Spiegler lines on a K75S with ABS

[robsryder]

...Hey Rob, have you retrieved your new K75S from California yet? ...

I won't be going to get the bike until June 18. I need to wait until the term is complete at Ohio State and my wife needs to complete a project for her work.

I am doing reading and collecting various bits and pieces for my trip, e.g., trunk for extra stuff and more importantly something for the wife to use as a backrest, new rear shock suitable for two-up riding with gear, warm weather unders (I'm trying both Wickers and LD Comfort stuff), mesh pants and jackets, new high-viz FroggToggs, Fenda Extenda for the front fender, Throttle-Meister for the handlebars, and Hyper-Lites for the rear.

And just in today a Garmin Nuvi 550 GPS. I'm learned that the speedo is working intermittantly on the bike that I've purchased. I plan to use the GPS as a defacto speedometer (and to keep track where I'm headed!).

I'll be carrying a small netbook so I can keep up with the weather forcasts. Our route will be highly influenced by the pending weather. We also want to visit several National Parks and other points of interest. Our first POI will be Yosemite National Park.

[robsryder]

Does anyone know about what a BMW dealership would charge for a brake
fluid change on a K75 with ABS? Thanks for any information.

On the K75S that I purchased, which has ABS, I recently paid a bit more than $230 for a brake fluid change (including fluid and hazardous disposal charges). The service was done at the Livermore, Ca. BMW dealership. Normally I do this myself, but I am flying out from Ohio to Calif. to get the bike and I wanted to have fresh brake fluid prior to the trip home.

[Zagando]

Your trip sounds like a lot of fun, Rob. Hi-Viz Frog Toggs? Didn't know they made them in HI Viz now---I need to get a new top as my old brown one is getting worn out I wear it so much around here. I'll have to check that out.

Your wife might like the 22-liter top case that fits onto the rear rack as it also serves as a passenger backrest (it has a rubber moulding that covers the part that the passenger leans against).

Yosemite is a wonderful place, with or without hordes of tourists. The road from Tioga Pass down to Mono Lake and south to Benton Hot Springs is very scenic, too. Don't know what other routes you might consider but US Highway 50 is one of my favorites (goes through central Nevada and is called "The Lonliest Road in America" IIRC)---plenty of spectacular desert/mountain/high plains scenery and some great semi-ghost towns are along the way (Austin, Eureka, Ely, etc.).

Have a wonderful ride and if I think of anything else to recommend I'll certainly do so.

[robsryder]

We got our Hi-Viz FroggToggs from IronPony. It helped being able to try them on over jackets like we will be wearing. Here is a link for the FroggToggs that we got -
http://ironpony.com/ironponydirect/p...0Suits/Class1/

When my newly purchased K75S was taken to Tri-Valley Moto, the BMW dealership in Livermore, California I had them give the bike a thorough checkout (cost $100). I'll purchase a new battery before beginning the trip as the current battery twice failed their load test even though the bike could be started with no problem. I'm going to get an Odyssy PC680-P battery from Battery Plus when I get to California.
http://www.batteriesplus.com/product...MW/K75S/1.aspx

The dealership also indicated that all three brake rotors were at their minimum thickness and would need to be replaced "soon". The service guy that I spoke with felt that the trip back to Ohio would be ok with the existing rotors. Once I'm back home I'll remove the rotors and take them to Spiegler. I will have Spiegler replace the OEM rotors with some of their floating rotors. My research has indicated that the K75S is prone to having the brakes pulse. Use of floating rotors has been found by a number of K75 owners to eliminate the pulsing. I will also use some less abraisive brake pads to extend the rotor life. Brake pads are much less expensive than rotors.
http://www.spieglerusa.com/BMWConversions/

[Rudyjo]

Thank you for all your advise here on the forums, It looks like another job that
I will learn to do instead of paying the dealer. I put off doing a clutch spline
lube for many months and after getting a dealerships price of over $500, I
broke down and and found out as everyone says, it really isn't hard to do.

[Zagando]

I was looking over Max's microfiche diagrams for the brake lines and am a bit confused about the one entitled "34-0636 -- Anti Block System (ABS)"

It shows items 1, 4 and 5 as brake lines but only gives the lengths for #1 and #4---330 and 390mm respectively. #5 just says "brake line" although it's cost is the same as #1's.

Aren't only the first two lines required anyway?

"What is the #5 line for and where does it go?" is what I'm wondering now.

No one ever answered this question about line #5 above but found out the hard way.

First of all, line #4 is for ABS bikes "to 8/92," line #5 is presumably for ABS bikes manufactured thereafter (such as mine).

I received the Spiegler brakes lines today and guess which one of the four lines was all wrong?

Yes, they sent me a #4 line as pictured in the microfiches---when the #5 line is the one they should have sent; it is longer and has a 90 degree banjo fitting on one end.

I will be sending the wrong line back tomorrow and have them make up the correct line to replace it.

So the length of line #5 should be right around 18" or 458mm, measuring from the end of the pipe connector to the center of the banjo fitting (how it should be measured according to Spiegler's custom fitting charts).

But I am still left wondering why this length is not indicated in Max's and A&S BMW's online microfiches. Had the length been indicated clearly (and also that it is for ABS models after 8/92) Spiegler might have not sent me the wrong line.

