Brake Line Routing

[keny]

I wounder how moust of you have done when convention the oem rubber brake lines to breined type brake lines?

I se 3 options

1- like standerd, 3 brake lines

2- 2 long brake lines from master cylinder to callipers

3- 2 barake lines, one from master cylinder to one of the callipers, and one jumping from that calliper to the other.

I´m thinking of option 3 as I have one brakeline that firt betwen the callipers and would just have to buy one breke line (keep in mind I´m on a budjet here). Any cos or pro abouth the diffrent line ups? Ideas and experisens welcome.

[Auspanglish]

G'day mate.

I'm not the world's greatest expert, but brakes are a fundamental, potentially life-saving aspect of a bike, and my gut instinct says:

a ) Either you do them all or,

b ) you leave them alone.

The VFR has a linked brakng system, or, in other words, the front and rear brakes are NOT independent as per most bikes. Unless you have quite a lot of mechanical knowledge AND experience, get a professional to advise you and accordingly, perform the task. I purged and replaced the brake fluid in my 98 model VFR, with the help of an experienced individual, (or rather I helped him), and it's certainly got a few tricks to it!! The manual is not all that well worded either...

Just my 0.02 cents' worth

Hold on!! I just noticed yours is a 750cc, so I imagine it doesn't have the linked braking system. Still, my attitude is: ALL OR NOTHING.

Now wait for the experts to comment...

[Guest]

Since you have an older VFR you have a standard braking system. All the standard kits have two lines that connect to the master cylinder with each line connecting to the caliper. The kits come with a longer banjo bolt for the master cylinder and new crush washers. I don't think that they make a kit for your 87, but I'm sure that one of the kits for a 4th gen (94-97) would work. I used the kit for 4th gen on an 85 VF500 and it fit perfectly.

[Beck]

Not sure, but there might be issues if you run braking pressure to the second caliper through the first one. I'm not sure if the volume of the first caliper might affect the pressure going into the second because of the volume added by the first. I always thought that you want to minimize volume, but then, fluids are not compressible like gasses are. so you could still be OK as long as there is no air in the system.

Never mind, cause frankly, like Auspañol, I think you should just go with Option #2 and try not to skimp on such an important component on your bike. Otherwise you are most likely being frugal for the wrong reasons. JMO.

Beck

95 VFR with Galfer SS Brakelines (one line per each caliper up front)

[Guest]

The new gixxers use a single line attached to the master via a single banjo bolt and routed to the closest (left) caliper. A short 'jumper' line runs from the left caliper to the right caliper; attached jointly with the main line to the left caliper with a double banjo bolt (fluid goes through the banjo not the caliper) and attached to the right caliper via a single banjo bolt. Apparently the shortest line length possible which provides both the lightest system and the least expansion (stiffest lever with the best feel). This is the arrangement I use on my 3G and because I was concerned about flow through the double banjo bolt I used a steel bolt for the double (they have larger ports/orifices than the anodized alu ones) but of course the pretty anodized alu ones for the top and the right caliper....

This has the additional benefit of making it easier to route through the headstock area on the bike as it's a single line.

[keny]

I got whit the one line from master and dubbel banjo on left calliper whit a shorter line to right calliper. Anyway its a pain to pleed this system. Still not great in the level and was good before whit stock lines.... Need to bleed more...

[squirrelman]

SMART, very smart going to brained lines.....

[swas]

Keny

I recently put a Goodridge line on my 3rd gen which virtually copied the layout of the original rubber lines, i.e. a T piece above the wheel. It was a right pain to get the air completely out of it so it is probably not just the construction of your kit.

Keep going with the bleeding and tap all the lines and calipers as you go to help shift the bubbles of air. A lot of the air came out of my system by returning to the master cylinder as I pumped the lever, but it all took a lot longer than I thought it would.

I am happy with the final result. Not a huge difference in efficiency of the brakes, but better feedback and more linear application.

[Dutchy]

Hyvää yötä Keny,

This is my set up too

don't ask how I bled it, because I didn't. I drank an expresso while the shop owner did the work.

After he completed the work, he advised me to leave the bike overnight with pressure applied to the lever (a strong elastic band did the trick) to remove the last of the tiny tiny bubbles

[keny]

Cool Dutchy! A bit diffrent than my routing. I try to take some pics lather of my routing. Now where is my espresso and my worker....

[keny]

Here comes pics....