Thanks to your video I was able to use your design and have a professional machinist make an adjustable brake pedal rod for my 2005 Sportster. I bought a NOS rod and gave him your design. The only difference from yours was the adjuster on the turnbuckle which was a drilled-out hex nut that was slightly undersized and then heated with a torch to make it expand to slide onto the turnbuckle. Once on the turnbuckle, it shrunk as it cooled and held tight. The outside of the adjuster hex nut and the jam nuts are all 9/16". The details are below. The hardest part of installing it was gaining access to the muffler bracket which required several steps. My pedal is perfect now!
Mate the way you explain things is unbelievable. I know nothing about engineering but I understood every word you said. If you're ever in London and want a ride out give me a shout. 🤛🏻🤘🏻🤙🏻🔥
Hey, Del! Cher here. Legs healing and I'm chopping to be back on my bike next week so, I've done a quick fix til I can get the brake lever bar modified properly when the weather turns. I took an old boot with a vibram sole and cut it down with a utility knife to the size and width of my peg. Then I took a little rubber sylicone and glued that bad boy right to my foot peg and zip-tied it til it dryed. Looks good; somewhat hearty. Now, my foot is level w/ the brake pedal. Ha! Works like a gem!
Brillian video! I hired a machinist to make the rear brake adjuster for my 2004 Sportster. Works like a charm and looks "factory." The machinist also made a shorter toe shifter rod that can be adjusted longer as needed all for US $70.00.
Thank you. My brother went into a coma from a lump on his head while riding his sportster and died a week later. Its been 3 years now, and i plan to fix his disconnected brake rodon the bike. Thanks again for this well explained video. Great job!
Firstly so sorry to hear about your brother, what a terrible accident to happen... it's good to know that videos we don on Harleys can help you out and put his bike back on the road in his memory... ride safe my friend, all the best.
Thanks buddy, gotta love a diagram aye, makes things so much easier...my old metalwork teacher used to give extra marks if we coloured them in too...lol.. thanks for watching chum, subscribed today too... love your channel, and your style, you're one laid back dude... take care, Del.
This video is exactly what I was needing because I just recently had my bike delivered and noticed that I am having this problem but with forward controls... And also realized that my boots are really difficult to fit under the shift lever as well but I still have a few things that I have to do before I can get riding so we'll see how it is when I am actually riding it down the road
It will be a lot of fun working on it and learning how a Harley works since this is my FIRST ever Harley but second actual road bike.. So I am excited to start adding a few things to it
yeah, thats important Claus, you need enough room for the required adjustment.. you could also just make two short 1" stubs, and the tube almost the full length.. but as ive advised going to an engineer, they should have the nouse to work that out...! thanks for watching mate..
You have helped me get my bike ready for the road with these videos. Now that I and the bike are ready, being a man, how do I get my man off his ass to actually go out? Not your usual question I'll bet but an important one just the same. I'm the woman with the "81" ironhead, Thanks
Hi Gina, well done for getting your bike all ready, i hope you enjoyed the process... Does your man have a bike?, i guess so...if its also a Harley, why not suggest a Harley focused meet or event?....sometimes the best rides are when me and Penny just pack a flask of coffee, and blanket, and go find a hilltop to sit and gaze at the world....then just ride till its dark, no direction, just ride and enjoy the bikes.. then you head on home..
In the world of machining, left-hand threads are impractical. A simpler solution is to use only right-hand threading. For adjusting the rod, remove one end, turn it in or out & lock it. Re-attach the rod and test the fit. Repeat those steps until the pedal is where you want it. Be sure you have adequate thread engagement when finished! I like to use 2x rod diameter as minimum thread engagement. Obviously to achieve this result, your rod length & new collar length need to be carefully calculated.
I'm basically a fabricator, which lends a lot from engineering and some fabricators learn more engineering than others, but in Australia, I'd tell someone to visit a machinist shop for that mod. You are right, it's entry level stuff, but you will find that not every fabricator can tap threads, every machinist shop will. I've recently been tapping threads for bolts to thread into, I have the die's to do the threads on to round stock (round bar) but I haven't needed to do them yet. Most blokes know what taps and dies are, about 90% of blokes have had a go at it, but like you say, don't just get anyone to do that unless they have a decent amount of experience doing it. You want someone that knows what to do and is confident, does things like that almost every day.
Thanks for posting this. I've always felt that the forward controls on my '05 1200 Custom were too high up - especially the brakes. Makes for an awkward transition from cruising mode to ready-to-brake mode. I'm going to do the same mod on my bike as soon as the weather clears up. :)
I suddenly got overwhelmed by this feeling of awe, Quite an example there (of how tragic things can get). But I see your point. And I am glad that there are experienced riders who share their point of view without this elitist attitude. Once again, many thanks!
Thank you so much for your very generous comments, i try to make it easy to follow, that reply was for a lovely lady in America called 'Cher', (no not the scraggy singer lol) and she wanted to understand it properly, poor love broke her leg holding her harley from falling down when some Dufus pulled out on her...now thats dedication aye..?.. thanks for watching mate... Del.
Oh yes, yesterday i used a wooden dowl to tap new steering head bearings into an aprilia habana scooter for a frend, some swear words an nasty methods had to be used to remove the old ones, rusted in, i wont tell you as im sure you will get angry lol. I didnt want to sell a kidney to buy the special tool, im lazy and short of money so the wood did the job without damage, i cleaned the seats with 1000 grade sandpaper, the steering is as light as a feather now throughout its whole travel :-)
You're welcome AK, its a simple mod for capable hands, and there are plenty of people who could carry that out for you... TBH i htink Harley missed a trick there, they should have made them that way form the get go...its just lazy manufacturing.. good luck with it and thanks for watching... Del.
If you mean the back wheel locks up when they brake in an emergency, then that would be just pressing too hard on the pedal - the back brake of any bike, no matter how well maintained, will lock if you stand on it too hard... in an emergency braking situation people are obviously grabbing a large fistful of front brake as well, which will rotate the bike forward, pressing down hard on the forks and lifting the rear - this unloads the weight on the back tyre making it even easier to lock -
We wont be making any changes for me to ride Penny's bike, i have the Piloshyte known as Damage to keep me occupied... The pedals are a double lever, so to shorten the rod would drop the pedal down and its a leverage ratio calculation, the pedal pad is 3 times farther away from the pivot than the rod mount arm..so 1 incrament shorter drops the pedal by 3 incraments... so just an inch drop would work, so about 5/16th shorter would be all you need.
