Losing rear brake after a good bleed.

MikeinNZ

Active Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2018
Messages
122
Location
NZ
Good day

I had exactly the same problem on my 2012 and could not find what was wrong....... and I want to take the time to thank you for this post.

I was able to fix my brake problem following your modifications.

I have shared my and your experiences with other ST riders here in Quebec, Canada!

216,000km on XTZ!

Cheers!

*2 x more cold beers plse!
Your welcome Barrel,
I managed to find a good (no weeping oil) second hand unit in France on E-bay for 300 euro which is about $700 NZD +freight.
I pulled the trigger and bought it on the 20th of April... I’m still waiting for it to be delivered thanks to COVID-19.
The tracking number is no longer valid and I’ve been refunded so back to trying to find one :(

216,000 k’s... Wow that’s quite an achievement especially if it’s all on the same bike?
Cheers
 

Barrel

Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2012
Messages
52
Location
Quebec, Canada
I will finish the season like this and look at my options during our long winter months up here....

To answer your question, I have been riding an average of 27,000km a year on 2 x XTZs since 2012. One has 106,000km and the other one has 110,000km...

I end up with a second new XTZs in 2014 on a deal that I could not refuse. Been riding adventure bikes since 1985 (GS).

Cheers!
 

Stormer

New Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2021
Messages
5
Location
Ireland
I think that I have the same problem with my rear brake, but the front is grand, so I am thinking of bypassing the ABS pump.
Is it worth just bypassing the rear or do you need to bypass both front and rear?
Everywhere is closed here in Ireland due to the lockdown, so getting access to a bike shop or ordering parts is a disaster (Brexit), so do you think that reusing the existing grey pipes to loop the rear side of the ABS pump and to loop the rear brake is a smart option?
 

jrusell

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2017
Messages
460
Location
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
I would not try and re-bend the existing pipes. I would be worried they might crack re-bending them.
Pickup 4 new fittings, couple of feet of line and a flaring tool. Most auto parts stores over here stock these parts in the brake section. I assume you have similar in Ireland. I would never source these at a bike shop. A couple of feet of line will give you lots extra if you make a mistake and need to make a few extra.
Take your stock fitting in and just make sure you get the same thread/size.
 

Stormer

New Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2021
Messages
5
Location
Ireland
Thanks!
Pretty much everywhere is closed due to the lockdown here at the moment, so shops are only allowed to sell essential items and we are not allowed to travel more than 5km, so out of stir craziness I was hoping to be able to do it with what I have at hand without waiting for a delivery, I am sure that my bike shop would have quite happily sold me a couple of lines and fittings, they have done well from two visits to fix the bloody rear brake, but that is a good call on just getting a kit and some line from an auto parts place, I have seen conflicting measurements on the thread for the bolts, M10*1 or M10*1.25?
I will order up the bits and lobotomise my ABS another day! :)
 

MikeinNZ

Active Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2018
Messages
122
Location
NZ
I think that I have the same problem with my rear brake, but the front is grand, so I am thinking of bypassing the ABS pump.
Is it worth just bypassing the rear or do you need to bypass both front and rear?
Everywhere is closed here in Ireland due to the lockdown, so getting access to a bike shop or ordering parts is a disaster (Brexit), so do you think that reusing the existing grey pipes to loop the rear side of the ABS pump and to loop the rear brake is a smart option?
Making up the U tubes is the best option, saves wrecking the original pipes. It then hydraulically bypasses the ABS unit completely. The ABS unit light still cycles so it will pass an inspection.
Have a search for “ What the inside of a bad ABS unit looks like” for more info. Also fit a clean air manifold to the vent holes on your next unit to stop it happening again.
Cheers from New Zealand.
 

Sanga

New Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2021
Messages
2
Making up the U tubes is the best option, saves wrecking the original pipes. It then hydraulically bypasses the ABS unit completely. The ABS unit light still cycles so it will pass an inspection.
Have a search for “ What the inside of a bad ABS unit looks like” for more info. Also fit a clean air manifold to the vent holes on your next unit to stop it happening again.
Cheers from New Zealand.
Hi I have same problem with my 2014 ST . No need to play with tubes to by pass ABS , just pull the ABS motor fuse out . I Just tried, rear break works , even after pressing front brake .
 

Stormer

New Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2021
Messages
5
Location
Ireland
I bypassed the ABS for the rear and she feels better that when I got her, nice positive rear brake that I can really feel.
At the moment I reckon that if you gave me a brand new bike I would probably do an ABS/UBS bypass on the rear brake, much nicer ride.
 

MikeinNZ

Active Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2018
Messages
122
Location
NZ
If moisture within the ABS is causing failure, could switching to DOT 5 fluid help prevent failure?
From what I found it’s moisture and dirt that damages the vented side of the pistons in the pump which then damages the seals allowing air into the brake system.
 

gunslinger_006

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 21, 2016
Messages
961
Location
Seattle, Washington
Yeah one of the guys that had the failure, he dug a bunch of dirt and wet road grime out of the compartment where the abs unit resided. It sounded like his had been operating in that condition for an unknown amount of time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

WJBertrand

Ventura Highway
Joined
Jun 20, 2015
Messages
4,516
Location
Ventura, CA
I did not know that, wonder why it is not ABS compatible
Dot 5 is basically silicone oil not glycol based like DOT 3, 4 & 5.1. The silicone oil is probably a lot more viscous than glycol based fluid and I think that would be incompatible with the cycle rate of most ABS systems.
 

scorch

Member
Joined
May 30, 2020
Messages
27
Location
Maryland
I went back to bleeding. Bled the rear, did the abs several times and took it for a ride and it held. 200 miles later it's fine. I dont know if in 2000 miles it will end up losing power again. But im glad it's not the abs.
 

drookie

New Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2021
Messages
9
Location
Perm, Russia
Just found this thread, same here on my s10 2011. Looks like it's spiralling up. I'll tell you more guys - half a year ago I was looking for part on the fog lights kit, and found a disassembled s10 owner that had spare ABS unit that time. I've just contacted him and he said "yeah, I'm still willing to sell it, but only after the season will be over" - 'cause at the time this unit is installed on his own bike. I've asked him if he lost the rear brake too - and bingo - he did.

P.S. My unit had like ten times more dirt inside. Literally loads.
 
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