Rear brake question

[sgt_1230]

I know this is the touring forum and the question is about a trike, but thought it would maybe get a better response here and maybe some touring riders have run into this too.
My wifes 2012 TriGlide had the recall on the master cylinder done over the winter and we just rode it for the first time on Wednesday. The pedal is solid and not spongy, but you have to depress it almost 5-6" before the brakes apply. I also have a 2012 tri glide, but mine was just delivered in feb so it already had the new style master cylinder on it. My brakes engage within a half inch or so of the pedal being pressed, which is what hers did before the recall was done. I stopped and spoke with the service manager on Thursday and he said this is the 3rd trike they have had the same complaint about. He said the other 2 have not even had the recall done on them yet. He said he had a call into tech at HD and would let me know what he found out. He also checked the work order and it says the brakes were bled. I know the mechanic and if he said he bled them, I know it was done. Anyone else heard of a problem like this?

 

[Bodeen]

If you pump the brake, does it get better?

 

[dbmg]

I hope they figure out what is going on. Just a hunch but wonder if rear master is for a 2 wheeler and not a trike. Or a defective proportioning valve. 5-6 inches is way to far to depress especially trying to stop 1200 pounds of machine. Please for your wife's safety do not give up the ghost and wait for dealers reply. Pursue it.....:s

 

[HDDon]

I totally agree with dbmg. This is a safety issue, not only is she trying to stop a large trike, the response time would be almost tripled with that much travel in the pedel. It needs to go back to the dealer before she rides any further.

 

[fin_676]

It does sound a wee bit like the master cylinder is not the correct size for 2 brake callipers

Brian

 

[brownfoxx1]

this is the firsr i've heard about the master cyl. recall.i would rig up a piece a tubeing with a vacuum "T" and bleed the rear master cylinder & hold the end over the opem resivor & slowly bleed the brakes. as there isn't any adjustment on the cartrage assembly , all you can do is bleed,bleed,bleed.
i have went to the performance machine stage 1 brake system. 2 pistons for each caliper. also did the fronts. i feel 10 out of 10 better brakeing system. i now use the rear brakes just as much as i do the fronts.
i know it cost 1400.00, but at times eastern performance offers them for 1188.00 on-line.
bottom line if i can avoid a accident its worth it. just my opinion.
good luck.

 

[sgt_1230]

Pumping the pedal makes absolutely no difference. I would compare it to this, hop in a new car and press on the brake pedal...almost no travel and you have good solid brakes. That is what my trike is like. Hop on my wifes and press the brake and there is 3.5-4 inches of travel(I measured it today) and then a good solid pedal, about like jumping into a 1990 Buick Lesabre with 200K miles and half worn out rear brakes where the pedal just has a LOT of travel before you get any brake response. The brakes work fine, just excessive travel before you get anything. I believe all the touring series from 09-12 (early 12 models) were affected by the recall and need the "new" master cylinder. The strange thing was the service manager said that my wifes is the 3rd one with the excessive brake pedal travel reported to him in the last week and hers is the only one of the 3 that has had the recall done on it. The brakes work, but a panic stop might be a bad thing until the problem is corrected.

 

[Jack Klarich]

Pumping the pedal makes absolutely no difference. I would compare it to this, hop in a new car and press on the brake pedal...almost no travel and you have good solid brakes. That is what my trike is like. Hop on my wifes and press the brake and there is 3.5-4 inches of travel(I measured it today) and then a good solid pedal, about like jumping into a 1990 Buick Lesabre with 200K miles and half worn out rear brakes where the pedal just has a LOT of travel before you get any brake response. The brakes work fine, just excessive travel before you get anything. I believe all the touring series from 09-12 (early 12 models) were affected by the recall and need the "new" master cylinder. The strange thing was the service manager said that my wifes is the 3rd one with the excessive brake pedal travel reported to him in the last week and hers is the only one of the 3 that has had the recall done on it. The brakes work, but a panic stop might be a bad thing until the problem is corrected.

Is there any adjustment on the linkage for free travel? Sounds to me like a bad master