Front Master Cylinder

[TonimusMaximus]

I gouged out a single c clip. That was all I could even find with all the corrosion. It's real bad. I'll try to send a picture, but I don't know anyone with a digital camera.

[Pat Kelly]

When I bought my bike 3 years ago the front brakes were shot.
The dust boots on the calipers were hanging out, the pistons were stuck in the bores. The piston in the master cylinder was stuck in the applied position. The lever was pushing only the small coil return spring.
I disassembled everything and with liberal amounts of WD40 and working the piston back and forth, got it out.
I still have the original master cyl. and calipers (kits installed). With the SS lines I can do stoppies (well, I did it once) tho I try to avoid it with a 700 lb. bike.
Point is, my front brakes were seized from the bike sitting outside for 20 years. With a little persaverance they can be rebuilt.

With that said... I really would like to replace the mast cyl with a solid one. The plastic resevoir looks brittle and I'd hate to have it break, either accidently or by a vandal.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there Pat,

Your request to replace your Plastic reservoir with a solid one peaked my interest a little. The machinist that I have make the SpinOn oil filter adapters states he can make just about anything with the proper measurements/plans! I realize part of the use of the plastic is that you can see thru it so you can tell how your fluid level is doing. Was wondering if people would be interested in solid replacements made out of BILLET aluminum?? Possibly even come up with one for both front and rear cylinders!?

T.C.

[TonimusMaximus]

I thought about breaking this into a seperate thread, but everyone is already looking at this one. I have the opportunity to buy a Windjammer Vetter fairing and hardbags off a
'79 KZ1000. What conditions with price ranges are reasonable?

[fusionking]

T.C. that's a part I could get into!!!!!!!!

[skippy344]

Billet Res> YES!!

Sign me up for one of those! I am sure a sight glass could be drilled into the res.

[Hobbit]

MC

Put me on your list T.C.
Thanks,Walt

[wildbill]

Hey.Did you ever get your front master cylinder fixed?I checked in the Dennis Kirk catalog for street bikes and found two or three that might work.Some have the remote type cylinder{looks good not cheap though} ought to check it out.Website is: www.denniskirk.com Hope this helps

[scoobes]

there is some brake stuff on ebay at the moment,worth a look.

[MartyA]

so who needs a sight glass? I DO need a reservoir though.

[TonimusMaximus]

I see a guy on thursday about picking one up. It's of a mid '80s Japanese bike. As for my carbs, I'm going to pull the boots off, coat them, and see if it changes the idle speed at all. If it fixes it, I know what the problem was. If it doesn't change it, I'm cleaning some carbs again. So, I'm down to brakes, intakes, and greasing the drive shaft before she's ridable. I'm also about to send out the latest batch of gas cap gaskets. I haven't gotten any feedback from anyone so far, so I guess they work well.

[John]

Why wouldn't most ANY front master cylinder from a Japanese bike with 5/8 handle bars work? They all do the same job. Granted it may look strange...or better. As long as there is a mirror mount in the casting it should work. Don't most Japanese bikes use a banjo type fitting at the master cylinder, and the calipers?

[mitch]

MC

I agree John as long as it will mount on and pump fluid it should work, size of the piston could make a difference . Like one that is off a single or double caliper bike. If both calipers are working on 1 mc then make sure you get one the same or if your MC runs only 1 caliper make sure you get one that is the same. You dont want to do any front wheel stands LOL. Or do you!!.......MITCH

[John]

At least not when the 'stoppie' isn't expected. Can you imagine a 560lb bike coming down on those old rear shocks? Not a pretty picture
Speaking of master cylinders, I wonder how the guy who was going to attempt linking all three of the calipers on his XS to a rear master from an XJ is coming along? Last I heard he was waiting for some S/S brake lines, and fork seals.

[TonimusMaximus]

A 560 lbs bike with 50 lbs of extras and a 280 lbs rider all landing on rear shocks. Most likely to break something. I was going to go check to make sure the banjo bolts were the same size and it was off of a dual front disk. I could make a bracket if I had to get one off a bike with larger handle bars.