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| [[Category:Brakes]] | | [[Category:Brakes]] |
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| | ==Why stainless lines?== |
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| With all the changes you can make to an EX250 that are cosmetic, sometimes it's nice to do something that actually makes the bike work better. A great and relatively inexpensive, yet highly effective, change in your Ninjette enjoyment can be achieved by replacing the stock front brake line with an aftermarket replacement stainless steel brake line. What will this gain you? | | With all the changes you can make to an EX250 that are cosmetic, sometimes it's nice to do something that actually makes the bike work better. A great and relatively inexpensive, yet highly effective, change in your Ninjette enjoyment can be achieved by replacing the stock front brake line with an aftermarket replacement stainless steel brake line. What will this gain you? |
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| Why not? Be the first on your block! | | Why not? Be the first on your block! |
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| ====Installation of stainless steel lines==== | | ==Installation of stainless steel lines== |
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| | This tutorial follows the installation of Galfer stainless steel brake lines from Cycle Brakes. |
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| | '''Brakes are critical''' |
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| | A complete novice should not attempt this operation if you're at all uncomfortable about it - not because it's hard, but because you're working with the brakes, which are one of the systems that will get you killed fastest if you mess it up. If you're not comfortable with the idea of doing this yourself, get a friend to help out. Even another novice is useful in having another pair of eyes to double-check your work, but a mechanically experienced friend is best. |
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| | It's a good idea to only work on one brake system (either front or rear) at a time. That way you know that even if you do something wrong, you'll still have brakes at one end of the bike. If you take everything apart right away, you have no guaranteed backup. |
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| | ====Pre-reading==== |
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| | If you've never worked on your brakes before, you should take a look at: |
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| by IanJ
| | *[[How do I change the brake fluid?]] |
| | *[[How do I bleed the brake lines?]] |
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| On MIK's recent advice to another poster, I purchased a set of Galfer stainless steel brake lines from Cycle Brakes. Total cost was $103 and change, with the front line costing $55, and the rear $40 (although it was a higher cost to order the rear line by itself), and $8. something for shipping. The order was placed on a Friday, and I had the new lines sitting on my doorstep in Seattle in four days, over Memorial Day weekend.
| | ====Notes on brake fluid==== |
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| I used the following tools to do the installation:
| | *Use DOT4 fluid. '''Don't use DOT5'''. Putting DOT5 in a DOT4 system could destroy brake system components, leading to catastrophic failure. |
| | *Containers of brake fluid should be kept closed at all times, unless you're actually pouring it out. This keeps out excess moisture and also keeps the fluid clean. |
| | *Grit or impurities in your braking system are a strict no-no, as they could gum up the fluid passages, leading to possible brake malfunction. So, keep the reservoir covered unless you're actually pouring in fluid or rapidly removing it. |
| | *Brake fluid is also a moderately effective paint stripper, so wipe up any spilled brake fluid as quickly as possible. It can destroy the paint on your bike, but it doesn't work immediately, so there's no reason to panic. |
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| | ====Tools==== |
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| *hand-operated vacuum pump
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| * #2 Phillips screwdriver | | * #2 Phillips screwdriver |
| *10mm wrench | | *10mm wrench |
| *12mm wrench | | *12mm wrench |
| *14mm wrench | | *14mm wrench |
| *14mm socket | | *14mm socket (sizes may vary) |
| *torque wrench | | *torque wrench |
| *small rubber mallet (handy, but not required) | | *small rubber mallet (handy, but not required) |
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| I used the following supplies:
| | ====Supplies==== |
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| *Galfer SS front brake line with banjo bolts | | *Galfer SS front brake line with banjo bolts |
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| *numerous rags | | *numerous rags |
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| First thing was to take the cover off the front brake fluid reservoir (#2 Phillips screwdriver), being careful not to drip any fluid on the bike (or wipe it up quickly where I did drip). Then I used the vacuum pump, attached to the bleed nipple on the front brake, to suck the old brake fluid out of the system. It was dark brown with lots of nasty swirling black stuff -- I'm pretty sure this was the original brake fluid from the factory (2001 model year bike). The bleed nipple takes a 10mm wrench.
| | For bleeding the brakes: |
| | *Several feet of 3/16" inside diameter vinyl tubing |
| | *An empty resealable bottle (milk bottle, soft drink bottle, etc.) |
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| | ====Removal of old line==== |
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| | Take the cover off the brake fluid reservoir (#2 Phillips screwdriver), being careful not to drip any fluid on the bike. Sop up the fluid in the master cylinder with a paper towel. Then you need to use one of two methods to get the rest of the fluid out of the line: |
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| With the fluid out of the front line, I disconnected the banjo bolts at the caliper and handlebar (12mm wrench). I kept the bolts and washers to compare to the same items supplied by Galfer. The factory bolts were ~3mm longer than the Galfer bolts, but that doesn't make any practical difference. Galfer supplied copper washers (with two spares, I was pleased to note), and the factory washers were silver-colored (aluminum? not sure). Again, no practical difference, I'm sure.