Hi mate.. well TBH, if it was my bike, and because im lazy, i would probably just cut a lump out of it so its the right length i need, and just burn it back together with the welder..job done... and yeah, Harley Davidson bikes are full of little surprises like that.. but hey ho, how else can they sell you a nice billet chrome one for $300 if its perfect in the first place..?
I contacted Bung King who fabricates parts for motorcycles (they made the kickstand pad for my Sporty to make it not lean over too far) about this design and offered some details from mine. I didn't want anything for it, I just wanted other people to have a purchasable product that H-D now eliminates. They replied and said the brake rod for my 2005 is already adjustable. Oh well, I tried....
Ha ha, jeff, i have been trying to get her in front of the camera for a year, but no luck.. she is painfully camera shy and very modest, (which is a nice quality, but irritating because i know youtube would love her...).. the best i did was got her to record a walk round of her bike with a little commentry..and even that took us half a day and 200 takes lol... check out her channel its the only video..its "PennysPitstop" and go to videos.. thanks for watching buddy, take care.. Del.
Ha ha, Cher, that is pure class, a 24 carat Getto fix...are you sure you dont ride a Ratbike in secret...?..lol.. well done for getting that temp'ed and ready to ride, soonest back in the saddle, soonest mended hah?... oh, and i forgot to say in the email... the pictures you sent are awesome, what a beautiful bike you have, the piant, the pipes and those brutal bars look perfect... thats a class ride hun, right there.. take care, ride free and flip one at the suits..! Del.
Your dead right on the flats... in fact, if i had a lathe, i would turn it up from 'Hex' bar, bore the ends out, and make it two double ended blind holes, and solid in the middle inch.. but i guess you can keep going till its aircraft quality... thanks for watching mate.. Del.
Good solution Del. now someone is going to make a buck! Lol ... By the way I'll second the 'we want Penny' rallying call, bur only if it doesnt stop her excellent camera work and out of shot comments/ laughs. Just shows us viewer types you two have some fun with it.
I know this video is a few years old now but just wanted to say a massive thank you for doing this. I have forwards on my Sportster and with quite long legs, the rear brake pedal was way too high so I just couldn't reliably use it. I went to an engineering company (shout out to Pulse Engineering in Slough) and they did an awesome job making my brake linkage adjustable, based on your drawing. I'm so happy. So thanks again to you and your missus for doing these videos and helping us all out. Pic here: www.flickr.com/gp/134423573@N08/hK56X8- please ignore the fact that my bike is dirty as hell - it's been rainy :-)
Hi Tara, that's great news, glad the drawing was able to help you out and am really pleased Pulse Engineering were able to work from the drawings... if I'd known, I'd have used a ruler lol ... glad it's solved your problem and sometimes a home fix is the very best kind, all the best, Del & Penny!
Thanks buddy, we do have a lot of fun making the videos, we wouldn't do it if we didnt enjoy it, and im sure that if keep the pressure up, then some day ill get Penny onscreen..lol.. but for now im afraid you'll just have to suffer Uglyboy here a bit longer...Doh..! thanks for watching buddy... Del.
Finally, there is a commercial fabricator that makes this rod for the mid and forward controls. I wish it had been available earlier. I spent a lot of time and money getting mine custom made. Here is the link: www.dkcustomproducts.com/adjustable-rear-btrake-rod-linkage-for-harley-sportster-models.htm?For+9%2F20%2F19&Billet+Brake+Arm+Intro&
I could be wrong but I think the push rod that connects the brake pedal to the rear master cylinder is a custom job. Harley's ive seen from earlier years have the rod behind the chain guard, different can of worms but adjustable I believe. Then again I'm only 25 lol, what do I know.
£50? I reckon our local guy's would charge three times that at least! they are good but it would stop them making stuff for the military for an hour or two so maybe that's why ha! Thanks for the vid I may have to do this as well.
There is a small manufacturing comoany in Westfield MA called Peerless Precision who could do this. In fact, maybe you could have a few made and sell them? I believe they employ at least one engineer.
Me Again Del Yes STORZ ---- checked out bikes etc.-- the look I want,in bucket fulls so maybe keep some rear end height but improve performance of shocks ( suggestions) and later forks Been out of bike scene a few years so need to update whats out there- competency I have -stripped down and rebuilt successfully many Triumphs /Norton Commando,s -- from complete engine and gear box rebuilds ---so retiring from teaching after 35 yrs this year should I hope be able to have a little more time do a few simple mods and service items and I hope perhaps - rejoin playing guitar in 70,s Rock scene classic band Probably do a phased mod 1 seat and tail 2 exhaust 3 do i do a 1200 upgrade and start again and may be ditch stock tank if stage 1 mod does not do it for me Thanks for the advice ,all servicing issues to be done over winter Will let you know how i get on having brake rod modified maybe put a vid on UT before i start changes ,doubt I will go down rear set route common on storz bikes due to ankle injury ,but perhaps try a Triumph Thruxton this weekend to see how a similar set up feels How about a Del rally /met up ,certainly have enough subscribers for a fun event or party Got to admit watching your vids on bikes helped give me the buz to get back into it CHEERS
+kayakttt Good to hear from you mate, great to see you've got lots of plans for retirement... we do meet up throughout the year generally, quite often at the Ace Cafe, London, as they have many compatible meets for all kinds of bikes and we've had as many as 90 people there all in one group in the past, so great idea for the new year... you can keep an eye on what's what by joining our small bike forum if you fancy, and hope to see you on the road, or at a meet...bikers.boards.net/
I forgot to add the details: 1. Cut the 3/8” diameter rod in half. 2. Each cut end must have threads that are 3/8”-16 thread size. But one end has to be right-hand threaded and the other end has to be left-hand threaded. 3. A stainless steel center section has to be made with a 3/8” inside diameter and internal threads on each end that are 3/8”-16 thread size, right-hand threads on one end and left-hand threads on the other to match the rod’s threads. 4. Each end of the center section needs a stainless steel “jam nut” matching the threads of that end. 5. The middle of the center section needs a stainless steel “shrink-fit” hex nut on the outside for a wrench to grab and turn this section to adjust the rod length.
So if you shorten the bar, will the brake pedal rise or drop? How much adjustment do you estimate you would need to make Penny's brake pedal the right height for Delboy?
