Hey guys. I have a 2012 road king police, I noticed that my cover on my front brakes Is starting to leak a little, and it’s all corroded from the brake fluid Is it just a case of unscrewing the old one and putting a new cover and gasket on? I’m not too mechanically inclined but I could handle a couple of screws I guess. Or does it require bleeding the brakes, etc. Ryan

 

No bleeding required if the reservoir is full, have you tried tightening down the screws on the original cover? if you have and it still leaks, rap some rags around the reservoir take the cap off and replace. its that easy, do not get any fluid on the paint.

rk classic.

 

I've had thay happen on all my Harleys. They don't have to be torqued down that much. Replacing the rubber is easy.

 

RK Classic is correct, however I just may add that you should inspect the master cylinder housing mating surface. If lightly corroded I would remove the fluid then clean and stuff with rags. Very lightly sand the mating surface with fine emery cloth to remove any high spots.
Remove rags and re clean the reservoir, most important to remove all debris before refilling and bleeding. Do not over tighten the cover screws, my manual says 7-10 inch pounds but I think that spec has been increased slightly, someone else can chime in here. I use my common sense finger meter. Hopefully you will not have to do this but it is something to try before replacing the master cylinder assembly.
Perhaps you may have a friend that could do this for you as you say that mechanical things are not your style. I am betting that just a cover will do the trick.
Mike

 

There's gotta be a reason H-D hasn't come up with a better fastener setup. Two screws diagonally from each other seems like a leak waiting to happen. Why not one screw on each corner or a screw on cover like other manufacturers use? Are the covers supposed to "breathe? FWIW, mine leaks, too. I've replaced the OEM gasket twice already on my '14 Limited and it still leaks. No, I don't over-tighten them. I use my thumb and index finger to tighten the screws.

 

Those small gaskets can be tricky.
I recommend parking and turning the bars to level up the reservoir the best you can, cover to protect from any spills, and remove the cover and gasket and inspect closely. Do this in a well lit area. If it all looks good, top off with fluid if needed, and CAREFULLY reinstall. Haste at this step is what causes most problems IMHO. Odds are pretty good that this may cure your problem.
It would probably be a good idea to flush your brake system, too.
Good luck!

 

Get a new cover and gasket. Clean the meta mating surfaces with alcohol before you install new parts.

 

Ok super dumb question time. Do I have to put the bike level on a lift to undo the cover? If it’s on the jiffy stand, will it start spilling fluids if I take off the cover? What should I be looking for when I undo it? Debris of any kind. If it looks clean I’m good? Thanks for all the quick responses. Ryan

 

No, you don't need to put it on a lift. Just turn the handlebars so that the reservoir is level. If the fluid was at the correct level when the brake pads were new, you should not top off brake fluid. The fluid level drops with brake pad wear. Get yourself a service manual if you don't already have one.

 

I bled my brakes this spring, 17 Road King. Everything went fine until I couldnt get the lids to quit leaking, well common sense said to keep tightening. It got worse. I think most leaks if gasket is ok is overtighting. I got a small torque wrench on Amazon. 10 in pounds isnt very much