| | Semi-messy way: Wrap a paper towel around the bottom banjo and remove that, then remove the top banjo. |
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| One of the ends of the front line had a bend in the fitting, and I quickly determined that that was the bottom of the line. I left the old line in place while attaching the new line (the Galfer banjo bolts take a 14mm wrench), to make sure it ran on the same path. It appears that the Galfer line is slightly longer than the factory line, which, in combination with being stiffer, means it's likely to rub a bit -- I'll be keeping an eye on it for the first thousand miles to make sure it's not abrading itself dangerously.
| | Slower way: Attach the 3/16" tubing to the bleeder screw on the caliper and let gravity do the work for you, just as though you are [[How do I bleed the brake lines?|bleeding the brakes]]. The bleed nipple takes a 10mm wrench. |
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| Installation is simple, just attach each banjo using a washer on each side, and torque to 12 ft-lbs as recommended by Galfer. I highly recommend getting a proper torque wrench to do this: you really don't want to over- or under-torque brake fittings, since that's an excellent way to destroy your only means of slowing down. 12 ft-lbs feels like very little torque, and the only way to accurately measure it is with a good torque wrench. If you just "screw 'em in until they're tight" you'll almost certainly break the banjo bolts.
| | Put the old fluid in a sealed container and dispose of it according to local guidelines. |
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| At this point, I poured fresh, new DOT4 brake fluid into the reservoir from a sealed bottle that I had from a year or two ago (note: this is probably not ideal, but since it was still sealed, it's not bad). I used the vacuum pump to pull the new fluid into the system via the bleed nipple, and discovered that pulling half the vacuum gauge in is a bad idea -- it sucked all the fluid through the system and still had 90% of its vacuum left. sluurp! I tried again, this time keeping that 10mm wrench handy, and only operating the handle once or twice to pull fluid through the system slowly. That worked much better, and I was able to get most of the bubbles out in a few minutes.
| | With the fluid out of the front line, disconnect the banjo bolts at the caliper and handlebar (12mm wrench). Keep the bolts and washers to compare to the same items supplied with the new line. If the length of the bolts is slightly different, that won't make any practical difference. Make sure you check the threads, though, and see that the pitch is the same. |
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| The operation that seemed to work best was to fill the reservoir up, pull fluid through with the vacuum pump, then close the bleed nipple as soon as I saw some fluid coming through the tube. Then I could pull the vacuum pump tube off to lose the vacuum, reattach it, and use it as a high-class mason jar. With the reservoir cover on, pump the brake handle several times, then open the bleed nipple and pull a very slight amount of pressure with the vacuum pump. This would pull the air bubbles out, and in combination with some sharp pulls on the brake handle, I got all the bubbles out. Tapping gently on the caliper and fittings with a small rubber mallet also helps.
| | ====Installation of new line==== |
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| The rear brake line installation was nearly identical, although I had refined the bleeding procedure enough that it went a lot faster. The rear line may have been easier to bleed as well, since the basically flat orientation of the line, and the raised caliper should mean that bubbles rise to the bleed valve more easily. To access the rear brake fluid reservoir, you'll need your screwdriver to get the right-hand side panel off.
| | One of the ends of the front line will have a bend in the fitting, which should help determine which end is the bottom. Leave the old line in place while attaching the new line, to make sure it runs on the same path. |
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| In all, the brake line installation took around 40 minutes to complete both front and rear. Trying to do the job without the vacuum pump might take a little longer or waste a little more brake fluid (note that once you've opened a bottle of brake fluid, you use it right then or toss it, so "wasting" brake fluid is kind of hard to do).
| | To fill the line: Attach the bottom banjo bolt (see next paragraph), then fill the line from the top with a funnel, being careful about spillage. Attach the top banjo and then fill the master cylinder. Once it's full, [[How do I bleed the brake lines?|bleed the brakes]]. Make sure you get all the air bubbles out of the line(s). Keep the reservoir cover on to avoid splashing, and make sure to fill the reservoir when the fluid level gets low, to keep air out of the system. |
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| A complete novice should not attempt this operation if they're at all uncomfortable about it -- not because it's hard, but because you're working with the brakes, which are one of the systems that will get you killed fastest if you mess it up. If you're not comfortable with the idea of doing this yourself, get a friend to help out. Even another novice is useful in having another pair of eyes to double-check your work, but a mechanically experienced friend is best.