I have a quick question... Do you happen to know the bolt size and threading that attaches the brake forward extension rod to the rear brake? It's the one that is part of the rod end / heim joint. I just ordered and attempted to install forward controls, however, the bolt they sent me wasn't wide enough to catch the threading. I have an 06 Harley Sportster XL1200 R. Your help would be greatly appreciated as I can't seem to find any info online and the local harley service shop didn't know the answer either. Thanks! Garrett
Hi Garrett,. thats a tough one buddy, never had to replace one so wouldn't know the size off the top of my head.... have you tried a Harley main dealer, i know that Jersey HD have an Online parts service and you can search for the part you need on their sight.... see if that helps..? Good Luck. Del.
Since you are working on rear brakes I have a question for you. I keep reading about people who had their rear wheels locked on emergency braking. It seems to be very common actually. Is this a matter of actual braking or poor quality of the brakes themselves?
Super THANK YOU! -- And..Where can I get those footpeg clevis like I see here -- the black wing that keeps the foot on the peg from going toward the motor?? PLEASE?
Can I assume that it's best to drive in such a manner that emergencies won't need to be dealt with with "emergency braking"? Many thanks for your time ((:
Penny pitstop does a great job as camera girl!! .. When do we get to see penny? She needs to step out from behind the camera and take a bow! ... By the way, unfortunetly for people like me, it's not only women who are Vertically challenged. thanks to me "Mum and Dad", i'm stuck at 5'-6" tall and this probably wouldn't be an issue for me!
Great video! I understand completely your step by step solution. May I ask, if we do this modification to the rear brake pedal, should we bleed the brakes again due to the new position of the modified brake lever ?
No, not at all... you aren't making any changes to the hydraulics, you are simply making a mechanical adjustment to the height of the pedal, it will operate exactly the same as before, just more conveniently reachable for your foot (which is important).
My pedal is way too low, I pretty much have no brakes unless I get off the seat and stand on the brake lever. This happened as soon as I changed the brake pads. I had to push the cylinders in to have the new brake pads to fit, ever since I have literally no brakes. I bled the lines and I still have the same problem. Anyhow, I called the dealer and the parts dep guy told me I have air in the lines...how did the air got into to it by pushing the cylinders in? May I have your input on this please? Thank you for the video by the way.
Did you check the level of your fluid?? As the old pads wear out the pistons have to reach out from the caliper further in order to press them against the disc, this requires more fluid to push them out further, fluid that is held in the resevoir... if they got extremely worn out, and the resevoir become very empty, or wasn't fully topped up in the first place, then air from the resevoir would have got pumped down in to the line... rather than worrying about how it got there, just bleed them through properly, in the usual way, until you have a rock solid pedal!
OK, if you have a full resevoir, then, trust me, you have air in the system... just bleed up in the normal way and if you can lean the bike so you get the caliper higher than the master cylinder - if it's a Harley lean it to the right, that way the air bubbles will rise to the caliper and easily pump out !
HI DEL Looking to do this mod ,is 1 inch removal enough ,if the rod is shortened does this lower foot pedal ,definitely thinking making this out of hex for mid section Bike is 2002 883 R ,will lowering rear shocks suit style ie flat tracker,any suggestions re tailpiece suggestions uprated shocks ,forks and brakes ,will follow your advice and do all fluids etc over winter Come on do more mods on 883R
+kayakttt Hi buddy, yes, if you shorten the rod, it will lower the pedal, and no, flat tracker look requires full height shocks...so lowering it will make it look more 'bobber' than flat tracker... maybe have a look at the 'Storz' body work for ideas on the tail end..!!? thanks for wathcing buddy... good luck with it.. Del.
No, on a sportster the brake pedal mounts to the foot peg assembly and that mounts down the frame underneath.....its close to the casing, but closely and you'll see it doesnt touch the casing...
Just realised you are Daryll Mithcell... different channel reply..... if your right hand foot peg is different to the later model, (which mounted to the frame on a swept up bracket) and indeed there is a 'through casing' mount.... you can cut the section of casing out and grind it neatly so it forms a spacer to still mount the pedal but not run a casing.... maybe send me a picture in PM and ill have a closer look my friend... all the best.. Del.
Qigong07 Hi Again Daryll, i see now, a totally different design to the later bikes.. Right.. it looks like its mounted "Through" the casing to a stronger point inside, clearly come loose in there, and transferred the load to the casing with the inevitable result... You can get that Alloy welded mate, many engineering shops will be able to do it...or maybe find a second hand casing... but if you wanted to junk the case and run it open, then like i said, take the thing off, check the inner fixing point and remedy that first to ensure the foot peg assembly is sound and safe.. and then you could just grind the broken piece round and tidy so its just a spacer.. or you could just replace it mate...;- www.ebay.com/bhp/sportster-sprocket-cover Good luck...Del.
Ha ha, wouldn't that be an ideal world...yes, of course you should ride in a manner than negates the need for emergency braking...but by the very nature of an emergency you cannot see it coming only be ready if it does...and if highly trained Police officers can be tragically killed by car drivers while on their patrol bikes.....then no amount of riding skill of training will EVER remove the possibility of an emergency braking situation occurring...all you can do is be ready when it does..!
Well it's not the end of the world Daryll as you can run without them.. some of the 'bobber' community fit pulley dress plates and show it off spinning... parts available from LSL etc....
NO, not sure what bike you are referring to, but it will obviously be alloy, so welding it back together needs a proficiency at alloy welding and the right kit..... !
I am only 5'2" and had this problem so it really has nothing to do with a persons height. What I did is go to J.P. Cycle and got a set of over-sized shaker pegs which brought the height of my foot up to where the brake peddle is level with my ridding peg
vsnetzinger Hi vsnestzinger, would you mind sharing a pic of the pegs you bought? I'm having the same issue and if changing pegs is a good fix then I'm willing to try it too. :)
I get a lot out of your videos and they have helped me greatly. Im a 53 year old woman who finally was able to buy herself an 1981 ironhead. It ran when parked but I feel i need to replace all fluids before starting her up again. Am I being overly obsessive,( I love doing all the work myself), or being smart. I've always rode bitch and I love everything about it, it is very sexual with all the squeezing and holding, but I need to go when I need to go. Any info you can pass on would be greatly appreciated of if your able to send me to any sites would help. Thanks!
