Brake Bleed sequence on 2014

[MCRIDER007]

The dude with 2-wheel obsession says the linked brakes aren't flushed unless you pulse the ABS pump. Rather than figure out a way to jump the pump wires, he suggest flushing the linked brakes (front then rear), then ride the bike down the street and stomp on the rear pedal to activate the ABS. The pump will pulsate the fluid in it. Then you can re-flush the linked brakes (front and rear) to remove the rest of the fluid. My question - is this Really necessary? What percentage of the fluid in the entire linked system is in the ABS pump? I see the point in exercising the pump to move the fluid there. But if 5% of 2 year fluid mixes with 95% of brand new fluid, knowing that I'm going to do it again every 2 years like clockwork - is that really necessary?Just curious to know what the masses say.

Is it necessary to do a double brake flush when a ABS unit is involved? If you change the brake fluid every 3-4 years I think the answer is "NO". If you change the brake fluid every 2.years then the answer is "Hell NO". My opinion only, based solely on personal experience and lack of any problems whatsoever of not doing a double flush.
PS: The easiest way to activate the ABS unit, front and back, is on a hard surface dirt road, you only have to be going 10 mph.

 

[user 8909]

I could do a search but since we are on the subject of bleeding brakes which I will be doing this winter....

Does the 2013 model have the linked brakes? I saw no mention of it in the owners manual.

 

[MCRIDER007]

I could do a search but since we are on the subject of bleeding brakes which I will be doing this winter....
Does the 2013 model have the linked brakes?

Yes....

 

[Queensland Ken]

So enlighten us (me)....why replace the brake fluid on a bike less than a year old? Just curious.

Two of my brand new bikes had bad air bubbles. The Stelvio also had a milky white contamination in the fluid.

The Trophy a heap of bubbles.

Sure enough the 2014 ES had a pale milky stuff' air and chunky bits in the system, all documented.

Interesting to note, the Trophy has the same brakes as the FJR, the only difference was the ABS unit.

I didn't want to mix/match the fluids so I flushed the system including the ABS unit, with the brake fluid I normally use.

How many people actually activate & flush that fluids in the ABS unit ??? Maybe one reason they fail ???

There is a spacial test function on the Trophy test tool that enables the ABS flush, activates the solenoids to flush the fluids.

Nothing wrong with that, peace of mind and easy job easy job I do every year.

 

[Wlfman]

1. Front2. Joined (Linked)

3. Rear

May as well do the clutch while you're at it...

Don't forget you need to activate the ABS system to get it purged of the old fluid.

 

[Wlfman]

I could do a search but since we are on the subject of bleeding brakes which I will be doing this winter....
Does the 2013 model have the linked brakes? I saw no mention of it in the owners manual.

Yes. See page 4-24 of the Owner's Manual

 

[RaYzerman19]

The ABS circuits within the pump will not get flushed unless the valves are operated. I believe the sticking problems revealed in the past were simply that those circuits did not get flushed. The best way is using the jumper method at the ABS connector up by the battery and faster than going out for a test ride. Note you have to activate both front and rear as there are two fluid circuits in the pump. I question the test ride method..... and in my case, I have to ride some distance to find a suitable gravel road. Why not do it while the bike is in the shop....

 

[MCRIDER007]

If you know how to activate the ABS circuits in the shop....do it! It doesn't take much of a dirt/gravel road to activate the ABS, I did it once in a parking lot that was only 30 yards wide. It's mostly something that everyone should keep in mind anytime riding on a dirt road......its a good opportunity to activate the ABS.

 

[Queensland Ken]

The ABS circuits within the pump will not get flushed unless the valves are operated. The ABS circuits within the pump will not get flushed unless the valves are operated

It's actually part of the service procedure with the Trophy along with the Dealer Tool, a 3rd party test tool instead of being reamed by Triumph.

I've been doing it on FJR's ever since I've had the Yamaha test jumper lead.

It would be so easy just to wire in a switch, say under the seat, to act as the jumper, no more accessing the dash panel which I still do.

A job to do when I'm a bit better. Easy access for ABS diagnostics, if you have trouble, on those really rare occasions and brake bleeds.

 

[hppants]

Well I will have to read up on this jumper business.

Don't know anything about it.

 

[HotRodZilla]

Never jumped my ABS while changing the brake fluid. I flush and then go ride. I activate my ABS on a pretty regular basis, so I've never worried about it. Don't know that I ever will, but do what makes you happy.

