RT Brake line recall--"to BLEED or NOT TO BLEED" ??

[bobbybob]

Damn, I wish I could get a straight answer from my dealer. Just once. Picked my 07 RT up from having the recall done, and asked the service writer if the front lines were completely bled during the procedure (so I would't have to mess with doing it for a while). He said NO, that just the replaced lines rearward of the junction doohickey were bled. So I guessed I got a partial bleed. BUT--when I get to the bike there's a big ole rubber hose just dangling loose to the right of the triple tree, so I tell the writer who summons the tech who did the work. Tech apologizes and re-connects the dangling canister hose. SO--while I got his attention, I ask the tech same question as the writer: was a complete front brake bleed done or just a partial? He says complete--no way to just "partial" bleed it. But he's also the same dude that forgot to connect the hose too (I hope thats the only thing he forgot).

 

So now, I don't know WHO to believe.

 

What stories has anyone else heard re. bleeding the front lines during the recall?

[Swag]

They put all new fluid and bleed them when they did mine.

[bobbybob]

They put all new fluid and bleed them when they did mine.

 

Was that from the service writer or the tech...or both?

[Swag]

Service manager

[SWB]

It's not all that big a deal anyway. You'll definitely be able to see it in the fluid when it's time to bleed (it'll be darker), and the internal circuit maintenance cycle is set to something like 4 years, if I recall correctly. When I did the internal circuit on my 2005 RT at 48K miles, the fluid looked so fresh I couldn't tell the old from the new. I just kind of kept bleeding it until I had 3/4 of a pint of fluid through it. The external circuits were in about the same condition.

 

Either way, if I were you, I'd just set my "maintenance clock" for 24 months and just do all the lines then. That may be when your pads are due for R&R in any case.

[dirtrider]

Morning Bob

 

Seeing as you have a 2007 RT you don’t have the separate control and wheel circuits like the older bikes had. The handlebar master cylinder runs brake fluid all the way to the calipers with no accessible reservoir inside the I-ABS-2 controller.

 

That means they more than likely had to bleed the front brake circuit after the new lines were installed as there is no bleeder nipple on the front junction block.

 

Not that they couldn’t have just bled the front lines at the attachment nuts but that would have been very difficult to keep the brake fluid from going all over the bike as well as more work than just bleeding at the caliper fittings.

 

So my educated guess would be they DID bleed the front brakes for you.

 

Now on the rear, the recalled lines have nothing to do with the rear brakes so I seriously doubt that they bled the rear brake system for you so that will still have to be done at the proper time.

 

[bobbybob]

Thanks Dirt, I kinda figured I'd trust the tech that actually DID the work over the service writer. It just kinda pi$$es me off that the service writers pull stuff outta their a$$es when you ask them a question!! How hard is it to say "I'm not sure, lets ask the tech" ? Doesn't do much to instill confidence in their service dept.

 

BTW Dirt--how'd you learn everything there is to know about everything?