Bleeding brakes

[Bruce Lyon]

My bike is an '05 R1200RT, 12K miles since the last major, 46K total. I want to sell it, and do all the usual 'major' stuff first - oil, filters, valve adjustment, etc. (I'm a DIY-er) Haynes manual says, "Don't bleed the ABS brakes yourself - special tools req'd - let the dealer do it." Local dealer won't do it - "Too risky - too often the ABS control unit gets messed up during the bleed operation, and it's $2K for a new one." It was last done when I bought it, 12K miles ago. I have NEVER activated the ABS, so I don't know what my risk is - more, or less, likely to fail if the ABS hasn't been exercised often?

So, it looks like my best option is to bleed/replace the fluid in the wheel circuits only, and leave the ABS unit alone, in its 'deep sleep' mode. Does anyone know how to do this? (dirtrider, maybe?)

 

Brucer, in WPB, FL

[AnotherLee]

Bruce- Here's a recent discussion on the same model:

*Link*

 

A BMW dealer that won't do a brake bleed? You need to find another dealer!

[Kerry in Mpls]

A BMW dealer that won't do a brake bleed? You need to find another dealer!

 

Agreed. Mind boggling.

[dirtrider]

My bike is an '05 R1200RT, 12K miles since the last major, 46K total. I want to sell it, and do all the usual 'major' stuff first - oil, filters, valve adjustment, etc. (I'm a DIY-er) Haynes manual says, "Don't bleed the ABS brakes yourself - special tools req'd - let the dealer do it." Local dealer won't do it - "Too risky - too often the ABS control unit gets messed up during the bleed operation, and it's $2K for a new one." It was last done when I bought it, 12K miles ago. I have NEVER activated the ABS, so I don't know what my risk is - more, or less, likely to fail if the ABS hasn't been exercised often?

So, it looks like my best option is to bleed/replace the fluid in the wheel circuits only, and leave the ABS unit alone, in its 'deep sleep' mode. Does anyone know how to do this? (dirtrider, maybe?)

 

Brucer, in WPB, FL

 

Morning Bruce

 

You need to find another dealer if yours won't do normal maintenance items on your BMW motorcycle.

 

First off, having the BMW dealer bleed your brakes is expensive so you probably won't recover that cost at resale time. Doing the brake bleed yourself is a thought but self-done major service items seldom impress a new buyer.

 

You would probably be money ahead to do the standard maintenance items then sell the bike with the idea of the new owner doing the brake maintenance. (personally if I bought that bike I would re-do the brake bleed anyway just to be sure)

 

If you want to do it yourself then it can be done at home with minimal tools & a homemade controller bleeding set-up.

 

Home bleeding will replenish the brake fluid with clean new fluid but without a GS-911 you won't be able to do the brake-bleed pressure hold tests. Not that it matters that much as at times it is very difficult to get the early bikes to pass the bleed test.

 

You also won't be able to read any brake failure codes at home without a GS-911 (again that doesn't really matter for normal maintenance but to give the new owner a clean bill of health on the brake system & claim a BMW a full & required brake service that should also be done)

 

As far as exercising the ABS system?-- every tine that you stop that bike with the key turned on you are running the servos so the brake system isn't in a deep sleep mode.

 

As far as JUST replacing the fluid in the wheel circuits? -- that requires running the ABS servos. You can do the control side (handlebar lever reservoir & rear pedal reservoir) to under gas tank ABS controller but as long as you have the gas tank removed you might as well do the entire system.

 

As long as you don't run the system out of fluid (something to carefully watch for) then doing it yourself at home is a pain but totally doable.

The Tupperware will have to be removed, the gas tank removed, you will need to make or borrow a special funnel & stopper to keep the controller reservoir's full, to do it right you will need to make shims for the brake pads (to maintain proper reservoir fill level at final fill), you will need to cover all exposed plastic, paint, & dash parts in the work area as any spilled or splashed dot 4 brake fluid can quickly ruin those, etc.

 

If you decide that you want to do this there is probably a number of how-to's in the archives here or we can talk you through it. I'm just not sure that there is any pay-back on doing it yourself (at home) just to sell a motorcycle. You might be money & time ahead to give the new owner a discount on the bike to towards having a dealer do the service after sale.

 

[Bruce Lyon]

Thanks, D.R., for the excellent info!

 

I've ordered some Speed Bleeders, the maintenance DVD from JVB, and funnels/stoppers from McMaster-Carr. I've also learned about the BMW Service Bulletin 34 002 06 (019) which says not to touch the 4 bleed screws in the ABS Controller, only the 2 that go to the front and rear cylinders. So, I think I'm good to go!

 

You're a frequent contributor to this site. THANK YOU!

 

Brucer, in WPB, FL

[dirtrider]

Thanks, D.R., for the excellent info!

 

I've ordered some Speed Bleeders, the maintenance DVD from JVB, and funnels/stoppers from McMaster-Carr. I've also learned about the BMW Service Bulletin 34 002 06 (019) which says not to touch the 4 bleed screws in the ABS Controller, only the 2 that go to the front and rear cylinders. So, I think I'm good to go!

 

You're a frequent contributor to this site. THANK YOU!

 

Brucer, in WPB, FL

 

Afternoon Bruce

 

Just keep in mind that service bulletin was written for dealer level work as a cost saving so dealers could lower brake service costs to the customer (basically they didn't reduce cost)

 

Unless your time is extremely valuable or you are in a very great hurry then pay no attention to that bulletin & bleed using the full procedure (only takes a couple of minutes more & you will probably get some junk out of those other bleed screws)

 

You really don't need speed bleeders on the BMW I-ABS system as the wheel circuits are bled using the power servos (so you get plenty of positive pressure out of the caliper bleed screws)

 

I HIGHLY advise to NOT use speed bleeders on the control side as the soft alloy material around the controller bleed screws is very easy to crack or split & most speed bleeders have a sealer on the screw threads that can expand the surrounding threads.

 

In any case the control side bleeders are right up top so very easy to access both the bleed screws & the lever or pedal at the same time so no real reason to use speed bleeders. (if you decide to use those speed bleeders be VERY careful to not crack the controller block as that is super expensive to replace)

[Bruce Lyon]

OK, D.R. Very good advice. Thank you.

 

I'll update, after the DVD gets here, and I've done the job. I already had the tank off, to chase down the wires from the front and rear ABS senders, because the ABS signal has been erratic. Found the connectors, and cleaned them. I'll put the tank back on, today, and take it for a ride, to warm up the oils before changing them, and see if the ABS light works properly.

 

THANKS!

[neil_wilcox]

Hi Bruce,

I also have a 2005 RT and have been doing a complete brake bleed using Jim VonBaden's DVD for the last two bleeds and I have to go out and do another one today. It was too expensive ($1,000+) to have the dealer do the major service, not to mention the dealer is a 3 hour ride away. I bought the special funnel from Beemer Boneyard and use some plastic shims from the hardware store to hold the pads in the retracted position. I was surprised that it took a bit of pressure to push the pads back into place after removing the calipers. I use a blunt MC tire iron tip to lever them into position without damage. Hope this helps a little.

Neil W