dlaing

I'd recommend PyroDan, but if looking for other options, see this thread http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?...hl=brake+switch

Looking at that picture, the free-play is set to zero or less. If less than zero, that could have caused the problem. The advantage of freeplay is that you can visually ensure you have no negative free-play. I suppose the disadvantage of more free-play is that a heavy lever like that could develop more momentum, so it may good for BFG to minimize the free-play.

You are correct Obviously BFG's Bodged Fulcrum Girder is not OEM How could the force of hitting a bum hold the relief port closed? For it to be held open the girder would probably have to weigh just about 1.5kg. I put a 2# weight on the toe of my lever and that was enough to close the relief port. I doubt that his girder is that massive but it may well be over a kilogram. huh2: What can happen is that if the return spring is weak enough and the bodged fulcrum girder is massive enough, the brake could be momentarily activated when bumps in the road were met. Repeatedly this could cause overheating and failure. It all boils down to the mass of the lever and return force of the spring. I suspect a repeatedly bumpy road would cause the overheating and not one dip of a pothole. I would not ride that bike with that baked seal. I would not ride that bike with that brake lever, if it weighs as much as it appears to me. I'd feel safer with no rear brake, BAA,OMHO I can only lead a horse to water...

Here is BFG's brake lever

I suspect the cause of the incident was the massive brake lever overpowering the return spring and causing either intermittent braking when you hit a bump in the road, this could have been combined with the possibility that the mass may have been pushing the master caliper piston past the point of the return valve being open causing more drag and the risk of brake lock up. Be sure that the mass is not so massive and that there is sufficient free-play. Ratchet likes it set to zero free-play, I prefer just a little more. You may also need new rotors. I suppose it is possible that the seal is fine, and who knows, baking it may be the cure to reducing brake drag. But not knowing the cause of the failure with 100% certainty, nor the health of the seal with 100% certainty, it may be a good idea to replace the caliper for good luck and a happy long life. Wrench to live and live to wrench

"BAA, TJM, but I reckon YM ain't none too likely to V wink.gif" BodgersAgainstAcronyms, ThatsJustMe, but I suppose YourMileage is not likely to Vary and I have something in my eye...

Try googling ymmv tjm baa It takes you right to Ratchet

I disagree I suspect BFG cooked his seals. Since apparently nobody can verify that one can buy the seals, I nominate BFG to buy the ones of a similar model and risk his life and try them out, or play it safe and buy new calipers. So, does BFG now stand for Brake Fried Goose?

I agree with Ratchet on the Pros of progressives. And I really want to try a HyperPro shock spring. But there are negatives: 1) spring choice. Although progressives are more forgiving, there are fewer choices, so a progressive might be a bad choice for a 90# rider and for a 350# rider. But your average 180-210 pound rider is probably within ideal range of the spring, 2) matching damping with spring rate. it is more challenging to get right. With a progressive spring there will be a tendency for too much rebound damping on small bumps and not enough on big bumps. I don't understand how compression damping behaves, but Jim Lindemann of Lindemann Engineering told me that getting it set right was a problem. My guess is that you would have to reduce high speed damping, but that would compromise stability in small sharp bumps. 3)If your road conditions are predictable and not very variable with no potholes, speedbumps or dips, and you never ride two up, a straight rate spring is much easier to tune and will suit your needs best.

I could not find it in the owner's manual nor the workshop manual, but I seem to recall reading it in the workshop manual But it is in the forum http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=10281 and other threads. I think you are correct that it is 22mm from top of the blue nut to the top of the threaded rod, and thus the threaded rod is threaded 22mm into the top cap. But you might wait for Ratchet or someone to confirm, as my memory is foggy and I could not confirm from the manual.

LOL! Breaking out the Ban Hammer or Ham Banner?

Apparently the oil level drops because it does not appear to be possible to get oil level correct without riding it to pump the air out of the cavities. Maybe the noise will go away when the oil level is corrected. I suggested a method of setting the oil level before changing it and then replacing with the identical amount of oil, but the method was poo-poo'd by Herr Ratchet. In your case it should be easy to just top it up, ala method Ratchét. Did you verify that the diameter of the springs was identical? As for the spring calculator, I have my doubts. Your sag numbers appear to verify that they are about 1.0KG/mm springs...of course weight distribution can throw the estimate off. I am curious what your sag was with the OEM springs. As for the Blue nuts, the stock setting on the early V11's Marzocchi's blue nuts is 22 mm. If this is off, it effects the seating of the damping adjusters, and far as I can guess, might cause NOISE.

...but on a serious note, any chance the front switch lost the bearing??? You should hear a gentle click when activating the brake. FWIW I have had to replace both the front brake switch and the stop lamp. I'll bet that front switch would last a lot longer if it activated a relay and not a 20+ Watt bulb. I think John A. makes a good suggestion for both the relay and the metal socket.

