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Flushing ABS brakes on 2015 FLHTK

10K views 14 replies 13 participants last post by  Louisville Joe 
#1 ·
I'm coming up on 2 years on my bike and will need to flush the brakes soon. I have been reading all posts about the dealer should do this because of using the digital tech used to cycle the ABS module. I spoke to service department of a local Harley dealer recently about it and he said many people just do it themselves and forget about the ABS module and that it doesn't seem to cause any problems because there is very little fluid in the module. He said if I want to do it myself, it would not be a problem. He said it wouldn't be a problem in the future with the warranty either. So, I'm confused. Does anyone do their own flushing on brakes? What is meant by recalibration of the ABS system. Thoughts?
 
#2 · (Edited)
Stop by the new member forum tell us who you are?

Your dealer lied to you.

The abs is not purged to calibrate it, it is purged to get the moisture laden fluid out of it. Which if not done causes failure of the ABS components.

https://motorbikewriter.com/probe-harley-davidson-abs-failure/


If you ride so you set the abs off, you might get away with it, but if you don't when you need it, it may not function.
 
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#3 ·
I don't see the problem with flushing and bleeding the system yourself. Afterwards go out in a safe place and actuate the abs a few times to get new fluid circulated into the unit. I would think it is a small percentage of the total fluid in the system. Kinda like changing the oil. You never get 100% of the oil out either, but 95% fresh is a good thing. It's a good idea to actuate the abs periodically to ensure it is functioning properly and YOU know what to expect when it is actuated. Just my $.02, and it's worth what you paid for it.

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#5 ·
It is frustrating that a once simple task easily DIY is made complex by an upgraded technology. But that is the case here. But I do know that having the dealer do the change was $100 I could have used elsewhere but the brakes felt so much better after it was done. The deterioration in performance over time can be subtle as you adapt as the system wears/changes. I understand the oil change analogy but I do not know how much fluid movement you get in a low volume highly restricted system. I suspect not much.

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#6 ·
It isn't fluid movement that "wears out" the brake fluid. It absorbs water and that water can cause corrosion and if enough gets in, it could cause a frozen water plug in a brake line. The corrosion is the suspected problem with the ABS unit. Certain valves will corrode and be stuck in place. That prevents the pressure from pulling the lever or pressing on the pedal from getting past the ABS unit. The rider feels a rock solid lever or pedal and no brake from that control. To date a few have now reported the malfunction WHILE RIDING. The brakes were good at the last stop, but the lever or pedal is locked for the next stop. I can not remember anyone having both brakes fail at the same time. For anyone this has happened to, be sure to notify NHTSA. My humble opinion is that the ABS unit should be recalled and a redesigned unit should be installed, one that the only malfunction possible is to lose ABS protection but still retain fully operational brakes. I have never heard of this happening in an automotive system, the car manufacturers must know how to design a "fail safe" system, we should have the same feature.
 
#7 ·
This very thing happened to my friend while riding last year. It was his front brakes. $1200 later he will let the dealer change his fluid every two years.......
The cost is a pretty small insurance policy for such an important function IMO
I agree it should fail safe, how did that design get approved?
 
#13 ·
this is the new "dryer vent in the garage" thread or "oil thread" without expaining my spin on it which i have done a bunch, in great detail. let me just say. i have an old toyota camry i use for a work car. it's 19 yrs old and has 230,000 miles on it.we have had since new. the top of master cyl has been off many times to check fluid or add fluid that has been opened and sitting on my shelf for years and has never been changed and you know what, the abs brakes still function beautifully. just sayin. i wear boxers, not panties. i wouldn't let em get in a bunch just moco says i should wear calvin kliens. it aint rocket science it's hydraulics, with some newer technology granted.
 
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