Dave,
Thank you for your posting which describes exactly the condition I have with my '03 RK. I had to replace the front brake line assembly because the aftermarket braided SST POS was leaking. I installed an OEM assy and I have never been able to get rid of the mushy feeling. I did my very best to get all the air out. To keep this short could you possibly explain why this procedure helps and will the brakes have to be bled again after?
Again - Thank you,
Dan

 

TRY APPLY FRONT BRAKE AND TIE LEVER BACK TIGHT AND LEAVE OVER NITE--SOMETIMES AIR WILL WORK OUT

 

No bleeding is necessary afterwards, because the system isn't being opened. The brake caliper has 4 pistons each. As they get dirty, they begin to stick until eventually, only one piston per caliper is doing the work....

The one I did last night was terrible. Simply cleaned the pistons (after getting them to move out, as I discribes) and afterwardws, the lever felt the way it should and the brakes were 100% regarding stopping power as well.

A difference was felt after doing one caliper....

 

Dave,
You the man. Just finished. Took longer to get the tools out and put them back than it did to do the actual work. Brakes feel better than they have since I have owned the bike - coming up on a year.
Thanks again,
Dan

 

Excellent....!!

**EDIT: I forgot to mention that the caliper won't clear most fenders, until you remove the cover/shielf under the lower tree that has 2 3/*" bolts and a torx bit, which holds the brake hose junction block, under the lower triple tree.

Once you undo the cover/junction block, the hoses can droop down low enough that the caliper can drop off the rotor, with no need to remove the wheel or the fender, also reducing the chance of paint damage.

 

make sure you cover the fender and anything else before you go sprayin the brake cleaner. Thanks again Dave for the help, the scoot is stoppin on a dime now, well maybe a quarter, it is a RK not a sporty..lol

 

Thanks Dave,
Just like Dan said, it took longer to locate my 11mm socket that it did to clean and replace.

 

Dave,I have the same problem(mushy front brake)w/my 04 ultra.Has been that way since I bought it w/32000 miles on her 3 yrs ago.Could it be same fix?

 

I recommend 2 things on a 2004 bike for mushy brake:

1.) Change fluid and rebleed to clean old fluid out and new fluid in.

2.) Do this piston cleaning service, regardless.

I gaurantee it'll improve your brakes.:thumbsup

 

ok,thanks,the local H-D shop couldn't even give me a "try this" (you sure your not a perfeshunel mekanic?)

 

My guess is, because the problem only existed on models 2000-2005-ish, so anything having it now, would likely be sold/traded already, or being taken to an Indy shop.

One guy told me the dealer recommended new calipers to him. Yes, that surely would have fixed the problem for about $450, but so will a $3 can of brake clean.

Reminder: Use CHLORINATED, Trichlorethyline based Brake-Clean, not the NON-Chlorinated stuff, that's Acetone based.

 

Dave,
Thank you for a great tip. Just bought an 03 Road King and it had the same problem, owner was telling me it needed brakes but I kept looking at the pads saying to myself no way, plenty of meat left. Then I came across this site and saw this post, took me 20 mins tops and wow, brakes again and great. Awesome tip and thanks again.

If anyone has this problem I suggest giving this a shot, works wonders and easy to do.

 

Got an 05 Road King and will give this a try.
Dumb Question - In order to install new brake fluid do you just keep bleeding and adding new fluid? Repair manual does'nt seem to cover changing out the fluid.

 

Yes. You flush the system from the reservoir to the caliper in this method, however, make sure you never allow the master to run too low, or you'll be rebleeding the system all over again.

 

brakes front

I just put new pads on my 05 reading .they make a rubbing noise. When I gift the brakes the noise quits what's up

 

I just replaced the front pads on my 05 roadking they were spongy before I replaced them.now not spongy but they sound like their rubing.could it be the the same problem you were talking about?

 

Yes. If you never opened the bleeder to allow air to go in, then you pushed dirt back in when you pushed the pistons back, to make room for the new pads. This is a perfect example of what happens. Take the pads out and clean the calipers like I discribed.

 

Thanks for the great thread Dave.
I cleaned mine up and their much more solid now.
It did'nt get rid of the pulsating/grabing at low speed.
I'll have to take a closer look at the rotors I guess.

