350x brakes suck...why??

[DeePa]

When i was riding a month or so ago, i pulled in the front brake handle, felt a little pop or so...or something didnt feel right, then the brakes didnt work as well.

I figured the master cylinder let go, so i bought a rebuild kit, and rebuilt it.

I went to bleed it and it wouldnt get nice and hard like it used to be and like the one on my 250r is. THe one on my r is so strong that if i stand up and slam the front brakes, ill go over the handlebars. THis is how i want the 350x to be.

I figure its my shitty brake bleeder kit, so i order a mityvac vaccumm bleeder off of ebay. It works great but i still cant get the lever to get nice and firm. If i let it sit for 3 minutes, and go and pull it, its soft. If i pull it 8-10 times, it gets harder and works a little better, but its still no where near how it used to be and how i want it to be.

What else could be the problem here? THe brake line is a stainless steel one, so i dont think that its flexing, causing spongy brakes.

I have no idea whats wrong. No fluid leaks whatsoever. All i can think of now is that it has to be the caliper. What could go wrong inside the caliper so make it suck? I thought about puting the front tire up vertical and bleeding them that way, maybe to move any air pockets around, but the mityvac bleeder should have taken care of that.

What else can i do? Should i just pick up another caliper? It looks to be in good shape and i greased the hell out of it when i changed my brake pads.

Please help, im starting to hate this 350x...i was thinking about selling it because of all this crap...


Thanks,
Mike

[mike from long island]

ya brakes are a pain. so is the 350x!!! why not sell that piece of junk to me!!! got any pics?

[DeePa]

http://members.cox.net/deepa20/P1000349.jpg

[mike from long island]

o ya definitly not worth fixing the brakes!! sell sell SELL!!!

[Dammit!]

If i let it sit for 3 minutes, and go and pull it, its soft. If i pull it 8-10 times, it gets harder and works a little better

What are we talking about again?

[ChrisD]

I don't know but I always thought ATC brakes were easy. Leave the bottom valve open and keep filling the resivoir and that's it. I always got the air out easily. It's not like a car with "2 miles" of break line.

[mike from long island]

you might not be getting all the air out. i bleed my own brakes and have died yet lol.

[Erics350x]

sounds like air in the system somewhere. i would guess the caliper is letting air in.

[DeePa]

oh you know what im talking about...

i know there has to be air...but where? the bleeder valve has teflon on the threads.

all of the bolts are tight...if air is getting in...there should be fluid leaking out right?

im going to take the caliper off of the bike today, and try to bleed the braked at different angles so any air pockets are moved around.

im really lost at what else it could be.

thanks for your help

mike

[mean350]

i have a pproblem with brakes also. my front ones stick every time i press them in.
my back ones will not get pressure. how are you bleeding them? i keep the bleeder tight, pump them up about 15 times hold them in and loosen the bleeder then tighten it back up . repaet that until fluid comes out of the bleeder.

[DeePa]

i did that many many times until no air bubbles and its still all messed up...i dont understand why...something else must be screwed up somewhere


mike

[edog]

Check to make shure the Banjo fittings are tight.