Hi Gina, Firstly well done on the Iron Head, what a cool bike you have there....i remember mine back in the 80's and still wish i had it today. You can never go wrong with changing the fluids after a lay up....but it may not be too important if its been a short while... if its maybe three of four months, then that's fine, just toss out the fuel and add some fresh, then you're good to go... but on the other hand, if its been three years, you should change them all, its important to 'double change' the oil too, (which means dump the oil, add some fresh, ride for 50 miles, then do a second, full oil and filter change, it uses the first fresh oil to flush out the old crap. then the second fresh stuff lasts much better.. Brake fluid needs changing every two years, and as i already said, modern gasoline lasts about 3 months before it goes stale... it may run a bit lumpy and some spitting and popping if the carb is gummed up with dried fuel..but that depends how long its been left.. Finally, if its been a long time Gina, check the fork seals after a few hundred miles, they can dry out and when used again can leak....and check the brake pads / shoes too, make sure you have no leaks in the front caliper... Hope that all helps, get stuck in and let me know if you need any help... P.S, Where are you in the world, maybe if you're local you could come to a meet and make some new friends.. all the best. Del.
I love the mid-control position on my 2005 Sportster XL883 Standard because it is much easier on my lower back (foot forward controls force me into a slumping position) because the "sit-up-and-beg" riding position forces correct posture. At my age, I need all the help I can get. In addition, just like snow skiing, putting the weight forward increases steering control. Now, about my problem with my foot pedal. It is too low and needs to come up at least a half inch. I don't have access to a fabricator and I can't find any aftermarket rods online. Does anyone have a link to one? As a second resort, I would like a clamshell type of cover to thicken my pedal at the toe to raise the surface height. Again, I can't find a supplier. Help!
@@Moonfleet41 No, my pedal is too low - not too high. Thicker footpegs would make the pedal unreachable. I actually have to lean my right knee extremely forward so that I can tilt my toe downward to push down on the pedal. I want the pedal to come UP closer to my toe. My solutions would be to either have a longer rod or a pad on the top of the pedal.
@@boomerguy9935 Aaha, i get it now.. well my solution would be the second thing you said.. a pedal block.. maybe a steel plate 5mm thick, bolted through the pedal face.. !
@@Moonfleet41 That is my last resort. In the meantime, I'm trying to find a used rod for sale that I can get someone to fabricate that won't cause me to have any downtime on my Sportster.
Hi mate, no, am sorry, but am pretty sure that any half decent H-D dealership with a proper parts guy will be able to give you that part number, or even get you the part!
i like your videos but this one doesnt help me, i need to lower my mid control brake pedal locked on a 45 degree position, the clymers manual requires pulling a pin i cant figure out. My '01 xl883c formerly had forward controls but converted to standard middle controls for convenience on city traffic and bumpy streets.
Like i said, those brake pedals are fixed in one position, but you can have an engineering company make the long rod adjustable so you can move it down...all the insight is in thr video... hope that will help.. Del.
Hi Del, thanks a lot for all the awesome videos! I learnt quite a few things out from you (especially removing a rounded bolt!). My rear brake sinks all the way down (like 15-20 cm of movement)- I'm not sure if this is normal or not. I've had this since I bought the bike (second owner). I've checked for leaks, rebled the brake(no air in the system), readjusted the rod- nothing helps. Any ideas? Many thanks, Fin
Hi Fin, I know you've already checked it mate, but the first cause of this is air in the system... so it could be worth bleeding up the fluid again and pass a good 2-3 reservoirs full of fluid through the caliper to chase any micro bubbles through... would also help to put some new pads in it as well... try those things first and see if that improves it... let me know how you get on, Del
It totally worked.. there were still a lot of small bubbles in the system. You were totally right, I passed 3-4 reservoirs to get rid of them air bubbles. It's spot on now. Many thanx, God bless
hi Del,have found a post on the 1130cc site in the States on how to do the mod from 2006 on my V-Rod -street rod,funny thing is the info came from a magazine here in Australia.after trying it, it was so simple and what a difference ,take foot peddle &then brake lever off, the round feral on the slave shaft, then drill it all the way trough ,turn 180 ,put back on the shaft which is now lower down ,with a dremmill tool grind the small amount of the shaft that protrudes from the top ,put everything back on peg is now about 3/4 of an inch lower ,if it needs to be lower then the plastic sleeve will have to be drilled as well so it can be lowered a bit more .hope this is of help to someone else,thanks for your quick reply Derek
Hello Mr. Delboy (I attempted to send this to you via youtube messaging but its a pain now on youtube to find so i just wanted to try and comment and hopefully you see it) love your videos cheers to your success with discovery channel wish you the best cus you deserve it, by the way love the English accent I watch anything Ricky Gervais does and I think of him every time I watch one of your vids. but if you dont mind helping by answering a couple of questions please. first one being i have a 2010 sportster 48 practically identical to penny's nightster, now i was trying to watch a few of your back brake issues videos but i just couldnt get the answers that I wanted, so I just wanted to ask if you know what i can do about the rear brake pedal, it goes down when i press on it but it doesnt retract up unless I push it back up with my foot, now it isnt stopping me from riding but its an inconvenience, hopefully it wont be a pain to fix or expense either. Second question is on your thoughts on the New electric Harley, while i think its an interesting idea, I just dont know what to make of a quiet non obnoxious harley... thank you, youre a stud and truly all the best!
Moonfleet41 thank you for always being a gentleman, I am going to study these vids and memorize the message like its the bible, I am certain I will get it... thanks for the insight on the electric harley as well, I dont know a single person that would get it either but I see what you mean on the subject matter... lastly another big thank you for going out of your way to help a lowly guy out!
elvibaby You are most welcome any time buddy, there are no 'lowly guys' we are all bikers and therefore family, which means we help each other when ever we can aye... take care and ride safe fellah... all the best.. Del.
Shane from Chainsikle (www.chainsikle.com) made me an adjustable brake linkage for my 09 Nightster. He doesn't list the part on the website as of now, but just email him about it and he will get you going. Great guy to work with.
You clearly dont run a business...or dont buy tools very often mate... left hand taps and dies are very expensive, and the correct stock tube would be only the reserve of commercial fabricating shops, unless you use 'Hex' bar and properly machine the whole part...again, trained engineering work... and it costs tens of thousands to set up a fully equiped engineering shop and buy stock.. and you think fifty lousy quid is a business opportunity?..!
