1989 Gl1500 rear caliper upgrade soft pedal

Afunnydadd · Feb 4, 2023

I have a 1989 honda Gl1500 goldwing, and my dad and I did a rear brake upgrade from drum to calipers. it has an 9 inch for rear end so i purchased a caliper kit that had the calipers, rotors and the hardware, all was great until we tried to bleed the system soft pedal..ive puchased another ome master cylinder same thing. I blocked off the front caliper at the master cylinder, same thing. I even switched the front and rear ports at the master cylinder, same thing..we have run about three big bottles of fluid ..lol....we bout to give up...please help...

Jack Klarich · Feb 4, 2023

Welcome to Trike Talk and your first post

Did your drum brake set up have a residual check valve for the rear brakes and did you leave it on when you did the conversion?

Do the rear brakes hold but are spongy ?

Have you been using long strokes on the pedal when bleeding?

Is the master cylinder the correct size for your brakes?

Afunnydadd · Feb 4, 2023

Jack Klarich said:
Welcome to Trike Talk and your first post

Did your drum brake set up have a residual check valve for the rear brakes and did you leave it on when you did the conversion?

Do the rear brakes hold but are spongy ?

Have you been using long strokes on the pedal when bleeding?

Is the master cylinder the correct size for your brakes?

hi!..thanks for the reply..did not have a residual check valve, will order one, the calipers do hold but the pedal is spongy, yes on the long strokes and we are using the original master cylinder..

Jack Klarich · Feb 4, 2023

Afunnydadd said:
hi!..thanks for the reply..did not have a residual check valve, will order one, the calipers do hold but the pedal is spongy, yes on the long strokes and we are using the original master cylinder..

Use short slow strokes, long strokes churn the fluid and create more air bubbles, hold the pedal, have someone open 1 rear bleeder, repeat for the other bleeder

Better yet get 1 of these, you can use it for many vehicles including hydraulic clutches

Be patient and you will get it

https://www.harborfreight.com/brake-bleeder-and-vacuum-pump-kit-63391.html

Afunnydadd · Feb 4, 2023

Jack Klarich said:
Use short slow strokes, long strokes churn the fluid and create more air bubbles, hold the pedal, have someone open 1 rear bleeder, repeat for the other bleeder

Better yet get 1 of these, you can use it for many vehicles including hydraulic clutches

Be patient and you will get it

https://www.harborfreight.com/brake-bleeder-and-vacuum-pump-kit-63391.html

will def try the short strokes and ive ordered the valve a 2lb and 10 lb and ive tried the vac bleeder worked great for about ten mins..lol..going to replace it..

Afunnydadd · Feb 5, 2023

Afunnydadd said:
will def try the short strokes and ive ordered the valve a 2lb and 10 lb and ive tried the vac bleeder worked great for about ten mins..lol..going to replace it..

that didn't work either, I've ordered the valve hope that will fix it..will let yall know

Jack Klarich · Feb 5, 2023

If your brakes are linked try this

Procedure:

Give command to pump ( two times) and hold prior to opening each fitting.

Continue at each location until fluid is visibly flowing and proceed to next location.

Make sure that fluid reservoir is maintained during the procedure.

1) Right rear caliper upper bleeder until fluid is present, then lower bleeder,

2) Left rear caliper upper bleeder until fluid is present , then lower bleeder,

3) Left front caliper 8mm bleed screw until fluid is present ,

4) Left front anti-dive bleed screw until fluid is present,

5) Right front caliper 10mm bleed screw until fluid is present .

(Note) It take a while for any air to be chased out the front of the system. That is why this procedure cannot be performed just once.

1) Right rear caliper upper bleeder until steady fluid flow, then lower bleeder,

2) Left rear caliper upper bleeder until steady fluid flow , then lower bleeder,

3) Left front caliper 8mm bleed screw until steady fluid flow,

4) Left front anti-dive bleed screw until steady fluid flow ,

5) Right front caliper 10mm bleed screw until steady fluid flow.

Repeat above procedure at least two times until pedal is solid and does not pump up.

Focus attention to the front because the air you are chasing has a long way to escape at the front wheel.

Afunnydadd · Feb 6, 2023

Jack Klarich said:
If your brakes are linked try this

Procedure:

Give command to pump ( two times) and hold prior to opening each fitting.

Continue at each location until fluid is visibly flowing and proceed to next location.

Make sure that fluid reservoir is maintained during the procedure.

1) Right rear caliper upper bleeder until fluid is present, then lower bleeder,

2) Left rear caliper upper bleeder until fluid is present , then lower bleeder,

3) Left front caliper 8mm bleed screw until fluid is present ,

4) Left front anti-dive bleed screw until fluid is present,

5) Right front caliper 10mm bleed screw until fluid is present .

(Note) It take a while for any air to be chased out the front of the system. That is why this procedure cannot be performed just once.

1) Right rear caliper upper bleeder until steady fluid flow, then lower bleeder,

2) Left rear caliper upper bleeder until steady fluid flow , then lower bleeder,

3) Left front caliper 8mm bleed screw until steady fluid flow,

4) Left front anti-dive bleed screw until steady fluid flow ,

5) Right front caliper 10mm bleed screw until steady fluid flow.

Repeat above procedure at least two times until pedal is solid and does not pump up.

Focus attention to the front because the air you are chasing has a long way to escape at the front wheel.

tried this today still no pedal, hoping the valve will work..about to pull my hair out!!

andrea74 · Apr 18, 2023

gtl 1500 problem brake rear

hi, I too have problems with the goldwing 1500 lehman rear drum brakes, the pedal remains spongy, have you solved it? did you set the valve to 10 psi? sorry for the mistakes I write from Italy

andrea74 · Apr 18, 2023

antidive brake flluid lehman gtl 1500

but I am only aware of the left...right wheel cylinder bleed screw and the screw on the left front caliper, do I have to bleed other places?

Jack Klarich · Apr 18, 2023

andrea74 said:
but I am only aware of the left...right wheel cylinder bleed screw and the screw on the left front caliper, do I have to bleed other places?

Do you know if your brakes are linked?