Originally posted by OilmanSi on 15/12/2010


Brake fluid... Bit of a mystery topic!

To help dispel some myths and for some good solid general info on the mysterious world of brake fluids I decided to contact Millers Oils up in West Yorkshire.

Their Technical Director, Martyn Mann was on hand to give us some useful info…
Below is Martyn's article on brake fluids.

There is a degree of confusion regarding the specification of brake fluid and this article sets out to clarify the situation.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) classifies brake fluids to defined specifications. These specifications relate to their boiling points and chemical composition, both of which are important. All currently available brake fluids are covered by one of the following specifications; DOT3, DOT4, DOT5 and DOT5.1.

The laws of thermo-dynamics dictate that the energy from motion is turned into heat through friction. A braking system only works efficiently if the fluid remains incompressible. If the brake fluid boils, it turns to gas, which is compressible and the braking system becomes “spongy” or in extreme cases fails completely.

A brake system is not perfectly sealed and moisture can get into the system and be absorbed by the fluid. The effect is to reduce the boiling point of the fluid, which reduces the efficiency of the braking system, as described above.

The DOT specifies two reference tests for brake fluids.

*    Dry boiling point - the boiling point of fresh fluid

*    Wet boiling point –the boiling point once the fluid has absorbed moisture (representing brake fluid after time spent in a real situation).

There are two main types of brake fluids:

*    DOT 3, DOT 4, Super DOT4* and DOT 5.1 which are based on poly glycol compounds.

*    DOT 5, which are based on Silicone.

Note the two types of fluid are not compatible and must not be mixed in a braking system.

SILICONE BRAKE FLUID (DOT 5)

Silicone based DOT 5 was originally introduced to give higher temperature performance over glycol DOT 4. Silicone fluid also has other advantages, it does not damage paintwork and it does not absorb water.

However, silicone fluid is a poor lubricant and does not lubricate ABS pumps as well as PAG fluids. It is also more compressible than PAG fluids, which can result in a sluggish or spongy pedal/lever. It therefore requires special design considerations in braking systems. Further, because it does not absorb water, any water remains as globules, which can pool in low spots in the system and cause corrosion. This water can vaporise when heated under heavy braking giving a disastrous effect on braking efficiency.

DOT5 fluids are not recommended for motor sport applications.

POLY GLYCOL BRAKE FLUIDS (DOT 3, 4 AND 5.1)

Glycol based DOT 4 fluid is the current mainstream brake fluid, and you will see that the specification is considerably better than DOT 3 which it replaces.

DOT 5.1 has higher specification still and is for fast road and occasional track day use. It has a similar spec to DOT4 for the boiling point (>260) but is a lot lower viscosity @-40C typically 900 centistokes (compared to 1500 - 1800 centistokes for DOT 4 and super DOT 4).

Listed in the table below, are the minimum dry/wet boiling point specifications for each DOT level.

BOILING POINT:
DOT 3                    - 205°C (dry) / 140°C (wet)
DOT 4                    - 230°C (dry) / 155°C (wet)
DOT 5 (silicone)     - 260°C (dry) / 185°C (wet)
DOT 5.1 (PAG)       - 260°C (dry) / 185°C (wet)
Super Dot4 *          - 300°C (dry) / 195°C (wet)
(racing brake fluid)

* Super DOT4: The main difference between DOT 4 and Super DOT 4 is the dry boiling point. Normal Dot4 is >260C whilst Super DOT 4 is more like >310C

With thanks to Martyn Mann - Technical Director Millers Oils.

Cheers

Guy.
Opie Oils

Gone back and redid all the stickies and uploaded photos.

 

Originally posted by limax2 on 20/10/2009


As you point out removing the damper tube screw can sometimes (often!) be frustrating, not aided by loctite being used on assembly. The official Yam tool for the job is a steel spike thing which seems a bit crude. What follows are details of a simple tool I have made that making this part of the job very easy. It can also be used to hold the damper tube when assembling and tightening the screw, as it is easily removed when done.

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These are the bits of the tool.


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This is the tool ready for use.
It is inserted down the fork leg so the slotted end, left in picture, slides into the damper tube. The small nut near the right hand end is then tightened to expand the slotted end and grip the damper tube. The right hand end in the picture is still sticking out of the fork leg and can be gripped in a vice or mole grips and the offending screw undone with great satisfaction and no cursing. 
You then back off the small nut and a light tap on the end of the rod (domed nut in picture) releases the grip.