 

[rbentnail]

Well I will have to read up on this jumper business.
Don't know anything about it.

Start here https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=136000&st=0&p=834610&&do=findComment&comment=834610

 

[Queensland Ken]

Just hook up a toggle switch, a standard non/off, place or mount it where you want it, either solder the wires on or use its connectors.

Run the wires to the RHS dash panel and gain access to the ABS test coupler lead.

Splice into both the Black/White and Sky Blue wires, these are what to need to jump to start the ABS diagnosis.

You will also need a service manual to read off the various diagnostic tests, engage the ABS and read the results.

Or just a small jumper set to bridge the pins at the connector each time, not something you do every day.

The location of the coupler, normally stuck into the a holder of the sub frame up front.

Thanks to Bernie, the bike is a Gen3, but all generations are the same. You must remove the front RHS dash, hence the switch.

Thanks to Bernie for the pic. Bridge out the Black/White and Sky Blue wires or wire in a switch.

 

[hppants]

OK - I'm smart enough to know what I don't know. I'm not very comfortable with this jumper business right now. I can see it now - a small spark is heard and seen, followed by error codes all over the place, and the first thing I know, the bikes' on the trailer to the dealer for $5,000 in repairs. If I had one of you experts standing right next to me holding my hand, I'd feel a lot more comfortable about it.

Can someone please address my other questions?

First, how many pumps are there, 1 or 2?

If I stomp the rear brake to activate the ABS, and then I squeeze the front brake to activate the ABS, am I moving fluid through 2 separate chambers within the hydraulic systems? Or the same chamber? If there is more than 1 chamber, where (hydraulically) does each chamber pulse fluid into (rear, linked, or front)?

And how much fluid resides within the chamber(s) that I'm trying to pulse? 0.5 oz? 6 oz?

I'm trying to determine the context of what we are actually doing. If it takes 10 oz of fluid (for example) to flush the linked system, and only 0.5 oz of that resides in the pump, that's 5 %. If my bike was 12 years old and the ABS has never been activated, then the slime in the chamber(s) has got to go. But if I'm changing the fluid every 2 years, and at that point, I'm mixing only 5% of 2-year old fluid with 95% brand new fluid (which is what I think I'm doing by stomping on the brakes), then what difference does it really make? We all know that when we change the oil in our motors, we can't get all of the old oil out.

Shouldn't "dilution be the solution to pollution"?

I appreciate ya'll being patient with me.

 

[RaYzerman19]

Pants, there is a front and rear fluid circuit in the (one) ABS pump (ST1300 had two pumps). If you never activate the ABS, that fluid doesn't move or get circulated into fresh stuff, it just stagnates there.

 

[ionbeam]

PS: The easiest way to activate the ABS unit, front and back, is on a hard surface dirt road, you only have to be going 10 mph.

Bearing in mind that the ABS is disabled below 7 mph.

 

[Allen_C]

good info. maybe I will wait until tech day to bleed to make sure it is done correctly the first time then I'll know exactly what to do in the future...

 

[mcatrophy]

... then what difference does it really make? We all know that when we change the oil in our motors, we can't get all of the old oil out.Shouldn't "dilution be the solution to pollution"?...

Problem is, the fluid will stagnate within the ABS unit, and it will have got some moisture in it. ABS units are known to seize, most probably due to moisture in the fluid causing corrosion.
Move it, get some fresh fluid in the ABS unit.

 

[John d]

Since the brake system is closed,how much fluid do you guys think will flow through the ABS control when activated,and where does it move to and from?

 

[Morecowbell]

I've had my '12 apart for several months while doing some upgrades and preventative maintenance. I replaced the rubber brake lines with a Galfer s/s line kit (which was a bear to install). With new brake lines, there's obviously a metric shitload of air in the system. I bled it out with a pneumatic bleeder from Harbor Freight, which saved a lot of time pumping the levers. I also figured I'd exercise/bleed the ABS circuits. It was so easy...took 10 minutes or less. The hardest part was getting the cap removed from the connector plug. I used the jumper wire with the alligator clips as shown in the pics above, plus the info in the link to Ionbeam's thread that Rbentnail provided. I also had the FSM open to that section, but Ionbeam's info is easier to read. It's interesting to feel the pulsing in the lever and pedal as the ABS unit cycles the valves. I did the test three times to move a bit more fluid around.

I'd much rather do the test in the garage instead of finding a suitable gravel road and hoping I don't crash the bike while trying to lock up the brakes.