STILL no front brake!

[Courtright11]

I have a 99 Softail FXST Standard.

I replaced the Front Brake Hose, rebuilt the MC Assembly, replaced the MC Cover and rubber gaskets, rebuilt the Caliper Piston, installed a new Rotor + Pads and lastly added Speed Bleeders (which I thought would help with the bleed).

And I still have NO front brake pressure.

Any thoughts?

[Mr Cujo]

more bleeding required..or you are still bypassing somewhere

[Texas Tom]

Front brakes are a real pain, any air at all they wont have any brake you probably have air in the system. With mc cover off look at the fluid very carefully squeeze brake lever if you see any bubbles at all you have air in the system,you can squeeze lever (just a little) again and again until you see no bubbles ,then you should have some brake and can start blleeding them. In the past I have done this for allmost an hour until I have some brake. HD reccomends with the instructions that come with extension kits that you remove mc cover fill fluid level then take a bungee cord squeeze lever all the way, overnight all the bubbles will slowly seep out of the system,be sure and put a rag over the mc so no dirt gets in it...good luck tom..

[ViennaHog]

remove the caliper and turn it with the bleed screw up (bungee cord comes in handy) and bleed again. During bleeding tap the mc fluid reservoir gently with a screw drives. Helps to free up air bubbles. Texas Tom gave another alternative which should work.

[petrock]

Originally Posted by ViennaHog

remove the caliper and turn it with the bleed screw up (bungee cord comes in handy) and bleed again.

Make sure the caliper is lower then the reservoir when you do this. Easy with the front brake, but can be tricky sometimes with the rear brake.

Originally Posted by ViennaHog

During bleeding tap the mc fluid reservoir gently with a screw drives. Helps to free up air bubbles.

Make sure you tap with the plastic end of the screw driver, not the metal end. Don't want to ding/scratch/damage anything. I would also tap more then just the reservoir. I would start tapping the caliper, moving on up the brake line and then the reservoir. Do it each time you close the bleeder screw.

During the bleeding process, I also like to squeeze the brake lever a bunch of times to help build up some pressure in the line, and then hold it compressed while I crack/burp the bleeder screw. The extra pressure in the line helps force the fluid (and any bubbles) through. Good luck...

[deuce163]

I know it sounds silly, but rolling the bike back a few feet works for me. I just don't know why...

[BOUTYM]

Had this happen when I was changing to aftermarket chrome controls. Drove me nuts and eventually figured it had to be bypassing in the MC somehow. Got tired of messing with it and sent the whole mess back and bought HD controls. Sure enough the place where I bought the problem MC found it was bypassing internally and tested a handful of the others they had in stock and they were doing it too. Don't recall the brand, but it was one of those E-Bay trying to save a few bucks things.