ABS line replacement, who here has done it? Any suggestions?

[Pat Conlon]

In anticipation of Paul's new bike...a 1993 ABS model, I am considering replacement of the rubber brake lines.

Any kits or do I have to disassemble and measure each line and order from Spiegler?  Ouch $$$

I appreciate your suggestions, and yes, I am too lazy to search....I know this has been discussed before.

Thanks in advance folks.

[racerrad8]

I installed a pre-made kit from Spiegler on a customers 93 several years ago.

http://www.spieglerusa.com/brake-line-kit-1578.htm

Still ouch...

Randy - RPM

[movenon]

Pat, PM Ron he did that on his bike and I think he had the lines made locally?  Might be in error, just a recall from a conversation. 
George

[FJscott]

I know Ron likes his FJ ABS and is proud of the fact he keeps it working but from what Im told by other FJ ABS owners is they were glad to remove it. Very problematic. I think if it were My Bike I would ditch the ABS...JMHO

Scott

[Capn Ron]

Hey Pat,

George recalls most of that conversation correctly...When I was doing the rebuild on my '92 ABS, I wanted to replace all the OEM rubber lines with stainless.  Turns out, no one made a pre-fab kit for this.  I found out that Galfer is in Camarillo about 20 minutes drive from me, so I worked with them over several weeks to develop a full kit.  Lots of driving back and forth, test fitting and adjusting.

In the end, they now have a full kit.  That is a total of 9 lines to do the front and rear brakes to and from the ABS pump as well as the clutch.  The part number is: FK003D663-9 and can be had for $289 from a few sources.

While doing the search, I found the install instructions, complete with the pictures of the lines on my bike!  My FJ's 15 minutes of fame I guess.   

http://www.galferusa.com/brake-line-instructions/ABS/Kawasaki-Yamaha-Complete-Kits/D663-9%20Std%20Front%20Rear%20and%20Clutch.pdf

[Pat Conlon]

Very, very good Ron! This kit even includes the clutch line....at a much better price than Spiegler.

Randy are you a dealer? I would rather buy from you...

[MOTOMYSZOR]

I wanted replace those short lines from MC to ABS unit with one long braided one and second long from pump to splitter.
That reduces cost, make less connections and You need only 6 brake lines.
You can make custom lines here:  http://www.helperformance.com/create-your-custom-brake-hose.html

[Capn Ron]

I know Ron likes his FJ ABS and is proud of the fact he keeps it working but from what Im told by other FJ ABS owners is they were glad to remove it. Very problematic. I think if it were My Bike I would ditch the ABS...JMHO

Scott

Hey Scott,

I know there are two camps on this topic and there are fewer and fewer hangin' with me around my campfire...Where did everyone go?  

During the rebuild, I kept the ABS setup because I recalled an incident 15 or so years earlier.  The rear ABS kicked in going too hot into a corner on Malibu Canyon and saved me from a rear-wheel low side.  I suppose, if my ABS had any issues, I probably would have ditched it too, but it didn't...so I just hooked up the new lines, bleed the system (well) and moved on.  At this point, I really have no reason to bypass it as it just works.  There are some advantages to getting rid of it, but not compelling enough for me to make any changes so I keep it the way it is.

That being said, heading up to the 2014 WCR, I led the group to a "shortcut" that turned out to be a hilly dirt road through the woods.  Great fun (well, I liked it anyway) and the rear ABS was awesome!  I could just brake and the bike would slow with NO tire slip.  Cool.  Didn't save my life in any way, but was just nice to have and made the dirt road hill descents very comfortable.

THEN...on the way back from the Reno Air Races a few months ago, I had clocked 400 miles of 100+ degree riding through the desert on a sleep-deprived weekend of fun and frivolity!      I was pretty spent and was just two miles from my house.  I was riding a surface street and cars were backed up for three blocks going in the opposite direction.  I rode along well under the speed limit watching for kids darting out between all those cars.  I got just past the school and a CAR darted out between a gap in the traffic and cut right in front of me.  We were essentially blind to each other.  She slammed on her brakes and so did I.  This time, my FRONT ABS kicked in, pulsing lever and all...and brought me to a quick, controlled stop.  I have no doubt that for that incident, ABS kept me from doing a front-wheel low side.

Not trying to make any converts here...it's a personal choice.  A better feeling brake lever would be nice, dropping a few pounds would be nice...Even so, I'll keep my ABS.  

[Capn Ron]

I wanted replace those short lines from MC to ABS unit with one long braided one and second long from pump to splitter.
That reduces cost, make less connections and You need only 6 brake lines.

Yep!  Fewer connections are better...mostly for getting all the air out of the lines.  Air bubbles get trapped in all the little corners.  On the Galfer setup, they make the clutch one continuous line from master cylinder to slave cylinder...eliminating the hard line in the middle.  Nice.

The brake line setup is like OEM with the two hard-lines still utilized.

Oh...and the Galfer lines do have the "clock-able" banjos.

[Pat Conlon]

Thanks MOTO...BTW, what is your first name? I need to do my homework to see what you're referring to...

Good example Ron, I know what you mean, mistakes tend to happen at the end of long rides...

Did you follow up to see the price on welding on a 17" rim band on your back ABS wheel?

[wildfire]

I know Ron likes his FJ ABS and is proud of the fact he keeps it working but from what Im told by other FJ ABS owners is they were glad to remove it. Very problematic. I think if it were My Bike I would ditch the ABS...JMHO

Scott

Scott,

My bike has ABS . Can you expand a little on what problems were experienced with the ABS systems for future reference.

Tom

[Capn Ron]

Good example Ron, I know what you mean, mistakes tend to happen at the end of long rides...

Did you follow up to see the price on welding on a 17" rim band on your back ABS wheel?

I submitted a request for pricing but never got a response.  Another member here hinted at around $600/wheel, but that sounded high.

[racerrad8]

FWIW...

We started with the Galfer lines on the 92 I was changing over for a customer. Two things arose very quickly...

1) We were not able to rotate the ends of the lines to allow the braided sheathing to not have a twist on the kit we received.
2) The kit does not work if if you change over to blue dot calipers.

The nice thing about the Spiegler, is the ends rotate so you can clock them slightly for a better routing and I was able to turn the lower banjo fitting so that is bolted up well with the blue spots.

Randy - RPM

[racerrad8]

I submitted a request for pricing but never got a response.  Another member here hinted at around $600/wheel, but that sounded high.

I read this many moons ago and came across it again this week; http://www.fjmods.co.uk/Wheels.htm#Anchor19883

Randy - RPM

[Pat Conlon]

Thanks Randy, yea I remember reading that...Horst is in Germany...so shipping would be a bitch.

I just got off the phone with Sandy Kosman...THE Sandy Kosman...a true motorcycle legend. Flustered, I spit and sputtered, telling him that I was always a fan of his work...He was very gracious, anyhoo....as Ron indicated, Sandy sold his wheel weld services to Charlie Sullivan in Orlando CA (north of Sacto off the I-5)
(530) 200-3572 I have a call into Charlie now....

I'll report back...