals bonding.

 

Honda now use a silver silicon paste on the brakes, I still use red brake grease as I have a tub.

 

Matt if you want some, give us a shout.

[MPG100 381]

Slight digression, but does anybody know how much 'slack' there is in the rear brake pipe tubing / mechanism etc as am thinking about removing the two 8mm allen screws that hold the offside hanger plate (on which rear brake piston, rear brake pedal and offside rider and pillion footpegs are attached) so I can ease the alloy plate away from the bike so I can clean / paint the bits behind it? Have already removed the exhaust. Thks!

Edited December 21, 2021 by MPG100

[Steve Case 943]

Not a lot, but the brake reservoir is an 8mm bolt which would give a bit more play.

[MPG100 381]

On an nc750x is the rear brake independent from the front ie not linked by brake pipes?

If so, by removing the two 5mm socket heads clamping the rear caliper brake pipe & abs lead to the top of the swing arm, and removing the 8mm bolt from the rear brake reservoir (using some sort of stubby magic spanner) it looks like the offside alloy hanger plate should move an inch or two from the bike so I can clean away the crap behind it! Presumably the orientation of the rear brake reservoir needs to be kept same all the time to stop air getting into the pipework.

[Steve Case 943]

Its not a linked system like cabs on the 700 if thats what you mean. I'm pretty sure all the brake pipes are flexies.

You really have the urge to clean it!

I'll leave mine till the rear shock gives up then drop the swing arm and give it a lick of enamel.

[MPG100 381]

Hi Steve, yes the urge to clean the bike prperly before shoving it in the garage for winter is strong, it seems sacrilege to me not to try and preserve the objects around us given the rate we are using up our resources. That said the standard of finish on modern bikes seems low and the difficulty of cleaning them is high so I can see yr logic of leaving the tricky stuff alone and just doing a mini restoration every few years!

[davebike 943]

On my 2018 the brake plate came clear easy enough and if you really into it it not difficult the remove the leaver fromthe master cylinder and then unbolt the mastercylinder from the plate so as to free the plater

 

 

[MPG100 381]

Brill thks all, I can now legitimately escape to the garage for a while!

Edited December 22, 2021 by MPG100

[Steve Case 943]

Mine never see's a garage, I do wash it down with water when I get back home from work to wash the salt off but it gets used every day so no time to go any further than that.