Don

 

Great thread, Dave. Going to give it a try on my '02 Road King. I bought the bike 2mos ago and noticed the same with the front brakes. By the way, took your advice and got a Power comander. Took me 20mins to put it on. What a dif. Runs like new but still pops a little with only 30 mi since install.

 

Doing a '05 RK today , flushing the DOT4 for fresh fluid front and rear . Also swapping the front rotors , left to right and right to left to eliminate squealing . H-D released a Tech Tip about the swap a few years ago and it works in most cases .

 

this worked for me. only 1 piston on each was working. hit it with brake kleen and wala. front brakes.

 

just bought my 05 RKC and its my first Harley, and the front brake was real soft and didnt grab till it alomst hit the grip, so they some how got it really firm way out away from grip but then the brakes were dragging. seemed excessive dragging , didnt want to wear out rotors and pads , so i took it in and they told me they adjusted the pads and i got on it and the lever was not applying pressure till way late again and the brakes are still dragging, my dealer is not exactly close, and i havent had it a month yet. how can they make the lever feel so different? they say all HD bikes brakes drag some all the time. true or not? it the only thing that bugs me about the bike other than its carb-ed and my last bike was fuel injected. i just want good front brakes, is that too much to ask for. i hated my old bike for having horrible front brakes the rears were better at stopping , i even used EBC's on front. but anyway back to the Harley, please someone help!

 

Yer dealership is bullchitting you. Pads aren't adjustable. Front or rear.

Do this procedure. You're brakes will fell new again. Betcha a beer.

To reduce front rotor noise (some drag is normal) reverse the rotors..... There's a Service bulliten from Hd that states by reversing the right to left, left to right rotor placement, it reduces the rotor drag noise experienced on the Touring models.

 

I don't see how the pads can be adjusted. Mine drag all the time. Not something a $20000 bike should do. Did you clean them your self the way described in the 1st post? The dealer wont do it. Just take the calipers off with the pads still on. Pump the front brake until the pads are touching and spray them down with brake clean. worked for me. Do you have a warranty on your bike. I do so the dealer told me having almost no front brakes was normal:loco If there not in warranty they will tell you you need new calipers. If its not in the Harley manual the dealer wont know what to do about it.

 

...the dealer told me having almost no front brakes was normal:loco

A civil Jury would love that statement. What a bunch of assclowns.

I swear....some dealers think people are retarded, with a touch of brain damage and will swallow anything they say as the truth.

"Having almost no front brakes is normal......" PRICELESS.

Yeah.....for a hack that has no clue about anything to do with motorcycles.:bluduh

 

They didn't actually say that. I asked them why the front brakes barely worked and after he test rode it he said they were normal. i didn't think that was right but I was told by some one that the big Harley's didn't stop very well. Probably because that person had drum brakes on the last one he drove. My bike stops real good now.

 

So......I gotta change my sig line again?

 

:cussingthe dealer said they put new pads on my bike, they look pretty thick, but they squeal bad when coming to a stop, said they are breaking in. i know that can be true on some high end brake pads, but stock harley pads? and i think the rotors ( dual front) are vibin' now too. so i see another trip to the dealer. 40-50 min ride to the dealer i bought it from.:cussing

 

CRC makes both, the more common chlorinated in the red can:

05089 -- Brakleen® Brake Parts Cleaner, 19 Wt Oz

And the less common non-Chlorinated in the green can:

05084 -- Brakleen® Brake Parts Cleaner - Non-Chlorinated, 14 Wt Oz

You can find links to the MSDS sheets at the website for each product.

 

Thanks Kainam! I got the big red one....

the stuff that'll kill every man woman and child on the planet if squirted in the air...but will definitely keep my calipers from stickin!

 

Performed Brake caliper cleaning today

Performed the procedure as recomended by Dave63. Worked like a charm just as described . Front brakes are know functioning as intended.

Thanks Dave

"Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose"

 

Hello to everybody! Just registered onto the forum as a new first time owner of an '04 RK. I'm wide-eyed and amazed the depth of knowledge available. The feedback is also invaluable to show that the fixes that are posted really do work! Thanks Dave63 for being right on the money. Can't wait to try this fix for my front brake with excessive travel.

I'm still in the "I can't believe I actually own a Harley" phase.

 

I'm still in the "I can't believe I actually own a Harley" phase.

That never goes away