[kuhlka]

So far I've replaced my stock;

-master cylinder for a 5/8 Nissin MC (mushiness could be a Nissin issue though...)

-brake lines for dual Goodridge clear stainless lines (stock lines were stainless, but black-coated, but I removed the fender cross-over)

-reservoir for a Rizoma billet reservoir (looks nicer and is a bottom-feed rather than side-feed)


I plan to swap out my slightly warped rotors for wave rotors and eventually get a GSXR1k USD front end so I'd have Tokico radial calipers. I'll post up if there is an immediate difference, but until then, shoot up fixes.

Doing a caliper rebuild kit will return the braking to good quality, but then I've heard they return to mush after another 1,000 miles or so.

You can also do the 'piston push' by compressing the pistons into the calipers by pusing on the pads. This is a temporary fix at best and generally only lasts for 20 miles or so if you're lucky.

Mushy brake syndrome has been reported on 98-06 Speed Triples, Sprint ST's, Daytonas, and even the new 675. Triumph is apparently currently investigating the problem...

 

[dfib]

Was talking to the local dealer the other day and he was telling me about their method of re-bleeding the brakes that often cured the mushy brake feel.  It was quite the process - it involved leaving the brake lever zip-tied as tight as you could get it overnight, then rebleeding the brakes.  He said he's done it on his 650 last year, his 675 this year and has had no brake problems since.....  His thought is a bad bleeding procedure done at triumph, or a system that is hard to bleed.....  Now I need to email him and find out exactly what the procedure is again.......

 

[AlaskaS3]

Please do.
Other than that, I was thinking of getting one of those pumps that fills the system from the caliper. Maybe that would work???

 

[kuhlka]

Or you could just get a MC banjo which has a bleeder built into it? The GSXR600k5 radial MC I bought has a bleeder right on the MC!

 

[Guest]

Bled mine last WE - easy!
Replaced the pads for EBC HH, and the banjo's for SS items!

No sponginess, they are rock solid - proved on the MOT brake test - 155!!

 

[Guest]

I have been using DOT 4.5 - synthetic fluid with a higher boiling point than 4.1. I don't have the brake issues others have on thier bike, but I do flush the system each season. My lever move a bit before the brakes grap, but not as much as others seem to have.

The 06 GSXR brake upgrade does sound interesting.

Hedge - How much do the EBC HH pads improve over stock? I am nearing time to replace my stock ones.

 

[Avi8or]

I've done the 5/8 master, twin lines, teflon tape on the bleed screw threads, and EBC HH pads.
No mushiness after 2 months. Single finger braking!

 

[Guest]

My brakes felt awful, so I bled the system dry and replaced the banjos for stainless ones (just because I like stainless! It's a bit silly fitting stainless lines and then using cheap and nasty banjos, cmon Triumph!) Anyway, when the system was dry the resevoir had what can only be described as a waxy substance in the bottom, almost completely blocking the feed to the m/c. ( the bike is only 9 months old). Having got rid of this and renewed the fluid, the lines, the banjos, ( I replaced the lines with the same config as standard), I have had brilliant, 1 finger brakes ever since. I replaced the

 

[Guest]

Tiller,
I found the same stuff in my reservoir the first time I flushed them (when the bike was a couple of weeks old). I have never had the brake problems others have had, but I wonder IF a part of the problem many describe can be traced to the fluid? This substance could easily cause the caliper piston sticking issues.

My brakes levers do have a bit of travel before they bite, but that is the lever and master cylinder design. As a result, I am interested in the GSXR Tokico calipers and master cylinder swap. This is fairly cheap at the current e-bay pricing. A set of EBC HH pads added at the same time might be the answer.