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Bleedin' 1150's brakes can't stop Mama Hoon!


KMG_365

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I have a 2004 R1150r Rockster.

 

My questions are:

 

Question 1: confused.gif

Did you use speed bleeders on the six control circuit bleed screws?

 

How many speed bleeders do I need?

 

2 - front break callipers

1 - rear break calliper

1 - clutch

6 - ? control circuit ?

 

Question 2: confused.gif

 

Does anyone know what size SB's I need for a 2004 R1150r Rockster?

 

Question 3: confused.gif

 

Is it worth paying $60 for the ministan funnel thingy at

http://www.diymoto.com/funnel.htm

 

or is it just as easy to make a good one with from bits found at a local hardware store? I could imagine it might be easier to pay the $60 but what have others discovered?

 

Question 4: confused.gif

 

Is the reason you removed the callipers and shimmed the pads back was to get as much fluid as possible out of the callipers?

 

Huge thanks for the great post! clap.gif

 

JoeV

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Blue Beemer Dude
I have a 2004 R1150r Rockster.

 

My questions are:

 

Question 1: confused.gif

Did you use speed bleeders on the six control circuit bleed screws?

 

 

No.

 

How many speed bleeders do I need?

 

2 - front break callipers

1 - rear break calliper

1 - clutch

6 - ? control circuit ?

 

 

We spell it "brake" not break. If your brakes don't work, you break your neck. Get it? grin.gifthumbsup.gif

 

Secondly, that was two questions, not one. smirk.gif

 

Thirdly, you don't actually need any of the speedbleeders. It makes it a lot easier if you are doing it yourself; but it is possible to do it yourself without them and and if you have a helper, then it's almost a waste of money. But you will need something for the clutch bleed, as I believe that just has some nasty old grub screw or something that makes bleeding difficult.

 

Question 2: confused.gif

 

Does anyone know what size SB's I need for a 2004 R1150r Rockster?

 

 

No, but I image that it's the same as for the RT.

 

Question 3: confused.gif

 

Is it worth paying $60 for the ministan funnel thingy at

http://www.diymoto.com/funnel.htm

 

or is it just as easy to make a good one with from bits found at a local hardware store? I could imagine it might be easier to pay the $60 but what have others discovered?

 

A friend made one for me; it's just a funnel, some RTV glue and a special BMW thingie that fits into the servo controller reservoir. That will cost you $50 for two of them, so unless you can find someone to split the cost, the $60 isn't too unreasonable.

 

Question 4: confused.gif

 

Is the reason you removed the callipers and shimmed the pads back was to get as much fluid as possible out of the callipers?

 

It seems to be. I went to a heck of a lot of trouble to make the shims and do all of that crap, but in reality you could just push the suckers back in and chances are that the pressure used to bleed the system won't be enough to push the pads back out, so you'll be fine.

 

But that's just my opinion.

 

Michael

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BMW issued a 'tool' bulletin about wooden blocks that should be used for EVO iABS-I brake bleeds. They use 2" X1"X11/16" thick wooden blocks for all the R-Bikes. The K-Bikes uses 2"X1"X1" thick blocks.

They used these sizes to set the fluid level in the reservoirs. Supposedly, this will cause a low fluid fault once the brake pads are worn out.

 

Mick

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1. You can. Personally I think the thread leaking issues with them make them more trouble than they are worth. I've come full circle and no longer recommend or install them.

 

2. See #1, but all 1150s use the same size as listed in the DIY post.

 

3. Yup.

 

4. The goal is to change out as much fluid as possible, and the fluid that gets the most heat abuse is that in the caliper. So yes, it is worth doing.

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BMW issued a 'tool' bulletin about wooden blocks that should be used for EVO iABS-I brake bleeds. They use 2" X1"X11/16" thick wooden blocks for all the R-Bikes. The K-Bikes uses 2"X1"X1" thick blocks.

They used these sizes to set the fluid level in the reservoirs. Supposedly, this will cause a low fluid fault once the brake pads are worn out.

 

Mick

I understand the thinking of trying to calibrate the fluid level to brake pad wear, but personally I think it is a stretch at best. More importantly IMHO is to extricate as much as the old fluid as possible. And that means pushing back in the pistons as far as possible, not just a predetermined fixed amount.
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Is the procedure the EXACTLY same for the '04 R1150RT?
The differences are you need to use the later version of the Mini-Stan for the late 2003's and on. You use an allen wrench to open the wheel circuit reservoirs (instead of a 19mm open end for the pre-late2003's) and there is a filter screen that must be removed with a pair of needle nosed pliers.