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Tool in damper tube.

If you fancy making one here are some details. All shown in millimetres. The only fairly important dimension is the 18.40 diameter that goes into the damper tube, which has a bore of 18.50 diameter. All the rest can be altered to suit the material available.

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This is the gripping end showing the tapered bit that does the expanding of the slotted tube. The threaded rod is M8, the type you can get from B&Q etc.

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This was made from some tube I had which I think might have been electrical conduit at some time, not sure.
This tube needs to be at least 500mm long so that it protrudes out of the stanchion when inserted into the damper tube. I have welded a large nut on the right hand end, but it's not necessary as a vice or mole grips on the end will do fine.

Of course if you live within striking distance of Chorley in Lancashire you won't need to make one because you can borrow mine. 

I made the expander wedge from a piece of mild steel bar, but aluminium etc. or even hard wood would probably do. Instead of threading it it could be fastened to the screwed rod with a nut at the back. The flats on it are not necessary; I just put them there for holding whilst tightening the lock-nut. All very easy on a lathe, but a bit more difficult without one. If you want an expander wedge as per the drawing let me know and I'll send you one, post man permitting!
A couple of thing I forgot to mention.
1) In use don't tighten the top nut too tight because the shallow taper exerts a very strong outward gripping force on the damper tube.
2) The small 1.5mm dia hole at the top end of the damper tube sometimes has a burr on the inside, so best to check that it doesn't end up partly blocking the hole.

Originally posted by Gtpete on 06/01/2008


The following is a few pointers to those who haven't done a bike touring trip. All those that have extensive experience of such need not reply to that effect and this guide is formulated using experience I have gained through a couple of years of European trips.

Use it as a tick list or however you like, if it's helpful then great, if not, then do your own thing.

Items to Pack for (longish) summer trips

Clothing
2 T shirts
1 Sweat shirt
1 or 2 pairs of light weight trousers
1 pair of lightweight swimming shorts (depending on where you are going)
5 sets of undies
1 very light weight jacket
1 small or hand towel ***
1 pair of light weight and comfy shoes

Must haves
All your bike and insurance docs, ferry tickets, AA recovery and passport in a water proof wallet and stashed to be quickly retrievable.
1 Set of stash-able waterproofs
2 small bottles of water 1 or 2 litre
4 or more handy packs of tissues
1 or 2 Travel adaptors *
1 medium bottle of shower gel **
1 de-odorant
1 pack of BIC razors - smaller and easier than an electric shaver
1 pack of Ibuprofen or similar
1 small pack of plasters (for blisters)
1 phone charger
1 small battery charger and batteries if you have radios
1 plastic mug/cup and plastic cutlery and a tin and bottle opener/cork screw
1 pen knife
1 small tin of chain lube or engine oil
1 small road atlas covering your route - don't rely on satnav

Tips
* I have made up a 4 gang trailing lead with a French plug instead of an English plug, which is better than adaptors.
** You can wash your hands and hair with shower gel in a hand basin, and soap bars get very messy. You can also use it to wash out any clothes/undies etc in a hand basin.
*** The towel will come in useful. If the hotel doesn't supply them, although most do, then you can be smug that you took one. You can always use the towel as seat padding for long trips, I know someone who did that and it saved them from arse ache big time. And if you find a beach or a public pool, you are sorted! If you take a pair of light weight swimming shorts, you can use them as shorts for swimming, those hot days out round town, or as a spare pair of undies if you need em.

I always write out emergency numbers for break down recovery, personal insurance details with phone numbers and policy number etc, ferry details and booking ref, local maps of where the hotels are with the hotel phone number and a Google earth image of the hotel area. I laminate the above so it won't get destroyed if it gets wet. If you are running short of storage space for the above, you can put them under yer seat or stash em down your front in your jacket.

I keep loose change in the top of my tank bag for road and bridge tolls.
I wrap my wallet and phone in polythene bags in case they get soaked.
I wrap important clothing in carrier bags to make sure they stay dry. Dry kit is important if your trip is a wet one.
The Undies can be packed into the spare shoes to save space.

If you find you still have space to spare, a small travel kettle and tea/coffee makings is good, because Formule 1 and Premier Classe hotels only have drinks machines which are foccin horrible and cost a fortune if you like to guzzle.

