Member Contributer Dutchy Posted June 27, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted June 27, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marriedman Posted July 15, 2012 Author Share Posted July 15, 2012 I ended up finding a shop not too far from me that does Trike conversions. I figured if they can handle Goldwings, they can handle VFR's. I got it done for $100, which is almost half what everyone else quoted me. They guy only thought it would take about an hour, but I was there 2.5! He had to go get the service manual because it was difficult for him. That right there let me know that I made the right choice. Maybe down the road once I have saved up to get some tools and a lift I will reconsider doing it myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spud786 Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Since I was feeling pretty confident after doing my recent bouts of maintenance, I decided to read the Service Manual and see how bad changing the clutch and brake fluid would be. Well, after reading 15 pages of just the brake bleeding instructions, I have decided it is too involved for one of my limited skills. How bad would a dealer screw me over? Monetarily that is. Dealers don't "screw you over" , they offer trained, licensed, insured mechanics who know exactly what they are doing, for this they charge the going rate and they know how to do it without wasting time, their work is also warrantied. When you leave the dealer after a brake service you know it's done right, and you don't have to spend weeks on a forum trying to figure out why the brakes still feel spongy or why a caliper won't release. If you want your linked brakes to work perfectly every time you need them then don't trust some local guy looking for food or beer, and don't trust your self if you don't feel confident that you know exactly what you're doing. Trust a trained mechanic who's done it many times and is properly insured to service your brake system. That's one way to do it. Actually factory trained Techs, there may be only one or two per dealer, the rest arent. I've found this throughout industries with dealer Networks, lots of second hand or no training. True most the learning is through actually doing the job, but that base line Training of the product helps alot. I once worked as a factory tech of a Major manufaturer, You werent even allowed to work on something if you werent officially trained on it, with dealer networks they dont care, they'll put you on anything whether you know the product or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Many good points above. I'm in the camp that says it's OK to have a dealer service your bike if you're not up to the job, and can afford to pay someone else to do it for you. That's not to say you shouldn't advance your own mechanical abilities when possible, but sometimes it's better to know one's limitations. Personally, a big factor is time. I just don't have a lot of spare time on my hands to work on my bike, especially since I'm not that good a mechanic in the first place. Even simple things take longer than average when I do them, but I know they're done right. It's not that I don't enjoy working on my VFR, but it's time-consuming and occasionally aggravating. There's a local Big 4 dealer I trust where I've had work performed before. Some pricing is higher than I'd like, but overall it's fair enough. I always get estimates before taking the bike in, that way I know what it's supposed to cost - keeps them honest and I know upfront how much it will set me back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Nsoley1974 Posted July 21, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted July 21, 2012 This is all very interesting as I have started researching on flushing the system. I have pads on the way and believe that I can do those by myself, but being a linke system am almost for sure not going to attempt this myself. My fluid doesn't look that bad, but on the F4i I just sold I had a local mechanic flush the lines and put in new pads and WOW, what a difference. I figured I will do the pads myself or maybe with help, but will find someone that I trust either the dealership or a local bike guy and have them do the flush. My normal guy that did all of the work to my F4i went got married and left the shop, he was pretty awesome and I was sad and surprised he left, but the guy that replaced him did my front tire swap the other night. He said give him 30 min and come back, so I took 35-40 minutes but called him at 30 minutes and it was already done, plus I checked out some of the other things he was working on and he gave me the card from the dealership he left to take over this business. I will definitely talk with him next week to see what and how he feels about flushing the system. I will also mention the vacuum portion to ensure he is familiar with these. Thanks, Nathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Recalcitrance Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Kind of daunting the first time so find someone who will let you watch and explain it to you (if you have time to stick around). Then next time, you do it yourself, which will be a bit time consuming, but after that, it'll be cake. Good luck! (BTW, it's a lot easier than it seems in the manual in case you get brave and decide to do it yourself.