I am just wondering.
I have changed hundreds of sets of automotive brake pads and its a simple process of taking the cap off the reservoir, pressing the pistons back up into the calipers, and re-install everything.
On my FLH should I take the cap off the reservoir and risk getting fluid spillage or just slowly push the pistons back and go for it?
Thanks in advance.

 

Very much the same thing, I changed fluid at the time so I sucked some out of the master cylinders first then collapsed the caliper. when done pumped new fluid thru the bleeders til new came out. Done

 

clean all around the pistons with a paint brush

open bleeder, (with tubing to direct spluge)

push in pistons

close bleeder

this will expel the dirtiest of the fluid


top off reservoir

mike

 

You can go to pharmacy and get a small syphon tube similar to eye dropper. First remove some fluid from master cylinder and do the brakes as usual. refill master cylinder. Bleeding is not necessary but I would recommend it to flush out the old brake fluid as it calls for in the manual every 2 years.

 

I would check out the Lyndall racing brakes web page, there were some really good tips on doing brakes and cleaning the calipers.

 

Do I even have to take the cover off the reservoir or can I just leave it on?

 

It's recommended that you remove the master cylinder cover and remove some of the fluid .... Do you know if there has been fluid added to the system over time? ... If so there could/would be more fluid than the master reservoir could handle.

 

Thanks for posting. Reminds me that I need to purge and replace my fluid.

 

Wouldn't it be easier and less messy to replace the pads without opening the brake lines? That's what I did with mine, just take a large flat screwdriver and push the pistons back into the caliper before removing the old pads.

Once the brakes are back on then put a drain line on the bleeder and change the fluid. No mess no fuss.

 

Do not take fluid out of the system when changing brake pads. When the pistons come back out to the normal position you'll be low on brake fluid.