Fluids on a Sprint ABS

[Dan K]

I need to bleed the brakes (more to flush the brake fluid than get out air) and flush the coolant - the bike sat for a while before I bought it, and it's time to do the things I can do before calling in a pro.

I've read I can't bleed the brakes because of the ABS - BUT, can I bleed the brakes as if there was no ABS as long as I keep the reservoir full while I bleed?  Never bled brakes before, but I understand how to do it.


As for coolant, any suggestions?  I have a manual, I guess I should read it...also, I guess I could bring this to Triumph rat.net, but that site sucks on this computer as far as speed, load times, etc.  Must be all the ads...

Thanks for any help you can provide.

- Da

[caddydaddy]

Yes, for the brakes, as long as you keep the reservoir wet, you'll have no problems bleeding the brakes.

[scrape]

You need this for the ABS brakes and to help with other electronic adjustments (throttle body adjustment) normally reserved for the Triumph dealers gameboy unit: http://dealertool.web.officelive.com/default.htm

[Dan K]

Now I'm confused....so I can, or I cannot bleed the brakes on my '06 ABS model?

If I keep the M/C full as I bleed, I should be ok, right?  Let the gravity bleed thing go for a while, then squeeze, turn off the bleeder valve when I hit the grip, then let out, squeeze again, turn on the bleeder and again close the valve when the brake lever hits the grip?

This can't be done on an ABS?  Never did it, but Bubbles sent me this when I bought the bike - as soon as I have time, I want to do it.  Do I need this tuneboy / dealertool thingy just to bleed the brakes????

[Dan K]

My Plan:

BLEEDING BRAKES:

Bleeding brakes is a pretty simple process, but easy to mess up. The good news is, it's easy to fix, too. In short, the reason you bleed brakes is to 1) get air out of the system, and 2) to get the old fluid out of the system. This is necessary any time you open the system (not the filler cap, but if you crack open any of the lines).

There are several methods, and for an already-filled system like you're dealing with, I like to start with a gravity bleed. Open the master cylinder and carefully re-seat the rubber inside the cap. Push it back in to it's fully seated and compressed position. Then crack open the bleeder valves on both calipers (I'm talking just the front in this case). Don't spill the brake fluid on painted surfaces - it can eat paint. Now just let it flow out until the master cylinder is almost empty. Fill it up with new fluid, and let it drain down again. Fill it up and close the bleeders.

What you've done is to let all the old fluid (within reason) flow out of the system. Now, top off the master cylinder, put the cap back on. Pump up the brakes and hold pressure on the handle. WHILE holding pressure, slowly open the bleeder on the caliper farthest from the master cylinder. Keep pressure on the handle and close the bleeder as the handle stops moving.

Do NOT release the handle before closing the bleeder. Repeat once or twice. The fluid should come out clean and with no bubbles. Repeat for the caliper closest to the master cylinder. If the brake lines split before the caliper (versus running to one caliper then to the next), the order won't matter. You should have a firm handle. Open the master cylinder, push the rubber back in again, top it off, celebrate. You're done. Hose it off, clean it up. Enjoy your success. It's really that simple and most motorcycles can be done by a single person. it gets slightly more complicated with full rebuild of any of the components, just because there's so much more air in the system.

Use the right, recommended kind of fluid (DOT3, DOT 4, DOT5, etc), from a new container. Old brake fluid - say, older than 6 months or so - that's been open is not reliable. Brake fluid is designed to absorb and encapsulate water, which is why occasionally flushing and rebleeding the system is crucial - to get old moisture and contaminants out of the system.


Can't just do this with ABS brakes?  Really?!?

[evilted]

I don't have ABS on any of my bikes, so I can't comment on the brake bleeding procedure.

But I am running Engine Ice coolant in my Sprint.  Posts at TriumphRAT suggest it's worth a 1 or 2 LCD bar coolant temp gauge reduction on a 1050.  Mine almost invariably reads 1 or 2 bars past the midway point with Engine Ice (haven't run anything else since I got it, so I have no basis for comparison with factory or other coolant solutions) once it's up to operating temp regardless of the ambient air temp.

[Dan K]

I don't have ABS on any of my bikes, so I can't comment on the brake bleeding procedure.

But I am running Engine Ice coolant in my Sprint.  Posts at TriumphRAT suggest it's worth a 1 or 2 LCD bar coolant temp gauge reduction on a 1050.  Mine almost invariably reads 1 or 2 bars past the midway point with Engine Ice (haven't run anything else since I got it, so I have no basis for comparison with factory or other coolant solutions) once it's up to operating temp regardless of the ambient air temp.

Thanks - I will be looking for some Engine Ice - my temp gauge is consistently running at 6 bars when operating, which if I recall correctly is just over half.  I'll have to follow up over on t-rat.


- Dan

[jfusaro]

you can change the fluid in your abs model as you described but unless you have the tool to cycle the abs solenoid you will leave trace amouts of oil in there, maybe not a big deal I don't know for sure.  I run regular triumph antifreeze in my bike and it was hot here in ct. today and I held at 6/7 bars even at lights.  as far as draining the antifreeze I pulled off the lower hose and flushed with water. I am sure there must be drain plug somewhere I think at the base of the cylinders on the left side.

[Dan K]

Thread resurrection - I did the brake piston swap as a fix to the crappy 2006 Sprint brake lever feel (long story, well documented fix) and it worked, but in bleeding the brakes, I feel like I ended up with spongey feel, even though the long/inconsistent lever travel problem is gone.

Anyone know any tricks to properly bleeding an '06 Sprint with ABS brakes?  Was careful not to let the reservoir run dry, and am not sure what to do,  Haven't kicked the ABS in yet, which maybe I should do with a hard stop prior to bringing into shop for a bleed.

 -Dan

[MadOzodi]

Thread resurrection - I did the brake piston swap as a fix to the crappy 2006 Sprint brake lever feel (long story, well documented fix) and it worked, but in bleeding the brakes, I feel like I ended up with spongey feel, even though the long/inconsistent lever travel problem is gone.

Anyone know any tricks to properly bleeding an '06 Sprint with ABS brakes?  Was careful not to let the reservoir run dry, and am not sure what to do,  Haven't kicked the ABS in yet, which maybe I should do with a hard stop prior to bringing into shop for a bleed.

 -Dan

Tricks?  Dealertool...not sure if TuneECU allows you to cycle the solenoid.  Fellow '06 Sprint ABS owner here went down a big hill in the rain and grabbed a handfull of brake ~35-40mph to force the ABS to kick in.  But keep in mind he was skating the bike, i.e., his feet were down, and at 6'5" his knees are still bent while flat-footing the bike.

Do you plan on bringing the bike into a non-Triumph shop for a bleed?

[Dan K]

Tricks?  Dealertool...not sure if TuneECU allows you to cycle the solenoid.  Fellow '06 Sprint ABS owner here went down a big hill in the rain and grabbed a handfull of brake ~35-40mph to force the ABS to kick in.  But keep in mind he was skating the bike, i.e., his feet were down, and at 6'5" his knees are still bent while flat-footing the bike.

Do you plan on bringing the bike into a non-Triumph shop for a bleed?

No.  I'll kick it in on a dirt road, and if that doesn't help it out, I'll bring it to a Triumph shop.  I did the bleed with MacGyver of this forum, who really knows his shit.  Just wanted to know if I could do it at hime with a tool (Dealertool, tuneecu) for less).

- Dan

[MadOzodi]

aight...just stay away from any sand.  DAMHIK  

[Dan K]

I've fallen over in deep sand too...



I'll stick to dirt or gravelly road.

- Dan