Does this look broken?

[FriendlyFoe]

From my last fall down, stupid brembo lever snapped all the way at the MC (i'll be drilling the ends from now on). So thats just dangling and i havent pulled the dust cap off, never opened a MC before so i'm not sure what it's supposed to look like, and if the hanging out plunger just rests on the MC when the levers properly installed. Or if i should be ordering parts. Probably be the weekend before i have a chance to get my hands actually on my bike again.

 

[JohnnyP636]

From my last fall down, stupid brembo lever snapped all the way at the MC (i'll be drilling the ends from now on). So thats just dangling and i havent pulled the dust cap off, never opened a MC before so i'm not sure what it's supposed to look like, and if the hanging out plunger just rests on the MC when the levers properly installed. Or if i should be ordering parts. Probably be the weekend before i have a chance to get my hands actually on my bike again.

Looks like you ripped the plunger out through the top hat....So you will need a crash repair kit, that includes a new top hat...They are about $50-60, but you will need to know how to change it...Obviously you will also need a new lever

 

[dricked]

Count the turns when you take the top hat off, if you screw it in too far when you reassemble it you endup with a locking front brake after a lap.


Anyone know how to set one of these back up if you didn't count/measure?

 

[JohnnyP636]

Count the turns when you take the top hat off, if you screw it in too far when you reassemble it you endup with a locking front brake after a lap.


Anyone know how to set one of these back up if you didn't count/measure?

That is false, the top hat doesn't even thread in. The snap ring holds it in place, and it just slides in...

Only the billet Brembo masters have a top hat that threads in and requires a special tool to remove and install

 

[dricked]

Really, guess I didn't crash either then lol. The cap that has to be unthreaded to access the circlip is marked with a white line, sorry not the top hat but the first cap that has to be unthreaded.

 

[FriendlyFoe]

That is false, the top hat doesn't even thread in. The snap ring holds it in place, and it just slides in...

Only the billet Brembo masters have a top hat that threads in and requires a special tool to remove and install

Thanks for the advice. I'll order up the repair kit, i'd already looked at the manual for repairing it online and it looks relatively simple. Is there any reason i should be seeing if some kind person on gtam wants to show me how, or if i follow the instructions should it be pretty straight forward?

Oh and i dont go to the track without spare levers i guess i need to add the rebuild kit to my spares bin as well.

 

[JohnnyP636]

Really, guess I didn't crash either then lol. The cap that has to be unthreaded to access the circlip is marked with a white line, sorry not the top hat but the first cap that has to be unthreaded.

Nothing has to be unthreaded, what your are talking about is only to access the piston. Which Brembo does not want you to touch at all, they do not sell any internal parts, for any internal service they want you to send your master to them in Italy. And he does not have to touch any of that to replace the top hat....All he has to do it pull out the rubber boot, which will give him access to the snap ring and top hat...

Like I said only the billet Brembo masters require you to un thread the ring to replace the pin or top hat, what he has there is the forged master not billet

#3 Is the top hat, #2 snap ring holds it in place, #1 is the rubber boot

 

[dricked]

Ok, so that rubber boot just pulls out. I thought the top cap had to be unthreaded to access the circlip to remove the top hat. Thanks for clearing that up. I believe the regular masters (non-rcs type) can be sent to yoyodyne to be serviced instead of Italy.

 

[JohnnyP636]

Ok, so that rubber boot just pulls out. I thought the top cap had to be unthreaded to access the circlip to remove the top hat. Thanks for clearing that up. I believe the regular masters (non-rcs type) can be sent to yoyodyne to be serviced instead of Italy.

I doubt it, I have a billet Brembo 19x20 that I bought from Yoyodyne. I asked if I can buy the tool to open the master, they told me no for any internal service I would have to send it back to Italy...

Brembo does not sell any internal parts or tools for these masters, because they do not want you or any shop to service them internally...

If you do not thread the ring back precisely where it was set at the Brembo factory the master will not function properly....They also put a dab of glue on it, so if you tamper with it they will know...

 

[dricked]

I tampered, it hurt, lesson learned. Thanks for clearing things up.

 

[FriendlyFoe]

i appreciated learning that as well. So then there is virtually nothing about the billet that makes it better then the forged piece lol. Thanks for trying to warn me too dricked, i've learned my fair share of those kinds of lessons, its not fun.

 

[JohnnyP636]

i appreciated learning that as well. So then there is virtually nothing about the billet that makes it better then the forged piece lol. Thanks for trying to warn me too dricked, i've learned my fair share of those kinds of lessons, its not fun.

I own both billet and forged 19x20 and In my opinion the billet is way better. To each their own most people aren't willing to spend $750 on a master cylinder anyways. It's higher quality and with that comes higher maintenance costs and difficulty

 

[FriendlyFoe]

I own both billet and forged 19x20 and In my opinion the billet is way better. To each their own most people aren't willing to spend $750 on a master cylinder anyways. It's higher quality and with that comes higher maintenance costs and difficulty

So you're saying there's a noticeable difference in feel? I thought they were pretty similar, i've never used the billet.