You can actually drink the tap water in France and Germany etc; it won't hurt you so you can top up your water bottles before moving on. Water bottles are good for drinking, cleaning your visor and washing your hands with shower gel if you need to.

When you pack your gear, make sure to fill in any small gaps with small items, there is loads of space available in a top box if you pack it right. I always pack mine at least the day before I go to give me time to foc about with it. Take your time and try different items in different ways to get the most out of the available space. If only going for a week or less you can remove a T shirt and pair of trousers, or even leave the jacket out. I never take a jacket, but a sweat shirt is a must for cooler evenings. Jumpers are too thick really.
Your clothes may well get creased after being packed for so long, if so, hang them up in the shower room when you go in and the creases will fall out (hopefully)
Of course I am assuming that you don't have a pack horse type luggage set up, if you do then you will have loads of space, the above list is for Tank bag and back pack/top box set up.
A tank bag with clear map pocket is essential, I think most of them have a clear top pocket nowadays though, and you don't have to spend a fortune on one. However, remember that they are not as water proof as a top box or good back pack. I hardly ever stash clothes in my tank bag, or if I do they get wrapped in carrier bags. Also, tank bags can lift at high speed, even when full, so be aware that at 120+ you may receive a tank bag in the face, so bare that in mind while bombing along the autobahns.

If you do have a little nook or cranny left, slip in a phrase book. It won't teach you the lingo, but you can pick out salient words to use and build up from there.

I hope the above will be helpful to newbies; it has taken a couple of years to hone my packing list down. It’s up to the individual what to leave out or add to it.

If you do have a little nook or cranny left, slip in a phrase book. It wont teach you the lingo, but you can pick out salient words to use and build up from there.

I hope the above will be helpful to newbies; it has taken a couple of years to hone my packing list down. Its up to the individual what to leave out or add to it.

Originally posted by pointer2null on 07/06/2009


Firstly, this is a guide. I accept no responsibility for any mistakes or omissions. If you break it or injure yourself then that’s your problem.

If you're using this guide to change fork oil, only follow the drain, clean and refill parts of the process.

Tools needed: You will need the usual set of spanners, sockets, Allen keys/sockets, torque wrench, hammer and screwdrivers.

Special tools:
You will need something to drive in the new fork seals. On the occasions I have done this I have used a plastic tube of the right dimensions and a brass pipe fitting that also happened to the correct size. You will need something that will fit over the fork inner without scratching it. The fork inner is approx 41 mm diameters so a plastic tube with an inner diameter of 42mm would suffice. The outer diameter must be small enough to fit into the top of the fork lower. The fork lower internal diameter is approx 53mm so you tube should have an outer diameter of approx 52mm. The tube should be at least 0.5 meters long if possible so you can place it over the upper fork tube and tap it with a hammer to drive the seal in. If it is not long enough you can still use it but you will have to tap around it to drive the seal in evenly.

Parts:
You will definitely need new fork seals and fork oil.
You may need new dust seals (depending on the condition of the old one - if they are ok they can be reused).
You may also need new seal retaining clips if the old ones are corroded - these are not expensive so it may be a good idea to replace them regardless.
Bushes if you intend to replace these as well.


Although this is possible with the front fairing & headlamp assembly in place it is easier to remove it first.

Details

After removing the fairing etc, remove the front wheel. Take care not to damage the speedo sender unit (1) or loose the inner rotor part. Tie the front calipers (2) to the handlebars so that the brake pipes are not under stress or damaged (2).

Details

Work on one fork at a time; do not mix components between forks.

Loosen the top clamp bolt on the fork you are working on (1). When this is loose also loosen, but do not remove, the cap bolt on the fork (2). The image below is a MK2 Fazer; the MK1 does not have the preload adjuster.

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A couple of turns is enough.

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Next loosen the lower clamp bolt. In the image below the hex clamp bolt has been completely removed, you only need to loosen it (we removed it for another reason not connected with the fork seals*)

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When this is released the fork will slide down so be prepared to catch it.

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Try and loosen the damper retaining bolt located in the bottom of the fork.

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Sometimes you will be lucky, sometimes you won't. Often it won't loosen because the damper assembly inside the fork is turning. If it won't loosen continue and we will remove it later.

