kiddo480 Posted July 21, 2012 Posted July 21, 2012 I acquired my RT about a year ago, and recently decided that I need to bleed the brakes (don't know when it was last done). My Clymer manual states that for the R1150RT with the Integral ABS you shouldn't try bleeding but leave it to the dealer who can hook it up to the MoDiTec. Am I crazy for wanting to do this myself and what is the risk in doing so? Thanks for the help.
Tobias Posted July 21, 2012 Posted July 21, 2012 If you are somewhat mechanically inclined you can do this yourself. The procedure is spelled out in the factory manual. I used the specialty tool to keep brake fluid in the system as you bleed, but many here have fabricated their own funnel which seems to work fine. I'm guessing that Clymer is worried about their liability in advising people to work on the ABS system so they suggest that the dealer does that (just like all the warnings about changing your own garage door springs)
terryofperry Posted July 21, 2012 Posted July 21, 2012 You should bleed them. There is a BMW Service Bulletin that supercedes the manual and is somewaht easier. I can E-Mail it to you if you like. Terry
Boffin Posted July 21, 2012 Posted July 21, 2012 It is easy to do the fluid change - see the walkthroughs in our M/C FAQ. The only thing the Moditec is used for is a bleed-down test. This can be done DIY using the GS-911, or you can just ignore that step. Andy
Hedgry Posted July 21, 2012 Posted July 21, 2012 Do it. It's no big deal and all the info you need is on this site. You can make a wrench to help loosen and tighten the control circuit bleeders. I bought a couple of cheap 7mm combination wrenches and played around with bending them until I got it to work well. I would also replace the brake lines if they are stock. The stock lines on my '04 RT made the fluid dark (rubber deterioration?). After I installed the Spiegler teflon lines, the fluid has been almost new looking every time I've bled the brakes since. H
ltljohn Posted July 21, 2012 Posted July 21, 2012 Go ahead and do it. Where are you located? There may be someone local that can assist. The threads in the M/C faq are quite helpful. You nneed a couple of special toole that are not expensive and will pay for themselves on the first bleed. The brake bleed funnel tool from beemer boneyard and a brake bleeder bag. Some folks add speed bleeders but they are not necessary.
kiddo480 Posted July 21, 2012 Author Posted July 21, 2012 Thanks for the feedback. I had pretty much decided that I would give it a whirl, but was curious about the disclaimer by Clymer. I had always done much of my own mechanicing on my automobiles, but was a little hesitant about the beemer. I will check out the M/C faq before diving in, and yes, would like to see the BMW service bulletin.
Peter Parts Posted July 21, 2012 Posted July 21, 2012 Yup, we all do it - on our bikes. And never on our cars. Like wearing out the oil drain holes on the final drive by too-frequent oil changes. Some kind of joke about "synth" DOT-4 brake fluid since all DOT-4 is anything but dino-like. Does anybody have first hand experience of some problem that arose on their boxer because they didn't change the fluid for a while? Ben
Skywagon Posted July 22, 2012 Posted July 22, 2012 Send me your email address and I will send you all the documentation you need. Too big to post. Print it out and have it with you when you do it. I was afraid of all the stories of how hard it is. It turned out to be simple but a little time consuming. Probably allow 3 hours your first time. A good night project or weekend project.
Galactic Greyhound Posted July 22, 2012 Posted July 22, 2012 Here's a procedure: http://advwisdom.hogranch.com/Wisdom/service_abs3.pdf
philbytx Posted July 22, 2012 Posted July 22, 2012 On other BMW motorcycles yes...but not on my own . I learned many years ago that a Scheduled and Progressive Maintenance schedule is a truly wonderful thing Ben. Second guessing yourself is something you never wish to do, especially when you fly aircraft or race motorcycles .
Peter Parts Posted July 22, 2012 Posted July 22, 2012 It is Sunday. The pieties are flowing. Are we talking about brake fluid changes or just some kind of PM bleeding? I've been using SS lines for the past dozen seasons or so and obviously am very, very particular about TIGHT brake feel. It is hard and time consuming to get a bleed right and deal with the mini-bubbles... if you are really particular about your brake feel. For sure, I don't rush to change fluid and certainly not at the totally nutsy, CYA, annual schedule BMW propose for my OIlhead, philbytx. I tend to be skeptical* about lots of pieties and like Consumers Union, I tend to be skeptical about the value a lot of gotta-do-it knee-jerk-reflex maintenance. So grandparent-like advice** aside, does anybody have experience with any kind of problem arising from delayed fluid changes? Ben *"skeptical" does not mean hostile, just questioning **in November, I'll be able to give grandfatherly advice times 8, just in case anybody really wants my grandfatherly advice
philbytx Posted July 22, 2012 Posted July 22, 2012 Ben, When I bought my R1100R, the bike had been in storage and thusly the bike and the ABSII brake system, had not been attended to for several years (3 in fact). I test rode the bike and the brakes felt and acted like crap. Amongst the other service items executed after the purchase, I did a full reservoir to controller to brake caliper bleed and the brake fluid at each caliper was extremely cloudy/dark and, at the controller, it came out cruddy and almost BLACK. Being a believer in scheduled and progressive maintenance, I bleed the iABS on my R1150RT, and the ABSII on my R1100R, on a two year schedule, for the past 10 and 6 years without any procedural problems whatsoever. On my recently departed 1995 BMW 525i (with ABS and Traction Control), I did 2 year brake/clutch fluid changes/bleeds since new. Both brake fluid, together with the additives/inhibitors contained within, have finite lives and almost all manufacturers (of both fluids and vehicle!) recommend annual or two year fluid changes. Suck regular maintenance also gives the owner a chance to go over the complete system to check the condition. During the past 50 years, having suffered various braking/clutch system failures from incorrect/insufficient maintenance in aircraft, automobiles and motorcycles (none of which were associated with my goodself!), one could say that I am keen proponent of scheduled and progressive maintenance.
Peter Parts Posted July 22, 2012 Posted July 22, 2012 Philbytx - Thank you for a respectful reply to my less-than-sweet "Sunday" post. Admittedly, when I hear recommendations to follow BMW's recommendations I "see red". They are often ridiculous, self-serving, CYA, conventional without basis, double-hyper-conservative, and so on. And sometimes about right. As a customer for 46 seasons (longest on this forum?), anyone would have some perspective on BMW's less-than-sweet POV. The only question I raise is, what is the sensible service interval. Perhaps you are best qualified to answer that having seen brake failures that might be attributable to shortcomings of maintenance. I never let things go far wrong so I have never had a brake failure (don't ask about Mount Washington with drum brakes in 1967). Nor can I recall ever hearing about rusted calipers, boiling fluid, or any other bogey-man in any bike* not uncovered in a barn under a pile of manure (I exaggerate, of course). Or at least, not some kind of self-evident abuse. Ben *Girling brakes on my 1960 Jag were another matter
philbytx Posted July 22, 2012 Posted July 22, 2012 Ben, I believe sensible is anything within the factory schedule/norm(s) and whatever makes the owner happy/comfortable ! AFAIAC, I'm happy/comfortable doing a brake fluid R&R every 2 years cage or bike grin: I also check my cage brake system every time I do a 7500 mile tire rotation. Yup! I'm somewhat anal....but with very good reason . Almost losing your life in two incidents will do that to you. They were both brake system related, one aircraft (Piper PA28) and one car, 1978 Ford Fiesta and were directly attributable to brake system/fluid maintenance/service items. And I'm still here to carp about them
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