03 400ex. F/R brakes, new pads, tried bleeding and can still pull brake lever in and push foot lever all the way and barely any brakes. could both my master cylinders be shot? any ideas?

 

When you say tried bleeding what does that mean? Did you get all the air out? If not then the braked will be crap. I have found on shorter line like these it much easier to force fluid from the hub up to the res. as this will get all the air out very quickly.

 

yea i tried bleeding them but wasnt geting any air. havent been the best brakes since i bought it. bout 4 months ago. the front pads were still like new and i just replaced the rear pads but i can slam F/R brakes and it will come nowhere close to locking up like they should. could i still have air in there. also when i remove the lid on the front resivoir and pull the lever, it bubbles inside. you just use compressed air to force it from the calipers?

 

If you use compressed air, you will just be forcing more air into the system.If the standard pump brakes/crack open bleed screw won't work, you can try getting a hand vacuum pump bleeder system (most auto parts stores have them) and that will pull the brake fluid from the res to the caliper, you may need to run a bit through to get all the air out. If you are going to reverse bleed from the caliper to the master, you need to force brake fluid,not air to push the air back up to the master.If you get bubbles when you pump the brakes, you have a big bubble trapped that needs to get out, or you will have no brakes.

 

Yeah I should have been more clear. You will want to force brake fluid up through it.

 

I think I saw something at Walmart that would work for you, it is a measurement syringe for mixing small 2 stroke fuel/oil mixes, you could find a hose for the end, suck up some brake fluid, open the bleeder, and force fluid up to the master. Just have a lot of shop rags ready to keep soaking up the extra fluid, or it will be all over the place.

 

thanks for the replys, ill give it another try tonight after work. hopefully thats the problem cause it sure does bite not having much brakes. my 300 will do a indo, i want the same on my 400.

thanks again
andy

 

Simple trick. remove the calipers, Hand or hold them Above the MC. and bleed them like that. Air wants to travel to the highest point. Make that the caliper a foot or 2 above the MC.
You will have rock hard brakes in a matter of seconds.
Then use some large channel lock pliers to gently squeeze the piston back into the caliper.

Easy cheesy!

 

That sounds good but how when the brake lines are so short? I haven't got a chance to look at it yet due to weather. Im hopeing to tomorrow night. What would be a sign the master cylinder is shot? Just curious. I can get the back to lock up if i MASH it but the front is JUST enough to help slow it down, and the lever will come completly back when sqeezed firmly.
Thanks,
Andy

 

If the master is shot then even with the brakes properly bled the handle will slowly come all the way to the grip. It sounds like you just need to bleed them though. Either way you will need to bleed it to be able to tell for sure.