Next the cap bolt can be completely undone.
IT IS UNDER SPRING LOADING SO WILL SHOOT OFF IF YOU ARE NOT CAREFUL!

You will need to keep hold of the top fork tube as when the spring tension is released it will try to slide down into the fork lower - we are not ready for this yet.

Tip out the old fork oil and be prepared to catch (in this order), a solid washer spacer, a hollow tube spacer, a normal washer spacer and finally the spring.

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Note which way the spring comes out - the closer coils are at the top of the fork.

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Here is everything you should have:

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1 Cap bolt (MK1)/preload tensioner(MK2)
2 Solid washer spacer
3 Hollow tube spacer
4 Normal washer spacer
5 Spring

Wipe them off and put them out of the way.

Holding the fork upside down, pump it a few times to remove the last of the oil.

DO NOT LET THE FORK BOTTOM OUT OR IT WILL JAM!

If it does jam then you may be able to release it by pulling it hard, however since you and the fork are probably both covered in oil this isn't easy. If you cannot release the fork, partially refit it into the bike and tighten the lower clamp bolt. Using a piece of wood to prevent damage, tap the fork lower around the dust seal until it unsticks.

If you wish to wash out the fork, now is a good time. We used diesel and I have used paraffin before. Pour a small amount into the fork and pump it a few times then drain. Repeat till you think you've got most of the gunge out. DON'T bottom the fork out! 

Next loosen the damper assembly nut located in the bottom of the fork. If you managed to loosen it earlier this should be quite a simple stage, if not then this is difficult as the damper assembly will most likely rotate in the fork itself.

You will need to find something to put inside the fork to try and jam the damper assembly - a broom handle or a piece of wood with a tapered end works best.

Upend the fork and place it over your pole, force the fork lower down so that the pole grips the parts inside and then try and release the bolt. Be prepared to swear a bit and just keep trying. It took us 15 minutes to release one, and the other just 30 seconds.

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When the bolt is released, slide out the damper assembly.

The images below show you what you are trying to do.

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You should now have all the following bits from inside the fork:

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Next pries off the dust seal to reveal the fork seal and retaining clip

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Depending on how bad the dust seal was there may be a fair amount of gunk in here.

Next pries out the fork seal retaining clip. If you are not planning to replace it, take care not to damage it.

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There are 3 points you can use the get the clip out - the two by the open ends are best if you can identify which they are.

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If the clip is badly damaged or corroded it must be replaced.

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Hold the fork lower in one hand and the fork upper in the other and give it a good yank. This will pull the upper out of the lower and remove the old fork seal.

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1 - upper fork bush
2 - washer
3 - old fork seal

Remove and discard the old seal.

Clean up the fork upper and lower and flush out any gunk.

At this point if you are going to replace the fork bushes, pry off the old ones and fit the new. They are not continuous, but have a split so should come off easily.

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Now take a new seal and rub a small amount of oil around the inner edge. Carefully fit the new seal over the top of the fork. Be careful to get it the right way round. The 'open' side faces inside the fork and the closed side faces outwards.


'Open' side which faces inwards/down

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'Closed' side which faces outwards/up

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Refit the fork inner into the outer. The bush may or may not slip in easily. If it won’t go in all the way don't worry as it will be pushed in when we drive the seal in.

Using you seal driver tool hammer the seal home.

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When the seal is fully seated you will be able to see the retaining clip groove all around the fork lower.

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Refit the retaining ring and the dust seal.

Next refit the damper assembly - make sure the rebound spring does not come off in the process. We found (as in the pics above) that it was easier to insert the damper assembly from below. Insert the retaining bolt and tighten it to the correct torque.

Next refill the fork with the correct amount of fork oil as specified in the manual. The manual specifies 10W fork oil, but many Fazer owners (myself included) use 15W as it makes the front forks less bouncy.

The fork inner must be fully inserted into the fork lower to do this - remember the risk of getting it jammed so DO THIS VERY CAREFULLY!

Fill the fork with slightly less oil than required (440ml instead of 475 as needed). Pump it a few times to remove any air trapped around the damper assembly. Do not pull the fork inner out by more that 130mm or you will cause more air to enter. Leave the fork for about 10 mins to let any air bubbles rise. Measure the air gap and add oil as needed. Keep repeating until you have got the correct air gap.

To get the correct air gap you can either use a rod or micrometer depth gauge and carefully fill the fork until the oil just touches your measuring rod, or you can make up a tool like I did.

