First Brake fluid change

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ucandoit
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Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2014 12:21 am
Location: Minnesota

First Brake fluid change

Post by ucandoit »

I finally changed the brake fluid on my 125 Buddy (2008) which I've owned for 4 years and ridden 5500 miles. It was a first for me and I got it done without doing damage, that I know of. LOL. The front brake works fine.
It takes so little brake fluid that I wish it could be sold in much smaller quantities, because now the bottle has been opened and the remaining will go to a waste site.
I expected my old fluid to be dark and dirty, but it wasn't at all. I've met a couple of other Buddy owners in my town who ride their scooters fearlessly far and wide, and who have a favorite mechanic, etc., but they tell me they never mess with brake fluid. I'm still glad I changed it. It cost only $2, was quite easy, and I gained experience.
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charlie55
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Post by charlie55 »

That's been one of my pet peeves for years. Does anyone know if there's any company that sells things like brake fluid in small-application-friendly amounts?

I'll admit that I don't pay much heed to the warnings as to the usability of already-opened brake fluid. I just make sure to keep the container closed as much as possible during the fluid change. Then I replace the cap as tightly as possible and wrap the whole thing tightly in a couple of plastic bags with a few of those desiccant packets thrown in for good measure.
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az_slynch
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Post by az_slynch »

Good job! Servicing the brakes is made out to be a difficult job, but it isn't. It helps to have a helper, but it can be done by one person.

I recommend using a JIS screwdriver when removing the reservoir cover, they tend to not strip the screws. I also push the handlebar of the reservoir of the brake I'm working on forward to get the reservoir as level as possible to avoid spillage. I also cover the speedometer, headlamp lens and any other plastics to avoid damage from brake fluid spillage.

Here's my process, for reference:

Use the right fluid (usually stamped on the reservoir cover) and pour slowly. Don't fill it past the top of the sightglass and don't let the reservoir go empty when bleeding the brake.

Clean and dry the area around the bleeder valve prior to commencing work. Use the ring end of a combination or a six-sided socket to initially open the bleeder valve; it's soft material and you can strip it or break it if you use the wrong tools. Don't remove it, just free it about 1/4 turn and close it softly until it seats. When bleeding, you shouldn't have to turn the bleeder more than 1/4 turn to let fluid out; any more and you could be letting air around the bleeder and will get bubbles in your brake fluid. Slip a clear hose over your bleeder valve so you can observe the fluid as you bleed. Run the hose to a catch container located higher than the bleeder valve so you don't have air back up into your lines.

The process from this point is simple:

1. Open bleeder valve 1/8 to 1/4 turn.
2. Squeeze the brake lever and hold it.
3. Close the bleeder valve.
4. Release the brake lever.
5. Repeat 1-4, checking the fluid level in the reservoir every 4-5 repetitions.

Bleed the system until the fluid coming out of the bleeder looks like champagne. Anything darker that that is still contaminated, so keep going until it looks nearly clear and you aren't seeing any bubbles in the fluid coming out of the bleeder.

To complete, top off the fluid to the top of the sightglass and put the lid back in the brake reservoir. Make sure the diaphragm on the cover is collapsed into itself so it won't push any fluid out on installation.

Test the brake lever for firm, progressive resistance. It should have a lot of resistance no more than halfway through the lever's range of travel. Clean all areas where you worked to remove any brake fluid spills.

Finally, test ride in a safe area and confirm brake functions to your liking.
Last edited by az_slynch on Mon Sep 10, 2018 11:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...

Seriously...I've lost count...

Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
ucandoit
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Posts: 360
Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2014 12:21 am
Location: Minnesota

Post by ucandoit »

AZ---That is a very helpful tutorial. I had no problems with the 2 screws on the brake fluid cover. The screwdriver that comes in the little kit that comes with the Buddy is surprisingly good and I use it a lot when working on the Buddy. I really like that kit.
I did have a little trouble prying the cover off and was pretty careful about it as I didn't want to damage a gasket under the cap. Everything else was pretty easy.
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k1dude
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Post by k1dude »

az_slynch wrote:Good job! Servicing the brakes is made out to be a difficult job, but it isn't. It helps to have a helper, but it can be done by one person.

I recommend using a JIS screwdriver when removing the reservior cover, they tend to not strip the screws. I also push the handlebar of the reservoir of the brake I'm working on forward to get the reservoir as level as possible to avoid spillage. I also cover the speedometer, headlamp lens and any other plastics to avoid bamage from brake fluid spillage.

Here's my process, for reference:

Use the right fluid (usually stamped on the reservoir cover) and pour slowly. Don't fill it past the top of the sightglass and don't let the reservoir go empty when bleeding the brske.

Clean and dry the area around the bleeder valve prior to commencing work. Use the ring end of a combination or a six-sided socket to initially open the bleeder valve; it's soft material and you can strip it or break it if you use the wrong tools. Don't remove it, just free it about 1/4 turn and close it softly until it seats. When bleeding, you shouldn't have to turn the bleeder more than 1/4 turn to let fluid out; any more and you could be letting air around the bleeder and will get bubbles in your brake fluid. Slip a clear hose over your bleeder valve so you can observe the fluid as you bleed. Run the hose to a catch container located higher than the bleeder valve so you don't have air back up into your lines.

The process from this point is simple:

1. Open bleeder valve 1/8 to 1/4 turn.
2. Squeeze the brake lever and hold it.
3. Close the bleeder valve.
4. Release the brake lever.
5. Repeat 1-4, checking the fluid level in the reservoir every 4-5 repetitions.

Bleed the system until the fluid coming out of the bleeder looks like champagne. Anything darker that that is still contaminated, so keep going until it looks nearly clear and you aren't seeing any bubbles in the fluid coming out of the bleeder.

To complete, top off the fluid to the top of the sightglass and put the lid back in the brake reservoir. Make sure the diaqhragm on the cover is collapsed into itself sso it won't push any fluid out on installation.

Test the brake lever for firm, progressive resistance. It should have a lot of resistance no more than halfway through the lever's range of travel. Clean all areas where you worked toemove any brake fluid spills.

Finally, test ride in a safe area and confirm brake functions to your liking.
This should be put in the Tech Library.

Usually people don't mess with brake fluid unless the brakes start giving you hints - like a spongy feel or the travel of the lever is too far. Rarely (if ever) is it a sudden event.

Also, many brands of vehicles are now touting "Lifetime" fluid. Supposedly the fluid never has to be changed or topped off. I also noticed that replacing brake fluid has never been mentioned in the manual as a maintenance requirement in any vehicle I've owned in the past 30 years. Nor has any dealer touched the brake fluid in that time on any of my vehicles. You'll notice it's not mentioned in the scheduled maintenance in the Buddy manual either.

IMHO, you should also never top-off fluid. If you're bothering to crack the master cylinder open, then replace the fluid. If you have a leak, fix the leak.

Out of millions of miles on multiple vehicles, I have only had to replace brake fluid on one vehicle once (back in the 70's). That even includes the hydraulic disc brakes on my mountain bikes.

But, I also have no problem if anyone wants to change their fluid regularly for peace of mind. Old maintenance habits die hard. I still do some things that I know aren't required anymore, just because I'm an old timer and that's how we did it in the old days. :roll:
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