 

[JohnnyP636]

So you're saying there's a noticeable difference in feel? I thought they were pretty similar, i've never used the billet.

For me yes, I feel a difference.....Very similar in design but IMO better, aesthetically and mechanically

Just like billet machined rims, they look very much the same, but the higher tolerance of fully CNC machining, and lighter weight make a huge difference if you get to try a set....

 

[FriendlyFoe]

For me yes, I feel a difference.....Very similar in design but IMO better, aesthetically and mechanically

Just like billet machined rims, they look very much the same, but the higher tolerance of fully CNC machining, and lighter weight make a huge difference if you get to try a set....

So any thought that maybe the aesthetic is something that gets into your head and makes you feel a mechanical difference? Lol had to put that out there, realistically on the piece of junk i'm riding it would make no difference, and even on a 600 with nissins or the like i'd think the difference would be marginal. On a real set of performance brakes i'd think is when you'd really notice a level of difference in feel.

But these are all musings, with my little sv brakes i pretty much pre-load and then just squeeze till the lever stops moving lol

 

[JohnnyP636]

So any thought that maybe the aesthetic is something that gets into your head and makes you feel a mechanical difference? Lol had to put that out there, realistically on the piece of junk i'm riding it would make no difference, and even on a 600 with nissins or the like i'd think the difference would be marginal. On a real set of performance brakes i'd think is when you'd really notice a level of difference in feel.

But these are all musings, with my little sv brakes i pretty much pre-load and then just squeeze till the lever stops moving lol

On the bike I have the billet master on I also have billet Brembo HP calipers... The $300 forged or $750 masters make more of a noticeable difference then the $1500 calipers, and $900 rotors together that I have on that bike...

I have been running Brembo forged 19x20 masters on every bike I have owned since 2001, I only got the billet 19x20 in 2009. I also have Magura billet 20mm master on one of my bikes, that is very similar to the Brembo billet...And besides the fact they looks better, I do notice a difference between it and my forged masters...

You can assume its in my head, but I actually have both and feel the billet operates better.....Not 10x better, but better none the less...I have no regrets spending the extra money for the billet Brembo stuff. The forged Brembo stuff is great, and for most people more then good enough, the billet stuff is better though.....If you can afford it, some of their stuff is just over the top expensive.

I just bought another one for my KX450F, billet 16x16 front master with billet HP radial caliper... Unfortunately for that specific 16x16 model billet is your only option, as they do not make it in a forged version...

 

[FriendlyFoe]

You can assume its in my head, but I actually have both and feel the billet operates better.....Not 10x better, but better none the less...I have no regrets spending the extra money for the billet Brembo stuff.

LoL nah not assuming, just teasing you based on your wording, just had to mention the cosmetics didnt you . I imagine it's kind of similar to engine mods, where its a percentage increase, so if you increase the capability of your rotors and calipers, the (random number) 10% greater amount of feel from the billet lever is that much more magnified.

Some part of my brain seems to recall people commenting on the fact that the actual lever feel wasn't that different, and that i was mostly for show. Definitely something i'll look into in the future with greater consideration, and appreciate your input. The braking zones seem to be one of my strong points from last SOAR weekend, so i could see me dumping money that way before engine mods, with my next bike that is.

 

[JohnnyP636]

LoL nah not assuming, just teasing you based on your wording, just had to mention the cosmetics didnt you . I imagine it's kind of similar to engine mods, where its a percentage increase, so if you increase the capability of your rotors and calipers, the (random number) 10% greater amount of feel from the billet lever is that much more magnified.

Some part of my brain seems to recall people commenting on the fact that the actual lever feel wasn't that different, and that i was mostly for show. Definitely something i'll look into in the future with greater consideration, and appreciate your input. The braking zones seem to be one of my strong points from last SOAR weekend, so i could see me dumping money that way before engine mods, with my next bike that is.

Late braking was one of my stronger points at TMP for SOAR when I did it, I passed more people on the brakes braking late then on the gas....A slipper clutch and Brembo master help me with that greatly.....The billet is overkill for most peoples needs, but look at any higher level race bike, %90 of people run a Brembo master weather it be forged or billet...Ive been using them for so long, I couldnt ride a bike without one....Stock masters are mush to me

 

[FriendlyFoe]

LoL funny it's been so long since i've ridden with a stock MC i'm not sure i'd own another bike without it, kind of like i dont think i could ride another bike without a racing shock out back. It just makes such a world of difference. Im still amused that a number of people that i was dead even with mid corner, i was smoking on the brakes with lowly SV calipers and ferodo Xrace pads. Actually i'm blown away by the pads, they're seriously awesome. I've even heard it said that the biggest difference between pro and amateur racers is that last 50-100 feet under braking, and how much speed they carry. I plan on continuing to make that a strong point in my riding.

Thanks again for all your input, dont be surprised if you get a pm when i go to install and have a problem/query if i done din good lol.