2012 RS brake problem

[dmcb]

The left front brake caliper is hanging up. Dealer wants $1,072.00 to replace. Part available on the internet for less than $200. Dealer says it is 3 hours just to bleed the brakes. This sounds crazy to me. Is this right?
I have changed brakes on a car. Is this that much different. Is it something I can do?
Is the dealer ripping me off?
I told him I would wait so I am not committed.
Doug

 

[supersuk]

Changing the caliper is easy and you can do that yourself. The trouble is bleeding the brakes. You need BUDS to be able to completely bleed the brakes from the ABS system.

I'm currently R&Ring my brake system due to corrosion of the brake lines and aesthetics of the calipers. Since i'm in Hawaii and there is no Can Am dealers here, i'm trying to find a way to completely bleed the brakes without using BUDS. First thing i'm going to try is to bleed all the brakes as best I can. Then i'll try to activate the ABS pump by putting the spyder up on jack stands, removing the caliper that I want to bleed off the rotor and to the side near the A-Arm, spin the other two tires and depress the brakes lightly. This in theory should activate the ABS pump on the tire that isn't rotating. Of course i'll have to be bleeding the caliper while depressing the brakes and make sure that there is a spacer between the brake pads on the caliper that i'm bleeding. Hoping that this will activate the pump and force the air out of it. I'll also need 2-3 people to make this work. Follow my thread to see if it works.

 

[dmcb]

I suppose this is just to easy but can you use a vacuum pump to bleed them? I changed brakes on a vehicle once and just could't bleed them. Used a marine oil vacuum tank and it pulled the fluid through the system.

 

[Mikey]

I suppose this is just to easy but can you use a vacuum pump to bleed them?

I believe you can and what little fluid you can not get out of the abs unit will not matter. What I have heard is make sure you do not turn the key on during the bleeding, that will or may throw a code and then you'll need the BUDS.

 

[Rob Rodriguez]

Here is a video showing how this guy replaced his brake fluid.

 

[supersuk]

I've read that you can use a vacuum pump to bleed everything, but I don't have access to one. I've also read that people have tried and tried to bleed their brakes and could not get rid of the soft brake pedal until it was taken to the dealer to remove air trapped in the ABS system. BUDS will activate the ABS pump to push the air out of the unit. Since my brake system was disassembled in its entirety, i'm sure i'm going to have a lot of air trapped in the ABS pump. When I purchased the spyder, it was already throwing the codes for the brakes. The codes will disappear once you've corrected the problems, but will be stored in memory that it happened.

 

[Chupaca]

Bummer.....

According to the BRP flat rate manual....caliper 1.3 hours and bleeding/replacing fluid 3.0. Thing is if you are only changing the caliper you would only need to you do not need to do the whole system. They also have included the BUDS needed to bleed and flush the nanny controled section. If the brake is hanging up what is the reason. Could just need new pins or piston seals. I would pull the caliper apart and pop the piston out remove the seals and clean it all up. Some times it is only dirt under the seals. If it is a damaged caliper then you will have to replace it....:dontknow:

 

[supersuk]

I've talked to a dealer in California regarding replacement parts for the caliper, they said not available. Only thing available is a replacement caliper. If your seals and pistons on the caliper is all good, then you've lucked out and just need to clean, lube, and reassemble. If the seal is no good, then you'll have to find a replacement seal at the autoparts store. At this rate, i'd just replace the caliper because its a pain in the ass to disassemble and reassemble.

 

[pegasus1300]

I've read that you can use a vacuum pump to bleed everything, but I don't have access to one. I've also read that people have tried and tried to bleed their brakes and could not get rid of the soft brake pedal until it was taken to the dealer to remove air trapped in the ABS system. BUDS will activate the ABS pump to push the air out of the unit. Since my brake system was disassembled in its entirety, i'm sure i'm going to have a lot of air trapped in the ABS pump. When I purchased the spyder, it was already throwing the codes for the brakes. The codes will disappear once you've corrected the problems, but will be stored in memory that it happened.

with regards to the vacuum pump you can get one fairly cheap at Auto Zone, or NAPA.I think around $30 for a Mity Vac. As to your BUDS problem, I can't help you, sorry.

 

[dmcb]

I don't mind buying a new caliper, its the other $900 I am objecting to. As the only air would be in the new caliper, why wouldn't just bleeding it at that point be possible?
I have not thrown a code. The only thing wrong is a long stroke at the pedal. Thinking about that, wouldn't a hanging caliper lock the brake?
I am very new to this bike. I have to ask, what is Buds?
To change oil in a marine engine that has to be pumped out, I have a tank. The hose is sealed and you pump vacuum in the tank. You insert it in the dipstick hole and the vacuum pulls out the oil. It also works well by putting the hose over the bleed fitting and doing the same thing.
What i don't know is the path of the fluid from the master cylinder. If it would draw fluid directly to the caliper it should work.
Looking on line the caliper seems to be about $170. Can anyone explain how they get $1072 for this job. It seems about $900 labor. They charge $125/hr. They are doing nothing else.

 

[supersuk]

As Chupaca said, best to change out the caliper and try bleeding it yourself. If you still have a soft pedal, then prolly need to take back to a dealer to have the brakes bled using BUDS.

