ABS fluid change

My 2003 R1150RT has 115 000 kms on it (72 000 miles) and ABS brake fluid was never changed. I look to do this job today but realize I didn't have the special funnel to do the job.

As the brakes always worked correctly, I could perhaps wait and do the job next year. If I wait to do this job, what could be the problems I could encounter later ?

The brake fluid look clear in the front and rear brake reservoirs.

Thanks

Hi Legarem.

You ask if you could encounter problems later. I am surprised you have not encountered problems earlier!

Are you saying you have never changed the fluids in the braking system?

My advice is: Get new braided stainless steel brake lines and do a COMPLETE system flush. Master cylinders to Servo unit and Servo unit to Slave cylinders. It sounds like you are living on the edge. Believe me, you don't want one of these to fail when you need it. I have, and it still brings the cold sweats on when I think about how it felt!

My 2003 R1150RT has 115 000 kms on it (72 000 miles) and ABS brake fluid was never changed. I look to do this job today but realize I didn't have the special funnel to do the job.

As the brakes always worked correctly, I could perhaps wait and do the job next year. If I wait to do this job, what could be the problems I could encounter later ?

The brake fluid look clear in the front and rear brake reservoirs.

 

Thanks

Morning legarem

As mentioned do that brake flush pronto! Servo pump problems are REAL expensive.

You don't need a special funnel as you can simply use a rubber plug from Home Depot/Lowes etc. (do not use a cork as cork material can damage your servo system) , then drill a hole in the tapered rubber plug, cut part of the nozzle off a water bottle & stick that in the plug hole then cut the bottom off the water bottle. Voila, you have a special funnel.

You can get drilled rubber stoppers at any wine making supply store.

Thanks a lot for your great help

Sorry if this is a bit off-topic but does this level of "concern" also apply to the ABS-II systems? I bleed/replace the brake fluid both front and rear annually but don't bleed the ABS system under the tank.

Sorry if this is a bit off-topic but does this level of "concern" also apply to the ABS-II systems? I bleed/replace the brake fluid both front and rear annually but don't bleed the ABS system under the tank.

Morning kalali

Not so much as your 1999 bike doesn't have a servo system so doesn't have fluid reservoirs under the fuel tank. (it does have bleed fittings on the ABS unit though)

When you bleed your system annually from front & rear so get around 99% of the old fluid out at each annual bleeding so what little is left in system then mixes with the new fluid so most of that then comes out at the next years bleeding.

You can also get THIS FUNNEL from beemer boneyard for a reasonable price. The rubber stopper DR suggested works great too Just make sure you get all the loose bits of rubber out after drilling.

Sorry if this is a bit off-topic but does this level of "concern" also apply to the ABS-II systems? I bleed/replace the brake fluid both front and rear annually but don't bleed the ABS system under the tank.

Like DR said, the ABS-II system rarely needs bleeding at the pump. Especially if you are refreshing the brake fluid annually.

You can also get THIS FUNNEL from beemer boneyard for a reasonable price. The rubber stopper DR suggested works great too Just make sure you get all the loose bits of rubber out after drilling.

+1 for this one. I have it for quite a few years now and it really helps around when needed. Working with this is clean, fast, and never had a issue using it.

Dan.

Good Day Legarem,

YOU are extremely lucky. Stop everything you are doing and change the break lines to SS, flush and replace all the brake fluid/clutch. I am sitting here with two iABS failures waiting on Modulemasters for a rebuild. And I changed every two years on my 2002 1150, still failed. FYI...new pump from the dealer is around $2300 US parts only. Rebuild from Module Masters is not available yet. So, give your Servo some love!

You can work your way through it yourself....just take your time the first try. Folks on here are very helpful as well. Grab a manual for the iABS system There is a specific document/section on brake flushing the iABS.

And remember that an ANNUAL hydraulic clutch fluid flush-out-and-replace is equally important.

That pesky pathetic slave cylinder hidden in front of the rear suspension spring is very prone to premature death because of aerated brown fluid. It was designed by Slovakian "Magura" for push-bikes, not motorbikes, especially a big heavy moto like an 1150cc twin.

BMW plumped for it because it was cheap-to-them in a bulk-buy and they complained there wasn't enough room there for a bulkier better-designed item like the one on the Moto-Guzzi.

Poppycock....

So for precisely which reason have they abandoned the single-plate dry clutch and reverted to a Chinese-outsourced multiplate WET clutch on current bikes ?