Front brakes spongy even after bleeding?

Maz

Maz

Soldato
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18 Oct 2002
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7,387
Location
Newcastle.
The front brakes on my Kwak ZX7R are really spongy!

The bike has braided hoses and I bled both sides using a vacuum bleeder last week and the brakes feel spongy!

Am I missing anything obvious?

I'm going to make sure all the unions are on tight, brake pads are a bit low but I wouldn't have thought that would have caused it.

Any ideas?
 
Soldato
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13 Jan 2004
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12,706
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Leicestershire
air in the lines. sometimes you have to take the caliper off - wedge a big screwdriver in the pads (so the pistons wont pop out - big job if you mess that up! lol) and hold it upside down to bleed it right!

had to do that on a GSXR1000 K1 as the caliper bleed nipple isnt 'quite near' the top of the caliper so some air can be trapped in!
 
Soldato
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3 Nov 2003
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Lancashire
Cable tie trick normally works a treat. It's do easy to let air in bleeding the brakes, even with a decent kit.

Also make sure you pistons move freely. I strip and rebuild mine every 5 months. 1 hour job when you have done it a few times.
 
Soldato
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Northants
My brakes are a pain .. 4 pistons 4 pads .. (brembos) i normally have have to take them off and hang them upside down with a lump of wood between the pads . once there bled i normally have to zip tye the lever back for a day . if you have sliding calipers its worth stripping and cleaning them
 

Maz

Maz

Soldato
OP
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
7,387
Location
Newcastle.
There isn't a bleed nipple at the cylinder end, they are Toxico 6 pots and 2 of them.

I'll crack the end off the master cylinder and wrap a rag round it and give it a squeeze, see if that makes any difference.

But I have a pneumatic vacuum bleeder which I use at my garage, this is what I used to bleed it.

Done the clutch aswell, and the clutch feels just fine!
 
Associate
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8 Sep 2011
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148
Location
Derbyshire
Tokico`s are fantastic if you can bleed them properly..

On my TLS standard front end I fitted an RSV mille 1999 master cylinder and Tokico 6 pots...Wow..fantastic.

Now got Gixxer k5 front end on with radials, and the Mille master cylinder... Ferrodo Sintergrip (STAC) pads and I can brake insanely fast, Michelin Power Ones help too...:p

http://www.braketech.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=63&Itemid=94

Wont ride with anything else now.

Been at this riding lark for about 24 odd years and when I preach, its for real..:D

Revo.
 
Associate
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Niptons Ridge
The 6 pot Tokico's are notoriously difficult to bleed correctly for a firm lever.
I have found that the tie wrap on the lever overnight after a proper bleed helps no end.
Go very slowly on the bleeding as well, it's very easy to get even a slight whiff of air in there.
 
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