Ok, I tried searching, but couldnt quite find an answer.

Here is what is going on: I noticed my bike seemed like it was loosing power, almost like something was dragging it down a bit. So I checked around, and noticed the rear rotor was hot. I figured it was dragging, so I sprayed it down with WD-40 real good, and that seemed to cure it. So now to find the cause.

I noticed that the plunger that activates the rear master cylinder was stuck in. I tried spraying it with WD-40 and pulling on it with vice grips, but it wouldnt budge. So I pulled my rear caliper off, cleaned all the crud out, and pulled the pads out. I pulled the brake lines loose, removed the rear MC, and put in the vice. I soaked it down again, and pulled on the plunger with the pliers. I got it to pull out, and continually worked it back and forth until it was moving freely. I did notice that whan I pulled the plunger out, that air was weeping out of the rubber seal around the plunger. Is this bad?

Anyway, I put the MC back on, didnt connect the brake line, but filled the little resivoir, and tried to pump it. I should be getting fluid out of the unconnected brake line rigth? Well I am not. This leads me to believe that the little MC is bad. I get fluid to come out of the line from the front that connects to the rear caliper, but the little MC wont pump fluid out.

Am I on the right track here? becuase I am definetly no brake expert.

Since the rear brakes are really not that special anyway, Can I just block them off by plugging the little cross fitting under the cowling where all the brake lines come together?

Cross fitting I am talking about is item #17 in the link. Can you buy a plug to fit these threads?
http://www.bikebandit.com/houseofmot...m5535sch311584

 

With, your description it is most likely your mc. Do not under estimate the need of rear brakes. What are you working on?

 

by the sounds of your explaintion it does sound like the mc needs replacing as i don't know if you can buy a rebuild kit for it. if the rear caliper is corroded/rusted it might lock up on you again(happened to my old car just recently)and may ned to replace it. as long as you still have the hand brake working both front and rear brakes correctly, then you could by pass having the foot brake only working maybe. just got tomake sure that you can plug it w/ out any air leakage. imo.

 

Try leaving the cap off of the resevoir while you bleed it.

 

Ahh.....Like a dummy....

2002 Sportsman 500 HO

 

Ok. I assume UR talking about the little resivoir. Or both.


Should I be able to pressure the system back up with a messed up foot MC? I want to try and press the pistons out of the rear caliper, but I cant get pressure to come from the little MC. I guess none of it will work without the little MC working unless you blind the whole rear system off at the cross fitting.


I dunno, I think for what I do that I could get by with just front brakes. Maybe I am underestimating them, but they have never worked rear good anyway.

 

Fixed.

I pulled the little MC & resivoir off the bike. I took an old brake line that I found laying around, and pinched it off to blind off the port from the little MC. I fill the big MC up, and pump the hand brake. This creates enough pressure to push the rear caliper pistons out. So I just went ahead and bled the system, and got it back going again. Seems to brake just the same as before, but no dragging.

How will this hold up long term without the foot brake helping out? Seems to me it ought to work the same since I never used it anyway.

Later...