You'd be a better engineer for Harley as some of the things I've run into! Believe me I wd be better off with D Yamaha I had than ds Sportster which I can't even get D money I've put in it now! I know I'm gonna piss off alotta ppl by saying this but mechanically they SUPER SUCK! I've a 2002 883 Sportster W/14000 mi on it N it's too short looks little N aaaah! Pissed me off D 2nd year I owned it! I've put alotta chrome N things to makit look better N I did but it's a short bike N heavy as Hell! I'm gonna loose like $2000 selling it for $3000 but To Hell with it! Last Harley Sportster in my life!
So bodge artists like me cant do it with bluetack and sticky tape lol :-) What a bloody silly design mistake by harley!!, they want a good slapping :-)
Thanks to your video I was able to use your design and have a professional machinist make an adjustable brake pedal rod for my 2005 Sportster. I bought a NOS rod and gave him your design. The only difference from yours was the adjuster on the turnbuckle which was a drilled-out hex nut that was slightly undersized and then heated with a torch to make it expand to slide onto the turnbuckle. Once on the turnbuckle, it shrunk as it cooled and held tight. The outside of the adjuster hex nut and the jam nuts are all 9/16". The details are below. The hardest part of installing it was gaining access to the muffler bracket which required several steps. My pedal is perfect now!
Mate the way you explain things is unbelievable. I know nothing about engineering but I understood every word you said. If you're ever in London and want a ride out give me a shout. 🤛🏻🤘🏻🤙🏻🔥
Thanks mate, you're very kind.
Hey, Del! Cher here. Legs healing and I'm chopping to be back on my bike next week so, I've done a quick fix til I can get the brake lever bar modified properly when the weather turns. I took an old boot with a vibram sole and cut it down with a utility knife to the size and width of my peg. Then I took a little rubber sylicone and glued that bad boy right to my foot peg and zip-tied it til it dryed. Looks good; somewhat hearty. Now, my foot is level w/ the brake pedal. Ha! Works like a gem!
Brillian video! I hired a machinist to make the rear brake adjuster for my 2004 Sportster. Works like a charm and looks "factory." The machinist also made a shorter toe shifter rod that can be adjusted longer as needed all for US $70.00.
Thank you. My brother went into a coma from a lump on his head while riding his sportster and died a week later. Its been 3 years now, and i plan to fix his disconnected brake rodon the bike. Thanks again for this well explained video. Great job!
Firstly so sorry to hear about your brother, what a terrible accident to happen... it's good to know that videos we don on Harleys can help you out and put his bike back on the road in his memory... ride safe my friend, all the best.
Thanks for watching,, take care.. Del.
Thanks buddy, gotta love a diagram aye, makes things so much easier...my old metalwork teacher used to give extra marks if we coloured them in too...lol.. thanks for watching chum, subscribed today too... love your channel, and your style, you're one laid back dude... take care, Del.
This video is exactly what I was needing because I just recently had my bike delivered and noticed that I am having this problem but with forward controls... And also realized that my boots are really difficult to fit under the shift lever as well but I still have a few things that I have to do before I can get riding so we'll see how it is when I am actually riding it down the road
Good luck with it buddy, they all need a little fine tuning to make them our own aye ?!
It will be a lot of fun working on it and learning how a Harley works since this is my FIRST ever Harley but second actual road bike.. So I am excited to start adding a few things to it
yeah, thats important Claus, you need enough room for the required adjustment.. you could also just make two short 1" stubs, and the tube almost the full length.. but as ive advised going to an engineer, they should have the nouse to work that out...! thanks for watching mate..
You have helped me get my bike ready for the road with these videos. Now that I and the bike are ready, being a man, how do I get my man off his ass to actually go out? Not your usual question I'll bet but an important one just the same. I'm the woman with the "81" ironhead, Thanks
Hi Gina, well done for getting your bike all ready, i hope you enjoyed the process... Does your man have a bike?, i guess so...if its also a Harley, why not suggest a Harley focused meet or event?....sometimes the best rides are when me and Penny just pack a flask of coffee, and blanket, and go find a hilltop to sit and gaze at the world....then just ride till its dark, no direction, just ride and enjoy the bikes.. then you head on home..
In the world of machining, left-hand threads are impractical. A simpler solution is to use only right-hand threading. For adjusting the rod, remove one end, turn it in or out & lock it. Re-attach the rod and test the fit. Repeat those steps until the pedal is where you want it. Be sure you have adequate thread engagement when finished! I like to use 2x rod diameter as minimum thread engagement. Obviously to achieve this result, your rod length & new collar length need to be carefully calculated.
I'm basically a fabricator, which lends a lot from engineering and some fabricators learn more engineering than others, but in Australia, I'd tell someone to visit a machinist shop for that mod. You are right, it's entry level stuff, but you will find that not every fabricator can tap threads, every machinist shop will. I've recently been tapping threads for bolts to thread into, I have the die's to do the threads on to round stock (round bar) but I haven't needed to do them yet. Most blokes know what taps and dies are, about 90% of blokes have had a go at it, but like you say, don't just get anyone to do that unless they have a decent amount of experience doing it. You want someone that knows what to do and is confident, does things like that almost every day.
Good adviec mate, wise words well said.. Del.
Thanks for posting this. I've always felt that the forward controls on my '05 1200 Custom were too high up - especially the brakes. Makes for an awkward transition from cruising mode to ready-to-brake mode. I'm going to do the same mod on my bike as soon as the weather clears up. :)
I suddenly got overwhelmed by this feeling of awe, Quite an example there (of how tragic things can get). But I see your point. And I am glad that there are experienced riders who share their point of view without this elitist attitude. Once again, many thanks!
Thank you so much for your very generous comments, i try to make it easy to follow, that reply was for a lovely lady in America called 'Cher', (no not the scraggy singer lol) and she wanted to understand it properly, poor love broke her leg holding her harley from falling down when some Dufus pulled out on her...now thats dedication aye..?.. thanks for watching mate... Del.
Oh yes, yesterday i used a wooden dowl to tap new steering head bearings into an aprilia habana scooter for a frend, some swear words an nasty methods had to be used to remove the old ones, rusted in, i wont tell you as im sure you will get angry lol.
I didnt want to sell a kidney to buy the special tool, im lazy and short of money so the wood did the job without damage, i cleaned the seats with 1000 grade sandpaper, the steering is as light as a feather now throughout its whole travel :-)
very good and basic solution, just for anyone trying to make it themselves - make sure that the middle tube is long enough,
Sounds like a great idea for this holiday weekend. Ill give it a try. Thanx
You're welcome AK, its a simple mod for capable hands, and there are plenty of people who could carry that out for you... TBH i htink Harley missed a trick there, they should have made them that way form the get go...its just lazy manufacturing.. good luck with it and thanks for watching... Del.
