need help with front brake reservoir

[Pork Chop]

My front brake needs bleeding but the top of the brake reservoir is stuck on. I gave it a light tap with a hammer and screwdriver but it didn't budge. Not wanting to wreck it, i thought i would consult the forum elders. Is there a trick to this? Should i heat it with a heat gun? Squirt with wd40?

Thanks.

 

[16VGTIDave]

Make sure to have a JIS bit and use a small impact driver. If you don't have a JIS bit, you can try modifying a Philips bit to fit better. Some home improvement stores have special bits for drywall / Sheetrock installation that sometimes work better.

Anti-seize is your friend when you go to reinstall those screws.

 

[xschris]

After you get them out replace them with stainless steel ones they will out last the bike

 

[SandyR]

I don't want to be the bearer of bad news but I just went through the same thing. With the screw heads facing up and the weather they are exposed to around here there wasn't much left to work with. I ended up attempting to drill them out. I managed to drill about 1/2 an inch dead center into one and still no success removing it. I have a new m/c on the way from Ebay. Ended up ordering one for a Honda as it was much cheaper and has the same bore size. I've got an adapter to deal with the left hand threads for the mirror mount. Good luck.
Sandy

 

[drewpy]

I had this on one bike and just drilled off the heads.

took the cap off and used pliers to undo the ends of the screws.

 

[JPaganel]

Mine is just badly weathered and has a missing screw, which makes it leak.

So far as I can tell, there are no replacement reservoirs out there.

I ordered that same Honda lever set with a metal reservoir.

 

[Specdog]

I had the same problem with my MC screws when I got the bike in January. You won't have any success with penetrating fluid since the screws are one inch away from contacting the female threads. I did what Dave has suggested and used a impact driver. Tap the bit onto the screw head first, then insert the driver and hit it sharply. it worked perfectly for me.

 

[Pork Chop]

Thanks guys, I used some brawn and cursing and that did the trick. Now the bloody lid of the reservoir is stuck on. Trying to jimmy it open with a screwdriver just chews up metal. Is heat gun a good idea?

 

[cope849]

I would try the heat gun and heat just the cap the best you can.

Posted via Mobile

 

[16VGTIDave]

Try a butane or propane torch and heat the reservoir, not the cap. Move quickly and tap the lid with a soft hammer to break up the corrosion and free the lid.

Posted via Mobile

 

[XSLeo]

On replacement master cylinders going to a smaller bore size will improve the braking. If your stock bore is 14 mm and you are using one caliper an 11 mm bore will greatly improve the brakes. Stronger and better feel.
Do that and get braided stainless steel lines and you won't believe how much better your brakes are.
Leo