Advice needed ;front brake bleed on sertao; brake is solid on.

alphadog · Dec 23, 2022

hi guys, i have recently got myself a sertao and replaced the front disc/rotor and a new set of pads. it was a very tight fit to get the caliper back on even though i had removed some fluid from the resevoir, anyway the front wheel is locked solid and searching google has just shown me a small bleeder in the resevoir which i have never seen before and absolutely no info on it anywhere, what have i done wrong ?any ideas. its the abs model.

Packer · Dec 23, 2022

I don't know if it's a similar system but the old 1150's had to be bled at the servo. Another possibility is that the brake hose has failed internally and has formed a blister inside the hose blocking off the fluid return. Maybe even the wrong pads or calipers that need servicing.

alphadog · Dec 24, 2022

hi, the new parts are correct and the day before the bike was perfect so defo something that i did wrong unless of course the servo has to be bled, its strange as i have done it the same on many dakars and had no issues but that bleeder screw inside the reservoir is a first for me.

MotoRevive · Dec 24, 2022

Open the bleed screw on the caliper. That will relieve any hydraulic pressure in the system. And then, If you can't push the pistons in by hand (Or at least with some pipe grips etc), then your pistons are jammed up. Which is the most likely cause of your complaint.

Brakes can work fine before you change something. And then they show a fault which was waiting to happen.

I get this all the time when working on brakes.

alphadog · Dec 24, 2022

well after an entire day of faffing about i sorted it out, i bled the brakes about twenty times, messed about with that bleeder that is in the reservoir , took the brakes out, checked the caliper and on and on, in sheer frustration i went back to 1980 mechanics and sanded the brake pads down about a millimetre each side, the magic happened, bike all tested and brakes work fine. i ordered generic pads not genuine bmw ones, [ebc i think] . but i can still find no info on that bleed screw inside the reservoir,what can it be for??

theoneandonly · Dec 24, 2022

did you put the caliper back on with the pistons fully retracted ? or were/are the pads just too thick ?

MotoRevive · Dec 25, 2022

alphadog said:
well after an entire day of faffing about i sorted it out, i bled the brakes about twenty times, messed about with that bleeder that is in the reservoir , took the brakes out, checked the caliper and on and on, in sheer frustration i went back to 1980 mechanics and sanded the brake pads down about a millimetre each side, the magic happened, bike all tested and brakes work fine. i ordered generic pads not genuine bmw ones, [ebc i think] . but i can still find no info on that bleed screw inside the reservoir,what can it be for??

Inside the reservoir ??? Can you post a pic.

Master cylinders sometimes have a bleed screw on their piston (outside) to dispell trapped air but nothing inside the reservoir.

You're not mistaking any lever adjustment are you ?

nicholsonj2252 · Dec 25, 2022

I believe the bleed screw inside the master cylinder is to bleed the upper portion of the front brake circuit/piston on ABS equipped bikes

I seem to remember the master cylinder on non ABS bikes does not have this additional bleed screw - is you bike ABS equipped ?

On the G650X range of bikes that is certainly the case and BMW recommend that this is done first then bleed from the nipple on the brake caliper

alphadog · Jan 2, 2023

yes, first time i have owned an abs model 650, all the other dakars have been non abs, judging by some of the other replies not many people know about the bleed screw inside the reservoir. pads were just to thick, all good after a 100 miles.

Thefishingplumber · Jul 24, 2023

nicholsonj2252 said:
I believe the bleed screw inside the master cylinder is to bleed the upper portion of the front brake circuit/piston on ABS equipped bikes

I seem to remember the master cylinder on non ABS bikes does not have this additional bleed screw - is you bike ABS equipped ?

On the G650X range of bikes that is certainly the case and BMW recommend that this is done first then bleed from the nipple on the brake caliper

Thanks Jon, that was super bit advice. i bled brakes thoroughly and still soft on front master cylinder. found this post, undid cap screw , got one small bubble then rock solid! top man.

Advice needed ;front brake bleed on sertao; brake is solid on.

alphadog

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