You sir, are as always, bloody brilliant. Thank you.
If you mean the back wheel locks up when they brake in an emergency, then that would be just pressing too hard on the pedal - the back brake of any bike, no matter how well maintained, will lock if you stand on it too hard... in an emergency braking situation people are obviously grabbing a large fistful of front brake as well, which will rotate the bike forward, pressing down hard on the forks and lifting the rear - this unloads the weight on the back tyre making it even easier to lock -
We wont be making any changes for me to ride Penny's bike, i have the Piloshyte known as Damage to keep me occupied... The pedals are a double lever, so to shorten the rod would drop the pedal down and its a leverage ratio calculation, the pedal pad is 3 times farther away from the pivot than the rod mount arm..so 1 incrament shorter drops the pedal by 3 incraments... so just an inch drop would work, so about 5/16th shorter would be all you need.
Hi mate.. well TBH, if it was my bike, and because im lazy, i would probably just cut a lump out of it so its the right length i need, and just burn it back together with the welder..job done... and yeah, Harley Davidson bikes are full of little surprises like that.. but hey ho, how else can they sell you a nice billet chrome one for $300 if its perfect in the first place..?
I contacted Bung King who fabricates parts for motorcycles (they made the kickstand pad for my Sporty to make it not lean over too far) about this design and offered some details from mine. I didn't want anything for it, I just wanted other people to have a purchasable product that H-D now eliminates. They replied and said the brake rod for my 2005 is already adjustable. Oh well, I tried....
Ha ha, jeff, i have been trying to get her in front of the camera for a year, but no luck.. she is painfully camera shy and very modest, (which is a nice quality, but irritating because i know youtube would love her...).. the best i did was got her to record a walk round of her bike with a little commentry..and even that took us half a day and 200 takes lol... check out her channel its the only video..its "PennysPitstop" and go to videos.. thanks for watching buddy, take care.. Del.
thank you Yoda, brilliant having this problem on my new Sports Glide
youre a smart man. thats a good video. thank you
Ha ha, Cher, that is pure class, a 24 carat Getto fix...are you sure you dont ride a Ratbike in secret...?..lol.. well done for getting that temp'ed and ready to ride, soonest back in the saddle, soonest mended hah?... oh, and i forgot to say in the email... the pictures you sent are awesome, what a beautiful bike you have, the piant, the pipes and those brutal bars look perfect... thats a class ride hun, right there.. take care, ride free and flip one at the suits..! Del.
Excellent video! I put forwards on my 2009 Sportster. The shifter is adjustable but the rear brake is not. Madness
Your dead right on the flats... in fact, if i had a lathe, i would turn it up from 'Hex' bar, bore the ends out, and make it two double ended blind holes, and solid in the middle inch.. but i guess you can keep going till its aircraft quality... thanks for watching mate.. Del.
Good solution Del. now someone is going to make a buck! Lol ... By the way I'll second the 'we want Penny' rallying call, bur only if it doesnt stop her excellent camera work and out of shot comments/ laughs. Just shows us viewer types you two have some fun with it.
I know this video is a few years old now but just wanted to say a massive thank you for doing this. I have forwards on my Sportster and with quite long legs, the rear brake pedal was way too high so I just couldn't reliably use it. I went to an engineering company (shout out to Pulse Engineering in Slough) and they did an awesome job making my brake linkage adjustable, based on your drawing. I'm so happy. So thanks again to you and your missus for doing these videos and helping us all out. Pic here: www.flickr.com/gp/134423573@N08/hK56X8- please ignore the fact that my bike is dirty as hell - it's been rainy :-)
Hi Tara, that's great news, glad the drawing was able to help you out and am really pleased Pulse Engineering were able to work from the drawings... if I'd known, I'd have used a ruler lol ... glad it's solved your problem and sometimes a home fix is the very best kind, all the best, Del & Penny!
Thanks buddy, we do have a lot of fun making the videos, we wouldn't do it if we didnt enjoy it, and im sure that if keep the pressure up, then some day ill get Penny onscreen..lol.. but for now im afraid you'll just have to suffer Uglyboy here a bit longer...Doh..! thanks for watching buddy... Del.
Ha ha, why thanks Symba, you're very welcome, its just common sense mate... take care.. Del.
Always a job well done.
Yes! and she commented accordingly in the speech box!
Finally, there is a commercial fabricator that makes this rod for the mid and forward controls. I wish it had been available earlier. I spent a lot of time and money getting mine custom made. Here is the link:
www.dkcustomproducts.com/adjustable-rear-btrake-rod-linkage-for-harley-sportster-models.htm?For+9%2F20%2F19&Billet+Brake+Arm+Intro&
I could be wrong but I think the push rod that connects the brake pedal to the rear master cylinder is a custom job. Harley's ive seen from earlier years have the rod behind the chain guard, different can of worms but adjustable I believe. Then again I'm only 25 lol, what do I know.
This was a factory part on the 883L, we bought the bike new, so no chance it was a custom part.
£50? I reckon our local guy's would charge three times that at least! they are good but it would stop them making stuff for the military for an hour or two so maybe that's why ha!
Thanks for the vid I may have to do this as well.
Great job and intel,TY
Thanks for the feedback!
Can you make a video on how to adjust a brake rod I’m having trouble with mine it keep getting tight while I drive makes all my wheels lock
There is a small manufacturing comoany in Westfield MA called Peerless Precision who could do this. In fact, maybe you could have a few made and sell them? I believe they employ at least one engineer.
