Hello. Those of us who own M8 Softail models should be familiar with the fact that the rear brake is just weak. A tiny, two piston, slide caliper is the first problem.

Second, the brake pedal on the mid control bikes is level with the peg, which makes using the rear brake troublesome, so many aftermarket companies make an adjustable dog bone to raise the pedal, which is rather pointless, since you can raise the pedal just as high by loosening the jam nut behind the master cylinder clevis, pull the boot away from the master cylinder, and use a wrench between the return spring coils to turn the rod out and raise the pedal.

Both solutions will only get the pedal so high, and to the same maximum height.

Neither solves the problem of a weak caliper, combined with the pivot lever below the pivot point being too short, resulting in the requirement of tremendous force in order to fully utilize the rear brake.

I decided to design an extended lever, because apparently no one else had noticed this and took it upon themselves to make it, but after finding the HD part number, I decided to search one more time just to make sure no one else was already making this, and, I found that yes, one company IS already doing it.



So, I give you a link to the Not Made By Me, Stoppie Pedal Extended Teeter Totter Lever 9000

https://www.ajcyclesny.com/products/...AATQDWwjSZUWmM

For what its worth, I would have sold them for 60.00.

Once I get it on with sintered pads, Ill report here for results, and if this doesnt do it, Im moving to this:

https://www.getlowered.com/beringer-...BoCHwUQAvD_BwE

In my opinion, four piston fixed with sintered pads AND the extended lever will do the job, and I like this kit, though its expensive, because it puts the caliper in the factory position, and I wont have to change my brake hose, so thats winning.

 

That's a good find. Please report back on whether it helps with the rear brake or not.

Also, you should probably put this in the 2018+ softail section

 

Yeah, I goofed, I tried to put it into the 2018+ section after I realized what Id done. I wanted to delete this one, but couldnt find how.

 

Softbrake's extended brake pedal fixed my problem with the rear brake. I swapped to Lyndall Z-Plus brakepads specifically for modulation over stopping power.

 

Well, i got the lever on and decided to try it without installing greedier pads. The lever does indeed help decently. My initial assessment that raising the pedal via the master cylinder clevis and rod being as good and effective as using an aftermarket, adjustable dogbone may be incorrect, as I am now considering that the inital angle of the brake lever bracket may also have a role to play in terms of pedal "difficulty", so Ive ordered a link to play with. Furthermore, there is at least an additional .25" of the rotor that should be getting swept, but the pad shape and caliper have been made too small. I will play with "tuning" the angle of the lever to see if what the optimal angle is, then move to pads, and if it is still lacking, it will be time for the Berringer rear caliper.

 

Alright, after further examination, the factory dogbone link was rubbing into the mid control mount, as can be seen by the marks left in the picture beneath the rod end. I got the aftermarket link today, and I machined a .1875 spacer for each mount bolt to install on TOP of the .25" spacers that came with the extended brake lever bracket kit- the kit comes with longer bolts to accommodate the spacers, and Ill get bolts about .25 longer to accommodate mine for full engagement of the threads in the frame to mount . This gives me about .10 clearance between the rod end and mount, so no more rubbing. Pedal is a tick higher and pedal feel is much better, and I can actually activate the ABS and make the rear tire squeak a little as the tire threatens to lose grip and lock up and the ABS kicks in to stop it. So, this setup with sintered pads and grippier tires will most certainly equate to adequate stopping power.

 

I purchased this brake pedal link after DSM11 posted it. Received it yesterday and installed it on the bike after work.
I didn't have clearance issues like DSM11 did, there's enough slop at the 2 mid-control mount bolts to angle the front slightly down while tightening for enough clearance.
So far my thoughts on the pedal link are kind of mixed. I wasn't too thrilled that I had to space the footpeg mount out by using the spacer included to gain enough clearance for the longer link. But, after a quick ride to the grocery store down the street, I feel like this link made my rear brake actually usable and allowed much better modulation of the rear brake.

 

Indeed, I used the slop myself to angle the mount to gain clearance, but in my case, it was still hitting. The link I got is only 28.00 on ebay, and the rod ends are the same diameter as the factory dogbone, so no issues there, With the rod ends all the way in the link, it gets the pedal just a tick higher than you can get it with the master cylinder adjustment, and now that mine isnt rubbing and limiting my travel, its quite nice. Heres a link to the.... link! haha
https://www.ebay.com/itm/335244461903

 

I purchased a similar dogbone link on ebay a while back so I already have it. I thought the link from ebay was actually too long so took the opportunity to cut about 1/8" off one end while I had everything apart yesterday. Even with 1/8" removed I can still bottom the rod end all the way in the dogbone so plenty of depth there. My reasoning to do that is so I can have a higher pedal than stock but with the master cylinder clevis at the same spot as stock or even shorter than stock in an attempt to have the brake link to be as close to vertical as possible.