 

You can make your own MUCH cheaper funnel by buying the McMaster-Carr funnel (~$5.00) and a #2 rubber lab stopper that you can freeze and drill out slightly to accomodate the funnel without stretching it so much that it no longer fits in the opening. This is a universal design that will work on ANY year BMW.

 

I also would NOT just push the pads out and bleed them without shimming them as the servos are very strong. If you're not VERY careful on the brake lever (and time it carefully with opening the bleed screw), you could either slam the pads back hard against the rotors (if they're still installed or blow the pistons out of the calipers if not) or the old fluid could also fill back in the calipers' pistons behind the pads--negating any benefit. I've measured as much as an additional 70-80 ml of fluid removed from behind the pistons of the front calipers using slightly worn pads! eek.gif

 

I usually time my pad swaps with annual brake bleeds to avoid the low level warning. This is especially important in the pre-late 2003's and the front wheel circuit reservoir holds much less fluid. They increased the holding capacity of the front reservoir in the later models to help avoid this problem. When I finish the bleed, I remove the shims and re-bed the pads in before I do a final top-up of the fluid level. This assures that not only do I get all of the trapped fluid out of the pistons, but I also have the maximum amount of fluid left in the reservoir after the pistons are filled to allow for additional pad wear (important when re-installing worn pads). During an annual service, I also usually pull a set of pads early if it looks like they won't make it a whole year to the next annual service. This way I have a worn set on hand to swap out if I'm heading out across country and am concerned that the existing ones won't make it until the next upcoming annual service. I could also just push the pistons all the way out and shove new ones in, but if I topped it off for worn pads I'll get a LOT of fluid coming out the drain hose by the right footpeg. It'll make a mess and can dribble for days.

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Huge thanks! thumbsup.gif

 

Now I can bleed the bloody unbroken brakes so they won't break, when the brake lever is applied, without going broke.

 

P.S.

 

breaker. a tool or machine for breaking up flax or hemp, to separate the fiber.

 

Maybe I could spell better if I hadn't been breaking so much hemp in the '70s! lmao.gif

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  • 10 months later...

Thanks for the information on this posting, the pdf that's mentioned in advrider.com by Jamie, Jim VonBaden's dvds and not a small amount of luck I was able to do the wheel circuit brake bleed on my 2004 R1150RT along with replacing the fuel filter.

 

Careful of the caps that cover the reservoirs on the abs module, they're delicate and finger tight is definitely enough!

 

Turkey baster my wife got me eroded rapidly when in contact with the brake fluid, make sure the one you use can take exposure to this stuff.

 

The stock fuel line clamps from BMW are a pain, replaced them with fuel injection rated clamps that you screw tight.

 

Don't mix up the two hoses that connect to the fuel pump assembly from within the gas tank! Oh, and a sharpie pen marking on them is useless when you let the hose fall back into the gas tank and the gas that's there. dopeslap.gif

 

Great learning experience for me. Thanks Jamie for the posting and the answers you provided via PM.

 

Details in the blog.

Edited by co_g30
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  • 1 year later...

BEGIN QUOTE: I had ordered a few SpeedBleeders for my bike, but the sizing info on their page is incorrect for the '02's on. END QUOTE.

 

Does anyone know the correct speedbleeders for a 2002 R1150RT (or RT-P?)

 

I tried ordering based on their webpage listing (before I read this post, unfortunately) and got 1010S for the front, WAY too big, and 6100 for back, WAY too skinny. I've written to speedbleeders, but it would help if I knew what sizes DO work on this bike, since apparently they don't!

 

BTW, this was a GREAT write-up, made my replacing of all brake fluids on my bike a simple process. THANKS!

 

Paul Hoffman

2002 R1150RT-P

2000 R1100RT

1998 HD Sportster

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The 1010S works for the clutch bleed. But you will need to "round off" the sharp tip a little for it to work effectively on the clutch adapter.

 

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  • 11 years later...

Linking the Control Circuit bleed post here since I can't find it with a search.  I'm taking all of my pics off of my old SmugMug site very soon.  I've been paying $40.00/month for hosting for MANY years now, but 2001 was an eternity ago, and as a non-professional photographer there are many more/better/cheaper options out there now.  Problem is, when I take them down, all these links will be broken.  Whip told me that Leslie's walkthrough's still garner a lot of traffic, so I wanted to give you all a head's up so you can archive any pics you'd like to keep before the purge.
 

Here is the gallery for the pics for the Control Circuit:

 

https://kmg-365.smugmug.com/MCTechnicalArticles/Les-Does-Brakes/

 

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4 hours ago, KMG_365 said:

Linking the Control Circuit bleed post here since I can't find it with a search.  I'm taking all of my pics off of my old SmugMug site very soon. 

Here is the gallery for the pics for the Control Circuit:

 

 

 

Jamie,  check your PM's

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