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer AnikMankar Posted August 14, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted August 14, 2012 I do have speed bleeders which makes the bleeding a single person job with ease. Recently just installed Braided lines - and had hell of a time to get the fluid in as had to empty the lines completely. finally used a 50cc Syringe to suck out the air from the caliper. installed the original bleed value (as the speedbleeders have a value and it will not work). connected the syringe via a tube and pulled out the lever. Keep in mind not to take out the tube till you close the valve. once completed i installed the sppedbleeders and completed the bleeding process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marriedman Posted August 14, 2012 Author Share Posted August 14, 2012 I am confident enough now with myself that I am going to start saving up for the tools to do it myself. Once again I have discovered that you just can't trust "professionals" to do the job right. They have no personal interest in my bike, so it is just a job to them. When I do it, I'll be taking my time and triple checking my work to ensure that it is doe right and my baby is a safe ride. Where did you get your stainless steel lines from? Spiegler is local to me, so I was thinking about going with them. But at $450+ I wouldn't be above price shopping! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer FJ12Ryder Posted August 14, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted August 14, 2012 I just finished installing Galfer braided lines on my '99 and it really was nowhere near as bad as I had feared. I bought the lines 3 years ago but kept putting it off because of the complexity of the linked brakes. The good news is that the front brakes bleed just like a normal set of brakes: 1 bleed point on each caliper. The clutch is really easy and takes about 2 minutes. The rear is the complicated one as you also have to bleed the front brakes at the other bleed point on the caliper, but if you follow the service manual it goes pretty easily. I bought a quart of DOT 4 brake fluid and used about half of it. I initially pulled the brake fluid through empty lines with a MityVac and then used the SpeedBleeders. I love 'em!! The main problem with a MityVac is air leakage around the bleeder threads. That can make it hard to tell if you're still pulling a bit of air through the lines. So you usually need to treat the threads with some thread sealant. The SpeedBleeders come with sealant already applied. I bought mine from WireMyBike as a set. I bought my lines from Exotic Sport Bikes but I think they are out of business. The most critical thing to remember, IMO, is that brake fluid is hell on paint and plastic. I covered what I couldn't remove and all went well. Take your time and you'll get the satisfaction of knowing the job is done right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Rice Posted August 14, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted August 14, 2012 Just like yourself, I was hesitant to touch the linked brakes for a long time. One day, I just printed out appropriate page from the service manual (available here), put it in front of me and went through the steps just as it is described. I did not need any gizmos, like pumps, speed bleeders or anything else. The only thing you really need is some new brake fluid. Took me about an hour with a beer break or two and my brakes have new fluid and are rock solid. Clutch too. Total cost: $5. Knowing that I did it myself and did it right - Well, you know... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PACIFICMAN Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 I agree with Rice. I have approached many of the job on my '02 with trepidation, but, once I read the manual a few times and proceed slowly, they have gone well and easily. I had my brakes and clutch flushed and bled the first time, ever as it turns out, 2 years ago. Cost $70-ish at my local Honda dealer. I will do them myself next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richieg Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 I would suggest bleeding the clutch and then the front brakes. These are pretty Easy and depending upon how you get on then attempt the linked system after reading the service manual Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marriedman Posted August 16, 2012 Author Share Posted August 16, 2012 Well, I picked up my bike today from the place that double checked their work. Turns out that the rear reservoir was over filled and the fluid was crystal clear. It never occured to me that it would not be the same color that the front master cylinder was. When I saked why the front clutch and brake fluid was browning so soon he said that it was most likely dirty lines or crud from the lines. But he did reassure me that it was a fresh bottle of fluid. All in all, my thinking that I am not smart enough or experienced enough to do this cost me an extra $30. I will just chalk this up to a life lesson. Next year when I do this again, I will do it myself so that it is done the way that I want it. All in all, it could have cost me $200 if I went through the dealer, but it only ended up costing me $130. So I think I still came out ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer digitallyhip Posted August 16, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted August 16, 2012 I have a speedbleeder install question for the group: I get the importance of not introducing air to the braking and clutch systems, but how do I install SBs without doing just that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer FJ12Ryder Posted August 16, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted August 16, 2012 I have a speedbleeder install question for the group: I get the importance of not introducing air to the braking and clutch systems, but how do I install SBs without doing just that? If you work fairly quickly the amount of air will be inconsequential. The first squeeze of the lever will get rid of it all. Most of the bleeders are at the high end of the caliper so it really isn't much of a problem. If you're just changing fluid: install the SpeedBleeders and then loosen about 1/8-1/4 turn, remove all the fluid from the master cylinder reservoir but don't pump the lever/pedal, hook your hose to the SpeedBleeders, clean out any old fluid/gunk from the reservoir, refill with