Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech Brake Cable Replacement Issues

I recently replaced all my brake, clutch and throttle cables with steel braided cables. I used Brent's brake stuff and BelleCorse's throttle and clutch cables. Due to the fact that I can be rather tool and mechanically illiterate, I decided for my best safety to have my dealer do the install for me. Throttle and clutch seem to be just fine, its the brakes that I am wondering about.

Okay, so here is my question to the other all knowing mechanically talented members here. Should there be a huge difference in the amount of distance both the hand lever and foot control need to travel before the brakes engage? With the factory cables, the brakes almost immediately applied themselves without alot of pedal or level travel. Now, especially with the rear brake, it seems that they have to be depressed more then half way before anything happens. Its not supposed to be this way is it?? I wanted to ake you all before I approached my dealer regarding this.

Sounds like they didn't get all the air out of lines. I'd take it back to them since they did the install. It will also effect your stoping distance,be careful.

Yeah they need to be bled. Something you could do and maybe should learn how to do since it's simple, but since they installed it's a safety issue on their heads. I'd call em.

Just got off the phone with the dealer and they said they had a hell of a time bleeding them. They think there may be more air in the lines still and offered (get this) to come to me and bleed them instead of me riding having to ride to the dealer's. He also asked me to check the fluid levels and they do seem low so we are gonna bleed them again and add more fluid.

Bill's probly right (they aren't cables, they are hydraulic...) so let the dealer do it. Make sure they top off the fluid before bleeding. A common problem is letting the fluid get too low so air gets in the line before adding more.

The fluid levels are rather low, checked them on Saturday, bought some brake fluid to add. A friend of mine who knows his way around a bike is stopping over this evening to help me bleed them again.

Speaking of this, and it may need its own thread, another Bellacorse clutch cable has broken! Wojo dropped a new cable in before coming to Daytona Beach. It broke while he was here. Cable came right out of the end piece that hooks to the clutch arm.

Just a warning!

Check out "Speed Bleeders" from NewBonneville.Com. Put them on when I changed brake pads, and bleeding was very simple and easy. Well worth the few dollars they cost.

Ryan, mine broke at the handle, but a similar failure. My Barnett one arrived today.