"Flash"ter cylinder

[xs11bobber]

I've spent numerous hours looking for something like this...


All I can find are ones that will fit a 1", 9/16", and 5/8" bar. Does anyone know of a company that makes one for our 7/8"?

If unable to find one, that leaves me with 2 options:
- I can buy the 5/8" and pray for enough material to have it machined to fit the 7/8" bars
- I can have my top triple tree and clamp machined to fit either 9/16" or 1" HD bars.

Option 2 would be a last resort because I already have the bars, grips, controls, and throttle sleeve in the mail to fit 7/8" bars.

So, anyone feel free to chime in here...

[Bigleo]

master cylinder.

Hi, Partsnmore has them in black. If you wanted to polish them to aluminum it shouldn't be too hard to do. I think they were about $70.
Leo

[petejw]

Hi Josh,
This is off my 81 sports, was originally black
with a bit of paint stripper and polish it comes up a treat.

[red bandit]

Buy the 1" and use a 1/16 shim around the bar. JAT.

[Ivan]

You might look for one off an early Venture on ebay. They had the same style bars as the XJ with longer risers, and have the solid metal MC and no plastic tank for the fluid. Also have the 7/8 diameter. They should buff up very nicely.

[xs11bobber]

Buy the 1" and use a 1/16 shim around the bar. JAT.

Any thoughts on where I could find a 1/16" shim with a 7/8" center?

I could probably have one made that would replicate a bushing and then cut it in half. If the cut wouldn't give me enough pressure to squeeze the bar I could take a dremel to it and open the gap a little bit. Anyone think this would look hoky? fake? like garbage?

I also like the stripper to a black finish then buff idea. I think that would save me some $$$ there so I'm going to look into that. Thanks for the ideas.

[Ken Talbot]

Any thoughts on where I could find a 1/16" shim with a 7/8" center?

How about start with a flat piece of 1/16" thick copper. By the time you bend it around the handlebar with one or two hose clamps, it will have the 7/8" ID you're after. A piece as wide as the MC clamping area, by just a hiar less than 2 3/4" long should do.

[xs11bobber]

After checking around the house and through toolboxes, trays, cabinets, cans and everywhere else... I have ZERO copper. Smallest size I found on eBay was 12x12. 1/16" copper is the equivalent to 16 gauge sheet metals. Anyone have a sliver lying around I can purchase?

[xs11bobber]

I wonder how thick the material is for something close to 7/8" ID copper pipe fitting... I don't even have any of those, lol.

[DGXSER]

Wrap the bar with electrical tape or similar just a bit smaller than the width of the clamp area. Easy to build up 1/16" and not be visible. That is how I got my left grip to stay on nicely.

[Ivan]

some .060 shim stock (feeler gauge) should work ok.

[DiverRay]

some .060 shim stock (feeler gauge) should work ok.

Shim stock is available at a GOOD hardware store. So is aluminum bar stock as well as steel. Ace is the place......

[fredintoon]

Sleeve it?

I've spent numerous hours looking for something like this... - - - -
All I can find are ones that will fit a 1", 9/16", and 5/8" bar. Does anyone know of a company that makes one for our 7/8"?
So, anyone feel free to chime in here...

Hi Josh,
buy the 1" unit and cut a strip of 16 gauge aluminum sheet to wrap around the 7/8" bar to make an adapter sleeve.
BTW, are you sure the 9/16" & 5/8" numbers are bar sizes? More likely they are different piston sizes, and you'd better be sure you get the right size there, too.

[xs11bobber]

Hi Josh,
buy the 1" unit and cut a strip of 16 gauge aluminum sheet to wrap around the 7/8" bar to make an adapter sleeve.
BTW, are you sure the 9/16" & 5/8" numbers are bar sizes? More likely they are different piston sizes, and you'd better be sure you get the right size there, too.

Ok Fred... fill me in there too... piston sizes(aka bore)? Why do they need to be a specific size?

I was curious abot this AFTER bidding on one on eBay, so I think I already F***'d up. So's not to worry about it too much, I confinced myself as long as I could get a good seal on the banjo bolt with my brake line I'd be ok. Apparently, I'm going to screw myself. Please explain...

...After doing some double checking, the 5/8 was a bore. I'm unsure about the 9/16 because I can't find it again. I'm pretty sure that one was a set of bars though.

[fredintoon]

Ok Fred... fill me in there too... piston sizes(aka bore)? Why do they need to be a specific size? - - - -

Hi Josh,
it's a ratio thing, equivalent to the leverage in a mechanical system. The master cylinder bore has to be a certain size compared to the size and number of seals in the calipers or the brakes don't work right. Too small and the lever pulls right back to the grip before the brake operates; too large and the brakes feel like wood.
Mike Morse's vintage brake site has a chart about it
http://www.vintagebrake.com/
On opening the site, click on "front brake master cylinder chart"
BTW, the stock bore of my XS11SG's m/c is 11/16". If you replace the stock fabric-wound brake lines with stainless steel wire-wound lines a 5/8" m/c will most likely work OK.