[LOSTBOY]

The K75s are the most difficult bikes BMW made to get the correct lines. Thee are an amazing number of permutations-Sachs forks, ABS/no ABS, Showa forks, etc. Then throw in the possibility of parts subsitutions as the bikes get older. Some of the fiches have the years shown incorrectly! I suspect even BMW is not sure of all the details.

[Zagando]

Right you are, Lostboy; I just got off the phone with Max BMW and they told me pretty much the same thing. The info indicated in their fiche is all that they have and many times BMW does not even tell them what the lengths and types of fittings are.

I suggested to them that they put the length of line #5 in their fiche and they said that they might do that (put a photo of the line alongside a ruler) eventually. (So many hoses, cables, lines, etc., so little time)

FWIW, in case anyone else needing a lower front brake line for a K75S manf. after 8/92 the correct length is 460mm and there should be a 90 degree banjo fitting on one end, female coupling for the brake pipe on the other.

Also called Spiegler and explained the situation with my order. They're making up the correct line and sending it out (along with the missing banjo bolts) asap.

Perhaps I'll be able to get the lines installed sometime next week...we'll see!

[Zagando]

Received the 460mm front lower brake line today as well as the 5 anodized banjo bolts from Spiegler. They came through as promised without delay.

Now I am going to set up my work bench out in the carport where my bike is and get everything ready for the bleeding/removal of the old brake lines and installation of the new stainless Spieglers and fittings (yes, I have a few extra crush washers, too). Also I've printed out all the pertinent info from Rob posted here and am reviewing and highlighting where advisable---thanks again, Rob!

Since it is overcast and rainy today (what else is new?) I will not attempt to do the work today as it would be better to do so on a drier day (since moisture/humidity in the lines is to be avoided).

I have one more small series of questions to ask here before I begin, too:

At what point do I bleed from the ABS pots? Should I begin the bleeding of the old system from there (using my MityVac) or from the caliper nipples? Or does the order in which points I bleed from matter if I am bleeding from both anyway?

If/when I do bleed from the rear brake pot I suppose it will be best if I first undo the right footpeg plate so I will have access to the banjo fittings as well as loosen any air bubbles that might be in the line, eh? Once the old fuid is out and the new lines are installed then I would reinstall the plate and then refill/bleed with fresh fluid, correct?

Perhaps this doesn't matter so much when I'm draining (bleeding) the old lines---but is important after installing the new lines? Exact same procedure for old and new or?

These little questions keep nagging me like air bubbles in the lines may (hopefully not) turn up once I'm bleeding the brakes...

If anyone reading this has done the same job on a K75S with ABS (or knows for sure how...) please let me know how I should proceed so far as the ABS pots (modulators) go. I'll be really glad to start on this once I know the answer(s) and the conditions are dry again.

[Zagando]

See my new thread entitled, "Am I out of luck?..." in this same forum if interested.

[Zagando]

I'm almost ready to go with this with most of my previous questions having been answered elsewhere on the forum.

I've built a pump sprayer type pressure bleeder and all I need to complete it is an extra rear brake fluid resevoir cap manufactured for the 1993-1995 models (rear res. was changed in late 1992).

Supposedly this cap is available in a generic $5 (and local!)auto parts store form.

Anyone know which one I should get/model#, etc? That would be a tremendous help and save me having to order a $20 one from thousands of miles away...

[Zagando]

My search for the generic rear cap was fruitless. Since I also realized I will still need new rubber gaskets for both fluid resevoirs, I went ahead and ordered everything I'll need just now from Max's.

(I went out to the bike today, cleaned and removed the rear res. cap---and noted that it was indeed smaller than the one my ADV friend sent for using with the pressure bleeder---it is 45mm I.D. as I'd heard elsewhere). Unfortunately, my local Napa Auto didn't seem to carry this 45mm cap, so off to Max's website I went...)

Also, the only sort of "union seals" that Clymers recommends replacing that I could find in their fiche turned out to be a couple of grommets that go (1 each) between the junctions of the brake pipes and lines---I think---and I hope my guess was correct.

Once all these little bits arrive I will finally get to finish building my bleeder and I can proceed with the bleeding and brakeline replacement. It will be a great relief to accomplish this once and for all.

[Zagando]

Got all the necessary parts together; am now removing the seat, tank side panels and right side of fairing for access to the ABS brake pipe/line junction underneath the front of the frame (yoke area?).

Getting in that tight spot is really going to be tough.

If anyone has any info on what else I might need to remove around there I'm all ears.

Looks like I might have to remove the radiator cowl, too. Unbolting that one front pipe joint is really going to be a challenge to say the least.

Anyone here done that? Tips or suggestions would be helpful. I'm labeling and photographing things along the way so I can put things back together more easily when the time comes.

[Zagando]

After removing the radiator cowl I saw that I still needed to get the ignition control module out of the way.

After disconnecting the battery, numerous cables and connectors in the way, moving the radiator cap assembly off to the side, etc.---I got it out. Took about 30-40 minutes of jiggling this way and that before it finally slid out the right side underneath the top frame tube.

Pix:






Now I can actually get a couple of wrenches on the ABS pipe joint; it'll looks like it'll be possible to remove and replace the front line now---a big relief!

[Zagando]

Please see my "K75 DIY painting and polished tank" main renovation thread for a progress report with pics if interested---I got two of the four Spiegler lines successfully installed today.