| | Attach each banjo using a washer on each side and torque to the brake line manufacturer's specs (12 ft-lbs is recommended by Galfer). Use a [http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/A_beginner%27s_guide_to_maintenance_tools#Torque_wrench torque wrench]; you really don't want to over- or under-torque brake fittings, since that's an excellent way to destroy your only means of slowing down. 12 ft-lbs feels like very little torque, and the only way to accurately measure it is with a good torque wrench. If you just "screw 'em in until they're tight" you'll almost certainly break the banjo bolts. |
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| If you don't have the more advanced tools I mention here (the torque wrench and the vacuum pump) I would definitely spend money on the torque wrench first. Buy the best one you can afford, as this is a tool that will be useful for years to come if you intend to do any amount of work on your bike. Definitely don't buy a bar-n-pointer type wrench unless that's really all you can afford. If you can scrape together $60, the clicker-type torque wrenches are much more accurate and repeatable. Sears, Home Depot, Lowes, etc. are good places to get torque wrenches. Vacuum pumps (the small, hand-operated variety) are available from automotive stores like Schucks, AutoZone, Pep Boys, NAPA, etc. I think mine cost $25-30, and that seems to be a typical price. So far, I've used my vacuum pump to bleed brakes and hold the vacuum petcock on the Ninja open, so it's not ultimately a widely useful tool like the torque wrench is.
| | The rear brake line installation is nearly identical. To access the rear brake fluid reservoir, you'll need your screwdriver to get the right-hand side panel off. |
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| Notes on brake fluid: DOT3 and DOT4 brake fluid are hydrophilic, which means that they readily absorb moisture, which degrades their ability to work properly. DOT5 fluid must not be used in a DOT4 system -- the two types don't mix, and putting in the wrong type could destroy brake system components, leading to catastrophic failure. Containers of brake fluid should be kept closed at all times, unless you're actually pouring it out. This keeps out excess moisture, and also keeps the fluid clean. Grit or impurities in your braking system are a strict no-no, as they could gum up the fluid passages, leading to possible brake malfunction. Keep the reservoir covered unless you're actually pouring in fluid or rapidly removing it.
| | Check the new line every so often, to make sure it isn't rubbing anything that could make it wear prematurely. |
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| Brake fluid is also a moderately effective paint stripper, so wipe up any spilled brake fluid as quickly as possible. It can destroy the paint on your bike, but it doesn't work immediately, so there's no reason to panic.
| | ==Riding impressions== |
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| Riding impressions: At this point in time, I've only been able to ride the bike about 15 miles, but I could tell a distinct difference from the first pull on the brake lever. Brake activation is much more linear now; with the factory lines, the brakes would be linear up until the 50-60% point, then braking force would remain about the same, even though more pressure was applied to the lever or pedal. My best theory to explain this is that the factory rubber brake lines, being "springy," would just start expanding, rather than transmitting any further force to the brake caliper, at around 60% force.
| | You should be able to feel a distinct difference from the rubber lines when you pull on the brake lever. Brake activation is much more linear with stainless lines. With the factory lines, the brakes are usually linear up until the 50-60% point, then braking force remains about the same, even when you apply more pressure to the lever or pedal. The factory rubber brake lines, being "springy", start expanding, rather than transmitting any further force to the brake caliper, at around 60% force. |
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| This translates into a really nice feel when applying the brakes with the new lines in place. It also feels as if more aggressive pads have been fitted, since they continue increasing pressure beyond ~60% now. I'd say it breaks down like this: | | This translates into a really nice feel when applying the brakes with the new lines in place. It also feels as if more aggressive pads have been fitted, since they continue increasing pressure beyond ~60%. Subjective feel breaks down like this: |
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| As you can see, the steel lines are more responsive, but the difference only really shows up when braking pretty hard. I suspect that, in normal riding, I won't notice the difference very much. Only when stopping rapidly will I notice very much, and then the new lines will really shine. | | As you can see, the steel lines are more responsive, but the difference only really shows up when braking pretty hard. You might not notice the difference very much in normal riding. It's when stopping rapidly that the new lines really shine. |
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| The practical upshot of all this is that I need to go back and re-train myself in emergency braking on the Ninja. Its behavior will now be different enough that my old responses might lock up one or both wheels. As soon as I get the Ninja back on the road, I'll be practicing quick stops in an empty parking lot.
| | You should go back and re-train yourself in emergency braking on the Ninja. Its behavior will now be different enough that your old responses might lock up one or both wheels. |
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| No matter what, the stainless lines look quite nice (I got the "clear" jacket color). They most likely improve safety, since they allow more braking force to be applied to the calipers. Are they worth $103 plus 40 minutes labor? Absolutely. Your situation may differ ($100 may be far dearer to you than to me), but I believe that they're an excellent upgrade to the littlest Ninja. | | No matter what, the stainless lines look quite nice and improve safety, since they allow more braking force to be applied to the calipers. These lines are an excellent upgrade to the littlest Ninja. |
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| Here are some pictures of the rear line after installation: | | Here are some pictures of the rear line after installation: |