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The rigid (bit of old metal brake pipe or hollow car aerial) tube is set to the correct air gap, the fork is slightly overfilled with fork oil and then the tube is inserted. The suction bulb is then used to suck out the excess oil.

When you have the correct amount of oil in the fork, pull the fork inner up (no need to worry about air now) and insert the spring and spacers making sure you get them in the right order. Refit the fork cap bolt- this is a little tricky as you have to depress the fork spring at the same time.

Refit the fork into the bike, making sure the top of the fork is just level with the top of the top yoke, and tighten the lower clamp bolt. Before tightening the top clam bolt, correctly tighten the fork cap nut. Now tighten the top clamp bolt.

Repeat for the second fork.

Refit the front wheel - take extra care to make sure the two lugs on the inner part of the Speedo sender unit are correctly located or they will snap off.

Refit brakes and fairing.

(* The owner of this bike sheared the other so we removed this one to measure it. ) 

Originally posted by Set Fazer To Stun on 28/12/2006


I finally got round to fitting this during the holiday. It took about 2 hours in total and it really is quite simple. No special tools are required. Comprehensive instructions were included and I followed these. However I also took some pictures as they paint a thousand words. 

What you get for your money:

Details

Clockwise from top to bottom. Digi display, bracket and cable. Gear sensor and cable. Scotch lock connector. Black power box. 'O' ring and fixing screws.

First thing is to remove the old gear sensor. This is found under the front sprocket cover. Remove the pinch bolt on the gearshift and slide it off its shaft. Then undo the 5 allen head bolts holding the cover in place. Note one is longer than the other four. I then bungeed the cover up and out of the way. No need to remove it.

Here is what you will see with the cover off:

(Photo not available)

Here it is again only this time with the old sensor cleaned up a bit so that you can see it.

Details

Note the small wire screwed into it near the top. You need to undo this wire and use the same screw to fit the wire to the new replacement sensor unit.

The old sensor unit is held in place by 2 cross head screws. The new one uses allen head bolts supplied with the kit. Before fitting the new sensor you must fit it with an 'O' ring. Once fitted you should then lubricate the 'O' ring, I used some clean engine oil for this. Do not over tighten the sensor as this may cause distortion and subsequent leaks.

Details

The picture above shows the new sensor in place. I routed the cable with the others in that area and went down and around the water pump, this brought it up in the area just below the carbs. From there it was easy to route it up and under the fuel tank. (smile.gif)

Just ensure that you do not trap the cable in the cover or get it too near the sprocket. (thumbsdown.gif)

Next up is to attach the Digi display into position on top of the instruments. To do this you must remove the screen and its rubber seal:

Details

Once removed you can then attach the bracket to the back of the instrument, like so:

Details

For security I used a nut with a nylon insert in it. Re fit the seal and screen.

The kit comes with a black power box. For neatness this is fitted inside the black box which can be found underneath the fuel tank. The fuel tank can be hinged up and then propped up in that position, as shown in the picture below:

Details

Undo the lid of the box and there are loads of wires and connectors inside it. I made no electrical connections from here.

The power for the display should be ignition controlled. I used the + feed from the back of the horn. To use this I added a 'piggyback' spade connector to the end of the BLUE wire from the black power box:

Details

I then attached this to the + feed terminal on the back of the horn. When the horn was replaced I attached the + lead on to the 'piggyback' connector which then provided the ignition controlled power.

Details

All that’s then left to do is to connect both the sensor and digi display to the black power box. Here you can see everything connected up and neatly installed within the black box:

Details

The quality and finish of all of the component parts are excellent and a lot of thought has gone into this accessory. I am well pleased with it (thumbsup.gif)
(thumbsup.gif) The end result is very impressive:

Details

No more looking for that elusive 7th gear for me!!

Fitting a Motrax Universal Indicator Relay – FZS600

Another one to be knock off the list please.

 

Ah must remember to make longer post.

or

Just scroll up

Cheers guys

It does work

just needs getting used to the new ways.


And yes this works a treat when I preview.


 

Due to the weather being so cold I have a few of these snowmen unassembled, but ready for someone with a bit of time on ther hands to loving show ther creative side.

 
Was it called Princes Pantry or sumat like that.

piccie

Wheres the Edit button?

Wheres the delete button for Rick ashley videos????? is more important