Front brakes spongy even after bleeding?

Maz

Maz

Maz

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
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?
 
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!
 
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.
 
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
 
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!
 
Yep do exactly that. Also tab all around the lines and MC/Calipers with a rubber mallet to try to move any bubbles
 
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.
 
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.
 
fullspizz said:
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.
Click to expand...

True, very true.
 
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