XJ1100 brake lines replacement

[HalfCentury]

I am replacing all of the OEM rubber brake lines. The front 3 are installed.

The rear line and mid line are somewhat buried. Where the rear caliper line terminates is boxed in by the rear fender, he battery box and the rear master cylinder.

Is there a trick to replacing these two lines or do I have a massive disassembly task in store?

[motoman]

I am replacing all of the OEM rubber brake lines. The front 3 are installed.

The rear line and mid line are somewhat buried. Where the rear caliper line terminates is boxed in by the rear fender, he battery box and the rear master cylinder.

Is there a trick to replacing these two lines or do I have a massive disassembly task in store?

Well, since it uses a linked brake system.......a bit more involved.

[HalfCentury]

Well, since it uses a linked brake system.......a bit more involved.

Hello Motoman

Thank you for the reply. There will be no change to the behavior of the brake system. I just want to replace the lines that appear to need some disassembly of the fender, battery box, etc. I am looking for steps to expose the rear two lines to be replaced. Right now there is no way to get a wrench on the banjo bolt behind the rear master cylinder.

[mlew]

Easiest way is to unbolt the master cylinder and let it be free in that little space.. It will move enough in there to get wrenches on the banjo bolts to loosen them. Install the lines the same way with the MC loose . Tighten the lines then bolt the MC in place. That method has worked well for me several times.

[CatatonicBug]

Mine is a MNS, but uses the same linked brakes as the XJ. In fact, I actually have an XJ rear MC on mine. I loosen the plastic inner fender from the frame and squeeze my hand and a wrench in there to access the rear connection. The front connection can be accessed from the front without removing anything (better to loosen it before removing the mounting bolts, to retain leverage). After the banjo bolts are cracked open, you can usually remove the mounting bolts and do the rest by hand. If you are removing the MC from the bike, slide it to the rear, between the frame and the plastic inner fender.

Be sure to wash all the spilled fluid off the bike after you get done, or it will eat the paint...

[HalfCentury]

Thanks guys. I will try the inner fender first. If that does not work I will try the rear master cylinder. It looks like removing the rear master cylinder requires disconnecting the brake pedal linkage.

[CatatonicBug]

It looks like removing the rear master cylinder requires disconnecting the brake pedal linkage.

No, it doesn't. Once you remove the two mounting bolts and lift the MC up, the brake pedal linkage just falls away. Just remember that in reverse when you are re-installing. I have gotten it all back together and forgotten to put the linkage back up many times...

[HalfCentury]

I unbolted the MC. No way would it move more than a couple millimeters in any direction.

Next was to pop out the inner fender from the slots that hold it in place behind the MC. That allowed access to the rear banjo bolt. Once the rear line was disconnected, the MC could move enough to loosen the banjo bolt on the front of the MC. That is a REALLY TIGHT space to get a wrench into. The wrench would only turn a minuscule amount.

Removing the MC required rotating it in place to allow squeezing it out between the inner fender and the frame.

I am going to rebuild the MC while the lines are being replaced.

Not looking forward to shoving all of that back together inside that tight space.

[CatatonicBug]

Yeah, it's a tight fit. Now that you've done the disassembly though, the reassembly should be pretty easy. Just go in reverse!