Winnipeg_79_XS400

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So while trying to flush and change my front brake fluid this happened.

Do you guys think their is any way I can salvage this/repress the female ends back into the reservoir? I do have one on order from @hina, but I need a second COA
 

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Haven't seen that happen before. Could probably press them back in.
Maybe soak in hot water first to make the plastic slightly malleable?

As an alternative, on later models the screws go all the way through the reservoir into threaded holes in the metal master cylinder assembly below. The later models do have more metal there to accommodate the threads but you may be able to do something similar.

I tried reproducing the reservoirs from a mold last year. The project went on the backburner but I might get around to casting another.
 
Haven't seen that happen before. Could probably press them back in.
Maybe soak in hot water first to make the plastic slightly malleable?

As an alternative, on later models the screws go all the way through the reservoir into threaded holes in the metal master cylinder assembly below. The later models do have more metal there to accommodate the threads but you may be able to do something similar.

I tried reproducing the reservoirs from a mold last year. The project went on the backburner but I might get around to casting another.


I believe my replacement is a newer model and is aluminium (not plastic), fingers crossed that it's not a POS lol.

Never too sure with the orders from over seas, that said my handle bars were good to go (I did have to drill out the center to fix my end mirrors)

Thanks for the input
 
Make sure the new master has a 14mm bore piston. Using one with a smaller bore will give you less braking power.
 
Make sure the new master has a 14mm bore piston. Using one with a smaller bore will give you less braking power.

I think this maybe incorrect. Smaller bore on the master will increase the stroke needed to move the caliper piston the same distance but will actually increase the pressure going to the caliper.
http://www.markwilliams.com/braketech.aspx

And if one wants the best information on brakes contact this guy:

https://www.vintagebrake.com/mastercylinder.htm

He advised me on setting up the front brake on my Sportster sidecar. I had originally installed a genuine Harley dual disc conversion that came with a larger bore master than the single disk used. While it did work okay I was interested in what Michael would suggest. He said use the stock master cylinder for the single disk and to use stainless braided lines to control stretch in lines. Much better brake and it works out cheaper to boot!
 
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Make sure the new master has a 14mm bore piston. Using one with a smaller bore will give you less braking power.

Maybe I misread what you wrote or just plain did not understand what you were saying but here is a direct quote out of the customfighters.com link you posted:

Smaller master cylinder
If you decrease the master cylinder size, you actually GAIN in braking power due to the increased hydraulic advantage you gain.

The under lines and bolding are mine to emphasize what I was trying to say in my first post.
 
Yes this is correct BUT you loose leverage or travel on the handle. It states that you can even bottom out the lever before enough pressure is applied for stopping the bike.

Smaller master cylinder
If you decrease the master cylinder size, you actually GAIN in braking power due to the increased hydraulic advantage you gain. Brilliant, why don't we all do it?

Well, because you also increase lever travel. In some cases it's so bad that the lever hits the bar, maybe trapping your fingers before you stop hard. This is a Bad Thing! In some case, where the brakes as standard are "wooden", fitting a smaller master cylinder can improve them massively (xj600s) but if the brakes are already fine, you may end up with them feeling vague or spongy, or trapping your fingers.
 
Yes this is correct BUT you loose leverage or travel on the handle. It states that you can even bottom out the lever before enough pressure is applied for stopping the bike..

True.
And this was the reason it was suggested to replace the rubber hoses with the stainless braid lines to eliminate the stretch in the rubber lines. The result on the Sportster was that doubling the area of the calipers while staying with the same size master and substituting the stainless lines I have better brakes with less pressure needed on the lever and if anything less travel on the lever.

Not trying to say there will be a problem with sticking with the stock bore on the master just that it might be worth talking to a brake expert like MMM to see if there is room for an improvement.
 
If he wants to have better brakes he should replace the caliper and rotor with a modern setup, like a brembo. Some people on here have done this already.
 
Decided to refinish my front controls! This Plasti dip worked amazing! I'm going to shave my lights down tonight, may try this spray to smoke my turn signals!
 

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I can get ethanol-free 94 in this part of Canada.
Will usually go with 87 but if I know the bike won't be ridden as often I'll use the ethanol-free 94 in the hope that it won't gum up the carbs as much.
 
These call for 91 octane fuel. I have have been running the non-ethanol 91 this year for the first time and all seems well. I also use a bit of the lucas fuel treatment to help keep things lubed. In the past I used 93 ethanol with yamaha ethanol fuel conditioner and that also seemed fine. The gas station just down the road never had the non-ethanol stuff till just this past year so now it's easier to get.
 
I went to my garage this am and sae a puddle of gas underneath my bike. After closer inspection it would appear the carburetor on the left was leaking gas all night into my air box then in turn it was leaking from the airbox on the ground.

I went for a ride yesterday. I thought that I was running out of gas so I changed the petcock from primary to secondary. And left it there. Could that have been the culprit?
 
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