From the shop manual, Air Gap should be set to between 0.7 and 0.9mm Shims are available (average delivery time slightly less than the average gestation period for homo sapiens in the following thicknesses: mm ~~~~~ Part number 0.3mm ~~~~~ 01 72 27 00 0.4mm ~~~~~ 01 72 27 01 0.5mm ~~~~~ 29 72 27 60 0.6mm ~~~~~ 01 72 27 02 0.8mm ~~~~~ 01 72 27 03 1.0mm ~~~~~ 01 72 27 04 1.5mm ~~~~~ 01 72 27 05

Ditto. Hey, maybe if you help Dan Coronado with his rear leak, you might grasp where I am coming from and have some tips. I'd be happy to observe and share my experience(experience from learning from mistakes is priceless!), and we could figure out where the seal goes and where the bearing goes and all that.

Raising the bar in your own mind comes natural to you Perhaps that explains it???? Otherwise, great review!

I don't think it would cause you to have no spark. But worth checking.

Could I please get some help from someone without major issues?

Since problem happened after upgrading relays, maybe something came loose under relay connectors. I would also check amperage across where the fuse that is blowing goes. Test with lights on and off. With lights off, also check voltage output at various RPMs, from 2500 to 5000 RPM it should be between 14.0 and 14.6.

Here is the Fork Spring Info (from the Ohlins Fork Manual): OEM spring rate 4745-95, 9,5 N/mm Optional springs: 4745-75, 7.5 N/mm (marking -75). 4745-80, 8.0 N/mm (marking -80). 4745-85, 8.5 N/mm (marking -85). 4745-90, 9.0 N/mm (marking -90). 4745-95, 9.5 N/mm (marking -95). 4745-10, 10.0 N/mm (marking -10). 4745-05, 10.5 N/mm (marking -05). 4745-11, 11.0 N/mm (marking -11). Fork length: 730 mm. Stroke: 120 mm. Free spring length: 240 mm.

The first leak occured many months ago. It was the large seal not the small seal, but I figured it was better to replace both seals as a preventive measure. After reading This Old Tractor's Greg Bender mention how it leaks if you put it in backwards, it seemed like it would be easy to fix if it started leaking again. When it leaked after the first install, I needed verification and I asked. Greg Bender's writing that I read had not mentioned which way was the correct way was. I got the verification, thank you, but not one tip about how to install so that the seal does not hit the bearing, other than which way to face it. So, I pull it apart and discover the bearing hit the seal or the seal hit the bearing. So, now I ask and your response is what I get, useless insults. BRAVO! Now if someone who was knowledgeable, unlike Ratchet or I, could tell how to install it, life could be wonderful. Perhaps, someone could also tell me how to verify that the seals are correct. The original seal I have lost or tossed, so I cannot compare. The second and third seals are identical, and were both ordered using part number 90 40 38 50 Dimensions are 38 mm ID x 50 mm OD x 7 mm thick. Brand is SACO. There are several ledges where things seat, the outer ledge of the widest diameter seats the bearing with a 55mm OD. The next ledge is where I seated the 50mm seal and it fits nicely but protrudes into the 55mm area. Maybe if it was 5mm and not 7mm it would not protrude. There is another ledge where I suspect a smaller seal could seat. I am guessing it the diameter there might be 45mm. And then one further ledge, with a still smaller diameter, where the washer, part 32, sits. FWIW, in the diagram it looks like the C clip could retain the bearing, but it does not. Thanks in advance, someone.

Soooo.... The first time I replaced the seal, apparently it was in backwards, this caused leaking I flipped the seal and apparently got it facing the correct direction, flat side towards washer, grooved side towards oil, but seating the seal appears to be where I went wrong. I seated the seal fine, but then I drove the large bearing home into the seal. When the bearing turned, it chewed on the seal. So, this time, armed with the knowledge of the right direction for the seal to point, I seated the seal with groove toward oil and then drove the bearing only part way home, leaving space between seal and bearing. 120 miles on it today and no leak. But I am not sure I did it right, nor am I sure I have the right seal. If the Outer Diameter of the seal were smaller, it might seat further from the bearing and the bearing could be driven fully home, but then I am not sure the seal would seal what it is supposed to seal at it's Inner Diameter. I am going to simply live with it, but if you have knowledge to share, it could help the next person with this problem, and me when I finally get around to doing it right!

WTF!?! Check to see if headlight is working, if not, likely a bad relay. Disconnect headlight and see if that gives you enough additional power. Could also be regulator is on fritz and sucking out the mojo. See if problem occurs with engine running and engine off. See what else might not be working, high beam, low beam, horn, etc. that is the probably useless wake of my brainstorm EDIT Oh yah and my taillight went out many times and I kept reseating it and cleaning contacts, but it became a repetitive pain, so I bought a new taillight at the Harley dealer, problem solved, but looking at John A's post below, replacing the socket could have been a solution.

That was too balanced to inspire the Ban Hammer. But just to be sure, we should make it more balanced... George Dubya Bush's quote should have read, "The chicken did not cross the road to evade torture by the army intelligence, we don't do that in a'Merica, it crossed the road because on this side we are free, and chickens hate freedom" Or "because the chicken is a homicidal dictator who is addicted to weapons of mass destruction."