new fluid, now pump the lever/pedal until clean fluid comes out the bleeder. Be sure not to let the level fall too low lest you suck down some air, that will really ruin the job. It's not really too bad. With the linked brakes there are 7 bleed points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reaper7767 Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 for me i go to a local non-stealership cycle shop, cost was $80 with parts and labor to do all the brake lines and clutch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer expvet Posted August 17, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted August 17, 2012 For me the plus of doing it yourself is not so much how cheap it is but the fact that I am 100% sure the job was done right with new quality parts and proper torqueing. Unless you watch whoever is doing the job you have to take their word for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer mello dude Posted August 17, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted August 17, 2012 When I saked why the front clutch and brake fluid was browning so soon he said that it was most likely dirty lines or crud from the lines. -If the guy left crud in the brake lines - he did a half-assed job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEBSPEED Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 -If the guy left crud in the brake lines - he did a half-assed job. Also evidenced by the overfilled reservoir! And to top it off, it sounds like they charged you another $30 to tell you it was ok that they messed up?? WTH!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskan Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 I like doing for myself. However, I am a busy person - I work long hours and have a lot of non-motorcycling responsibilities. This is a question of competing needs of economics and competence and other demands. For me, it works out that I take my bike to a shop (not necessarily a dealer) to pay for service. YMMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marriedman Posted August 17, 2012 Author Share Posted August 17, 2012 -If the guy left crud in the brake lines - he did a half-assed job. Also evidenced by the overfilled reservoir! And to top it off, it sounds like they charged you another $30 to tell you it was ok that they messed up?? WTH!?! I agree with both of you guys. Seb & mello - this has definitely inspired me to attempt these types of maintenance jobs myself first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer digitallyhip Posted August 17, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted August 17, 2012 I have a speedbleeder install question for the group: I get the importance of not introducing air to the braking and clutch systems, but how do I install SBs without doing just that? If you work fairly quickly the amount of air will be inconsequential. The first squeeze of the lever will get rid of it all. Most of the bleeders are at the high end of the caliper so it really isn't much of a problem. If you're just changing fluid: install the SpeedBleeders and then loosen about 1/8-1/4 turn, remove all the fluid from the master cylinder reservoir but don't pump the lever/pedal, hook your hose to the SpeedBleeders, clean out any old fluid/gunk from the reservoir, refill with new fluid, now pump the lever/pedal until clean fluid comes out the bleeder. Be sure not to let the level fall too low lest you suck down some air, that will really ruin the job. It's not really too bad. With the linked brakes there are 7 bleed points. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer FJ12Ryder Posted August 17, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted August 17, 2012 When I saked why the front clutch and brake fluid was browning so soon he said that it was most likely dirty lines or crud from the lines. -If the guy left crud in the brake lines - he did a half-assed job. I'd have to agree with that. No reason for the fluid to be anything but clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer FJ12Ryder Posted August 17, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted August 17, 2012 I have a speedbleeder install question for the group: I get the importance of not introducing air to the braking and clutch systems, but how do I install SBs without doing just that? If you work fairly quickly the amount of air will be inconsequential. The first squeeze of the lever will get rid of it all. Most of the bleeders are at the high end of the caliper so it really isn't much of a problem. If you're just changing fluid: install the SpeedBleeders and then loosen about 1/8-1/4 turn, remove all the fluid from the master cylinder reservoir but don't pump the lever/pedal, hook your hose to the SpeedBleeders, clean out any old fluid/gunk from the reservoir, refill with new fluid, now pump the lever/pedal until clean fluid comes out the bleeder. Be sure not to let the level fall too low lest you suck down some air, that will really ruin the job. It's not really too bad. With the linked brakes there are 7 bleed points. Thank you! No problem. Also, don't forget to tighten the SpeedBleeders when you're finished. Yeah, I know that's obvious, but thought I should mention it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer mello dude Posted August 18, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted August 18, 2012 -If the guy left crud in the brake lines - he did a half-assed job. Also evidenced by the overfilled reservoir! And to top it off, it sounds like they charged you another $30 to tell you it was ok that they messed up?? WTH!?! I agree with both of you guys. Seb & mello - this has definitely inspired me to attempt these types of maintenance jobs myself first. I would be happy to give a hand if you give me a few days notice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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