Me Again Del
Yes STORZ ---- checked out bikes etc.-- the look I want,in bucket fulls so maybe keep some rear end height but improve performance of shocks ( suggestions) and later forks
Been out of bike scene a few years so need to update whats out there- competency I have -stripped down and rebuilt successfully many Triumphs /Norton Commando,s -- from complete engine and gear box rebuilds ---so retiring from teaching after 35 yrs this year should I hope be able to have a little more time do a few simple mods and service items and I hope perhaps - rejoin playing guitar in 70,s Rock scene classic band
Probably do a phased mod
1 seat and tail
2 exhaust
3 do i do a 1200 upgrade and start again and may be ditch stock tank if stage 1 mod does not do it for me
Thanks for the advice ,all servicing issues to be done over winter
Will let you know how i get on having brake rod modified
maybe put a vid on UT before i start changes ,doubt I will go down rear set route common on storz bikes due to ankle injury ,but perhaps try a Triumph Thruxton this weekend to see how a similar set up feels
How about a Del rally /met up ,certainly have enough subscribers for a fun event or party
Got to admit watching your vids on bikes helped give me the buz to get back into it
CHEERS
+kayakttt Good to hear from you mate, great to see you've got lots of plans for retirement... we do meet up throughout the year generally, quite often at the Ace Cafe, London, as they have many compatible meets for all kinds of bikes and we've had as many as 90 people there all in one group in the past, so great idea for the new year... you can keep an eye on what's what by joining our small bike forum if you fancy, and hope to see you on the road, or at a meet...bikers.boards.net/
So where would I get an adjustable one for my 2017 Iron 883? I don't have the time to make one or find an engineer..
I forgot to add the details:
1. Cut the 3/8” diameter rod in half.
2. Each cut end must have threads that are 3/8”-16 thread size. But one end has to be right-hand threaded and the other end has to be left-hand threaded.
3. A stainless steel center section has to be made with a 3/8” inside diameter and internal threads on each end that are 3/8”-16 thread size, right-hand threads on one end and left-hand threads on the other to match the rod’s threads.
4. Each end of the center section needs a stainless steel “jam nut” matching the threads of that end.
5. The middle of the center section needs a stainless steel “shrink-fit” hex nut on the outside for a wrench to grab and turn this section to adjust the rod length.
Thanks Stephen, its still surprising that after all the years since this video was posted, they still don't make them adjustable..!
So if you shorten the bar, will the brake pedal rise or drop? How much adjustment do you estimate you would need to make Penny's brake pedal the right height for Delboy?
I have a quick question... Do you happen to know the bolt size and threading that attaches the brake forward extension rod to the rear brake? It's the one that is part of the rod end / heim joint. I just ordered and attempted to install forward controls, however, the bolt they sent me wasn't wide enough to catch the threading. I have an 06 Harley Sportster XL1200 R. Your help would be greatly appreciated as I can't seem to find any info online and the local harley service shop didn't know the answer either. Thanks! Garrett
Hi Garrett,. thats a tough one buddy, never had to replace one so wouldn't know the size off the top of my head.... have you tried a Harley main dealer, i know that Jersey HD have an Online parts service and you can search for the part you need on their sight.... see if that helps..? Good Luck. Del.
Since you are working on rear brakes I have a question for you. I keep reading about people who had their rear wheels locked on emergency braking. It seems to be very common actually. Is this a matter of actual braking or poor quality of the brakes themselves?
Super THANK YOU! -- And..Where can I get those footpeg clevis like I see here -- the black wing that keeps the foot on the peg from going toward the motor?? PLEASE?
I made that myself Dwayne, welded the plate to the factory clevis.. then painted it black.
My rear brakes do not have any pressure on my 2009 HD sportster nor is any fluid leaking and has plenty of fluid
Can I assume that it's best to drive in such a manner that emergencies won't need to be dealt with with "emergency braking"? Many thanks for your time ((:
Penny pitstop does a great job as camera girl!! .. When do we get to see penny? She needs to step out from behind the camera and take a bow! ... By the way, unfortunetly for people like me, it's not only women who are Vertically challenged. thanks to me "Mum and Dad", i'm stuck at 5'-6" tall and this probably wouldn't be an issue for me!
Great video! I understand completely your step by step solution. May I ask, if we do this modification to the rear brake pedal, should we bleed the brakes again due to the new position of the modified brake lever ?
No, not at all... you aren't making any changes to the hydraulics, you are simply making a mechanical adjustment to the height of the pedal, it will operate exactly the same as before, just more conveniently reachable for your foot (which is important).
My pedal is way too low, I pretty much have no brakes unless I get off the seat and stand on the brake lever. This happened as soon as I changed the brake pads. I had to push the cylinders in to have the new brake pads to fit, ever since I have literally no brakes. I bled the lines and I still have the same problem. Anyhow, I called the dealer and the parts dep guy told me I have air in the lines...how did the air got into to it by pushing the cylinders in? May I have your input on this please? Thank you for the video by the way.
Did you check the level of your fluid?? As the old pads wear out the pistons have to reach out from the caliper further in order to press them against the disc, this requires more fluid to push them out further, fluid that is held in the resevoir... if they got extremely worn out, and the resevoir become very empty, or wasn't fully topped up in the first place, then air from the resevoir would have got pumped down in to the line... rather than worrying about how it got there, just bleed them through properly, in the usual way, until you have a rock solid pedal!
+Moonfleet41 plenty of purple fluid in the reservoir
OK, if you have a full resevoir, then, trust me, you have air in the system... just bleed up in the normal way and if you can lean the bike so you get the caliper higher than the master cylinder - if it's a Harley lean it to the right, that way the air bubbles will rise to the caliper and easily pump out !
HI DEL
Looking to do this mod ,is 1 inch removal enough ,if the rod is shortened does this lower foot pedal ,definitely thinking making this out of hex for mid section
Bike is 2002 883 R ,will lowering rear shocks suit style ie flat tracker,any suggestions re tailpiece
suggestions uprated shocks ,forks and brakes ,will follow your advice and do all fluids etc over winter
Come on do more mods on 883R
+kayakttt Hi buddy, yes, if you shorten the rod, it will lower the pedal, and no, flat tracker look requires full height shocks...so lowering it will make it look more 'bobber' than flat tracker... maybe have a look at the 'Storz' body work for ideas on the tail end..!!? thanks for wathcing buddy... good luck with it.. Del.
I really like the air cleaner on this bike. Do you remember what brand and model ?
All good and well, although the sprocket cover is the mount for the brake pedal. Can you suggest a better wy to mount it other than forward controls?
No, on a sportster the brake pedal mounts to the foot peg assembly and that mounts down the frame underneath.....its close to the casing, but closely and you'll see it doesnt touch the casing...
Just realised you are Daryll Mithcell... different channel reply..... if your right hand foot peg is different to the later model, (which mounted to the frame on a swept up bracket) and indeed there is a 'through casing' mount.... you can cut the section of casing out and grind it neatly so it forms a spacer to still mount the pedal but not run a casing.... maybe send me a picture in PM and ill have a closer look my friend... all the best.. Del.