 

[dmcb]

Thanks all. I really appreciate your taking the time to respond.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Brake caliper

I don't mind buying a new caliper, its the other $900 I am objecting to. As the only air would be in the new caliper, why wouldn't just bleeding it at that point be possible?
I have not thrown a code. The only thing wrong is a long stroke at the pedal. Thinking about that, wouldn't a hanging caliper lock the brake?
I am very new to this bike. I have to ask, what is Buds?
To change oil in a marine engine that has to be pumped out, I have a tank. The hose is sealed and you pump vacuum in the tank. You insert it in the dipstick hole and the vacuum pulls out the oil. It also works well by putting the hose over the bleed fitting and doing the same thing.
What i don't know is the path of the fluid from the master cylinder. If it would draw fluid directly to the caliper it should work.
Looking on line the caliper seems to be about $170. Can anyone explain how they get $1072 for this job. It seems about $900 labor. They charge $125/hr. They are doing nothing else.

:yikes: .../ This post with better info changes the Dynamic for me ..... imho , your caliper may not be FROZEN / LOCKED at all..... I would recommend a complete tear down and find out for SURE what is the problem ..... speculation cause grief, expense and it could all be nothing ......jmho ....... Mike :thumbup:

 

[dmcb]

I see your point Mike.
This is going to be put on hold until Dec. I am in Florida now but leaving around the 1st of next month. And the bike is in the shop for another matter.
A plumbing truck rear ended me. The company is footing the bill for repairs which should be done middle of next week. $1600 repair. Light hit at about 35 mph. (I was going that fast) I was thankful for that 3rd wheel on the ground. Btw, a van looks like a mountain in the mirror when its about to hit you. Saw it too late to get enough speed up to get away from it. But it helped. No injury to me.
Doug

 

[Warlock]

Thanks all. I really appreciate your taking the time to respond.

I did my total system and never used Bud's. It's takes time and will need 2 people to do it. I used a long piece of clear hose and added a little brake fluid to it and held it up. That way I never had to open/close bleeder valve. Kept resv full and justed watched the tube to make sure it didn't over flow. The hardest part was bleeding the VSS. Removed the trunk and was still a bugger to get too. Takes a bigger wrench to brake the bleeder loose. Getting ready to replace o rings on a 13 RS SM5 clutch system.
David

 

[dmcb]

I did my total system and never used Bud's. It's takes time and will need 2 people to do it. I used a long piece of clear hose and added a little brake fluid to it and held it up. That way I never had to open/close bleeder valve. Kept resv full and justed watched the tube to make sure it didn't over flow. The hardest part was bleeding the VSS. Removed the trunk and was still a bugger to get too. Takes a bigger wrench to brake the bleeder loose. Getting ready to replace o rings on a 13 RS SM5 clutch system.
David

David, could you explain in a bit more detail what you did. Was the second person just to shut it off while the other made sure the master cyl stayed full?
Thanks
Doug

 

[Warlock]

David, could you explain in a bit more detail what you did. Was the second person just to shut it off while the other made sure the master cyl stayed full?
Thanks
Doug

Had one guy working the brakes and making sure the resv stayed full. I held the hose and watched it to see when the good fluid started comming out

 

[IGETAROUND]

David, could you explain in a bit more detail what you did. Was the second person just to shut it off while the other made sure the master cyl stayed full?
Thanks
Doug

Doug,

The order of bleeding is left front, right front, rear, then the junction block in the center of the bike. As someone else stated go to an auto parts store and buy a mity vac, the only one difficult to do by yourself is the left front without it. Another thing, if you haven't replaced your pads, might want to invest in some new EBC pads from BajaRon. After all the pads are replaced you will have a fuller firmer pedal just from this. And if you haven't disassembled the pins, cleaned and reinstalled them now would be a good time to perfome that also.

Hope this helps. Spyders are no different to bleed than anyother ABS system. I'm fairly certain if I'm wrong others with better infomation will chime in.

Al in Kazoo

 

[supersuk]

I just bled the system yesterday and what a pain in the ass. Remember that i'm starting from a new installation that didn't have any brake fluid in the lines, but did have some in the VSS and brake master. There's a proper procedure you have to follow or you won't be able to get all of the air out of the system, especially in the front calipers. First thing you need to do is remove and relocate the master cylinder reservoir lines so that there is a no valley's or dips in the lines which could trap air. I had to disconnect the two electrical connectors near the right side of the fuel tank, remove the master cylinder reservoir, and relocate the lines so that they are on the outside part of the passenger pegs. Reinstall the master cylinder reservoir and make sure the reservoir lines have a nice slope with no valleys. Then remove the front calipers and the bolt holding the brake lines to the spindle. Relocate the caliper higher on the brake disc so that the bleed screw is at the highest spot. This allows full bleeding of the caliper. You will need to use a large ziptie to hold the caliper. Start with the left caliper, then right, then back, and lastly the VSS. You will need to use a 8mm wrench, well thats what I used for my 2008 GS. The VSS bleed screw requires a 12mm wrench. Good luck!

 

[dmcb]

Were you using vacuum or just free drain?