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LA Choppers Brake Lines Leaking

11K views 23 replies 15 participants last post by  sami.ghouri 
#1 ·
I sent the following to LA Choppers lead mechanic:

"I recently purchased the LA Choppers Brake Line Kit Part No. LA-8010KT-13B for my 2010 Street Glide. This kit did not come with installation instructions or diagrams of any kind. After researching the internet for instructions, I installed the lines onto my bike. After installation, the three-way block outlet for the right side brake line was severely leaking brake fluid onto the front fender upon application of brakes. I disassembled, reassembled, and re-bled the brakes. Upon completion, the three-way block outlet for the left side brake line started leaking. I disassembled, reassembled, and re-bled the brakes. At this time there were no leaks. After holding the front brakes with moderate pressure for about 5 minutes, there was still no evidence of leaking. After riding the bike, I noticed a bit of slight seepage from both outlets. It is not severe enough to drip onto the fender, but the wind is blowing the brake fluid across the three-way block and onto the downtubes for my frame. It is worth noting that there is still no leakage upon application of brakes while sitting still or when riding with only the rear brakes. There is only seepage from speed/wind on the highway while using the front brakes."

He simply responded with "You need to teflon tape the fittings."

I replied:

"Here are my concerns with that:

The fluid is also coming from the line inside of the fitting. It is my understanding that the threads do not seal the flare fitting, but merely hold the fittings together for a tight seal. If this is the case, taping the threads will not prevent leaking from inside the flare fitting. Furthermore, I have seen cases of brake fluid eventually eating through Teflon tape. As I use this bike for cross country trips, I would like to have full confidence that I will not get 2,000 miles from home and start leeching brake fluid onto my paint."

He simply responded with "You can exchange it at your point of purchase, but regardless I'd teflon the new lines also."

So other than my discontent with the completely worthless customer support from LA Choppers and their absolute lack of concern about their product leaking corrosive brake fluid all over my paint, what do you guys think of this situation? Replace or tape?
 
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#2 ·
Wow.... teflon tape for brake lines... No way I'd be riding with those. I'd change em. What concerns me is the leaking with a flare fitting, something is not fitted right and their response tells me they have a problem. Or a knuckle head that doesn't know about brake lines.

Have you inspected the flare on the line itself, I know its B.S. you shouldn't have to do but if you can get a flare tool on those lines you might be able to make it right. Just a thought.
 
#3 ·
Sometimes flares have a bur on them or even crack. However......stainless lines have a different angle flare than mild steel flares. Teflon tape isn't going to do anything if the flare is leaking as the fluid will go past the nut. Tape only seals the threads.

A trick to seal some flares it to tighten the flare nut, then loosen, then tighten, and loosen and tighten again. Every time you tighten, you'll note the nut tightening a little more. That's called "seating a flare".



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#7 ·
Dave63, you are a sage master of random motorcycle advice! Needless to say I followed your instructions and fixed the problem. For everyone's enjoyment, I have added the email I sent back to the unhelpful mechanic at LAChoppers.

"Chucky,

After speaking with an experienced mechanic I was able to fix this issue. I learned that a trick to seal some flares is to tighten the flare nut, then loosen, then tighten, and loosen and tighten again. Every time you tighten, you'll note the nut tightening a little more. Apparently it’s called "seating a flare" and it’s a well-known trick among motorcycle mechanics. After doing this about ten times to each flare nut, the leak stopped and the lines are now functioning properly.

I am sending this to you so that you may add this bit of advice to your expansive repertoire of one-lined tips to send out to customers who have corrosive brake fluid leaking from your product onto their motorcycle paint and happen to find themselves in dire need of expansive and helpful tech support.

Have a very nice week!"
 
#10 ·
Glad it worked out !
 
#17 ·
Zombie thread! Same problem, Dave's method did not work

Hi all! First post! Sadly with a problem :(

We bought the same type kit (LA Choppers as well) but for a 2014 sportie with ABS. The problem is identical to the OP's and the box is leaking from an improperly seated flare. Dave's method did not help. I continued to follow the instruction till there was no way to tighten any further but it did not help and the fluid was still squirting.

I would highly appreciate the help as we ordered this kit internationally to Dubai from RevZilla who will take some time to figure out what the next step is. I am more interested in getting this to work rather than get a refund and waste two big rides coming up (peak season here!) due to a stupid bad joint.

Please see the attached pics showing the difference between the stock box (which has a proper flare fitting "receiver stub up" for the lack of a better description), compared to the LA choppers' one which is simply a conical hole.

Would greatly appreciate any help!

Cheers
 

Attachments

#18 ·
Looks like you have the wrong block for your application.

Are you still using the stock brake lines with the new block?

It appears that the block in the first photo has convex fittings, and the second photo has concave fittings.
 
#21 ·
#22 · (Edited)
Hey Wiredog, I will go on the hunt for these today. I am hoping it isn't the wrong type of flare as already stated. It will be an absolute B*** to take out the lower lines from the ABS module under the bike to get them reflared. Plus, while I watched a couple of vids on how to do that and it seems fairly easy and straight forward, do I really want to "first time" flare a brake line? Any experts who could confirm that this is as easy as it looked on the vids? I'm fairly good with tools, but have zero pipe fitting experience.

What I am also thinking is, this could be a case of the box threading being stopped "too early". I will inspect the box once I go back home more closely but I have a feeling the threading inside is not cut deep enough so my right side pipe isn't getting the flare to reach the wall of the box to seat at all. You can probably look closer at the pics and see how the left side one (the bigger 12mm hole) has a marred ring to it due to trying dave's method on both sides at once, while the right side smaller 10mm hole does not have that ring though I used more or less the same torque strength on both sides.

Do you, forum's kind and helpful people, reckon i should go about reflaring the pipes or should I try the copper gasket first? The only reason I am not excited about the gasket bit is that I will basically be counting on its deformation to make sure everything seats properly. I don't want the gasket cracking at some point and have my brother on the highway with no front brakes.

Cheers and thanks for all.

@Kainam: I love your title :laugh
 
#23 ·
Never had a problem with the gaskets splitting. I suppose they could if over tightened but then you would notice that right away not later. I was not a fan of these at first. Never had a problem with AN fittings leaking unless they were either deformed by debris in the mating surfaces or had debris in them. When we first started using these they ended up being foolproof and never had a leak and never saw one split or crack. The brass being much softer than the stainless conforms to the 45 degree mating surface and makes a perfect seal. I guess the only issue might be compatibility of the brass with the media, in our case brake fluid. We used them on oil lines, water lines, coolant lines of multiple types, and some exotic fluids.
 
#24 ·
Cheers man but it turns out that what other gentlemen stated before about the fitting being the wrong one for the application was true. The stock HD uses inverted flares, while the LA Choppers box uses a different receiver (bubble I believe). I am trying to wrap my head around what size and spec converter to order but I have been so lost trying to figure out what size / type i should be ordering as I do not understand imperial fittings (or AN type fittings). Metric person here :(

Anyone can help with at least the Harley stock fitting spec / size?
 
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