Hi, here are some pics.....thsnks Daryll
onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=E6DCBD4FB0E5FC46!4215&authkey=!AAYTPtSODwdUOOI&ithint=folder%2c.JPG
Qigong07
Hi Again Daryll, i see now, a totally different design to the later bikes.. Right.. it looks like its mounted "Through" the casing to a stronger point inside, clearly come loose in there, and transferred the load to the casing with the inevitable result...
You can get that Alloy welded mate, many engineering shops will be able to do it...or maybe find a second hand casing... but if you wanted to junk the case and run it open, then like i said, take the thing off, check the inner fixing point and remedy that first to ensure the foot peg assembly is sound and safe.. and then you could just grind the broken piece round and tidy so its just a spacer..
or you could just replace it mate...;- www.ebay.com/bhp/sportster-sprocket-cover
Good luck...Del.
GREAT -Just got an old 883 and this is an issue for me due to front leg muscle damage
+kayakttt Thats great news, glad it can help you out... good luck with the bike buddy.
Ha ha, wouldn't that be an ideal world...yes, of course you should ride in a manner than negates the need for emergency braking...but by the very nature of an emergency you cannot see it coming only be ready if it does...and if highly trained Police officers can be tragically killed by car drivers while on their patrol bikes.....then no amount of riding skill of training will EVER remove the possibility of an emergency braking situation occurring...all you can do is be ready when it does..!
Sorry, on the Sportster 2003 model. My sprocket cover is broken around the brake lever after a slow fall.....
Well it's not the end of the world Daryll as you can run without them.. some of the 'bobber' community fit pulley dress plates and show it off spinning... parts available from LSL etc....
Hi have you had any success welding a broken sprocket cover?
NO, not sure what bike you are referring to, but it will obviously be alloy, so welding it back together needs a proficiency at alloy welding and the right kit..... !
Another one of your talents.... Drawing! :p
I am only 5'2" and had this problem so it really has nothing to do with a persons height. What I did is go to J.P. Cycle and got a set of over-sized shaker pegs which brought the height of my foot up to where the brake peddle is level with my ridding peg
vsnetzinger Hi vsnestzinger, would you mind sharing a pic of the pegs you bought? I'm having the same issue and if changing pegs is a good fix then I'm willing to try it too. :)
I get a lot out of your videos and they have helped me greatly. Im a 53 year old woman who finally was able to buy herself an 1981 ironhead. It ran when parked but I feel i need to replace all fluids before starting her up again. Am I being overly obsessive,( I love doing all the work myself), or being smart. I've always rode bitch and I love everything about it, it is very sexual with all the squeezing and holding, but I need to go when I need to go. Any info you can pass on would be greatly appreciated of if your able to send me to any sites would help. Thanks!
Hi Gina, Firstly well done on the Iron Head, what a cool bike you have there....i remember mine back in the 80's and still wish i had it today.
You can never go wrong with changing the fluids after a lay up....but it may not be too important if its been a short while... if its maybe three of four months, then that's fine, just toss out the fuel and add some fresh, then you're good to go... but on the other hand, if its been three years, you should change them all, its important to 'double change' the oil too, (which means dump the oil, add some fresh, ride for 50 miles, then do a second, full oil and filter change, it uses the first fresh oil to flush out the old crap. then the second fresh stuff lasts much better..
Brake fluid needs changing every two years, and as i already said, modern gasoline lasts about 3 months before it goes stale... it may run a bit lumpy and some spitting and popping if the carb is gummed up with dried fuel..but that depends how long its been left..
Finally, if its been a long time Gina, check the fork seals after a few hundred miles, they can dry out and when used again can leak....and check the brake pads / shoes too, make sure you have no leaks in the front caliper...
Hope that all helps, get stuck in and let me know if you need any help...
P.S, Where are you in the world, maybe if you're local you could come to a meet and make some new friends..
all the best.
Del.
I love the mid-control position on my 2005 Sportster XL883 Standard because it is much easier on my lower back (foot forward controls force me into a slumping position) because the "sit-up-and-beg" riding position forces correct posture. At my age, I need all the help I can get. In addition, just like snow skiing, putting the weight forward increases steering control.
Now, about my problem with my foot pedal. It is too low and needs to come up at least a half inch. I don't have access to a fabricator and I can't find any aftermarket rods online. Does anyone have a link to one?
As a second resort, I would like a clamshell type of cover to thicken my pedal at the toe to raise the surface height. Again, I can't find a supplier.
Help!
If all you need to do is raise your feet 1/2" then how about some thicker rubbers on the footpegs?
@@Moonfleet41 No, my pedal is too low - not too high. Thicker footpegs would make the pedal unreachable. I actually have to lean my right knee extremely forward so that I can tilt my toe downward to push down on the pedal. I want the pedal to come UP closer to my toe.
My solutions would be to either have a longer rod or a pad on the top of the pedal.
@@boomerguy9935 Aaha, i get it now.. well my solution would be the second thing you said.. a pedal block.. maybe a steel plate 5mm thick, bolted through the pedal face.. !
@@Moonfleet41 That is my last resort. In the meantime, I'm trying to find a used rod for sale that I can get someone to fabricate that won't cause me to have any downtime on my Sportster.
hey delboy do you happen to know the part number of the brake rod linkage? I cannot find it anywhere
Hi mate, no, am sorry, but am pretty sure that any half decent H-D dealership with a proper parts guy will be able to give you that part number, or even get you the part!
i like your videos but this one doesnt help me, i need to lower my mid control brake pedal locked on a 45 degree position, the clymers manual requires pulling a pin i cant figure out. My '01 xl883c formerly had forward controls but converted to standard middle controls for convenience on city traffic and bumpy streets.
Like i said, those brake pedals are fixed in one position, but you can have an engineering company make the long rod adjustable so you can move it down...all the insight is in thr video... hope that will help.. Del.
Hi Del, thanks a lot for all the awesome videos! I learnt quite a few things out from you (especially removing a rounded bolt!). My rear brake sinks all the way down (like 15-20 cm of movement)- I'm not sure if this is normal or not. I've had this since I bought the bike (second owner). I've checked for leaks, rebled the brake(no air in the system), readjusted the rod- nothing helps. Any ideas? Many thanks, Fin
Hi Fin, I know you've already checked it mate, but the first cause of this is air in the system... so it could be worth bleeding up the fluid again and pass a good 2-3 reservoirs full of fluid through the caliper to chase any micro bubbles through... would also help to put some new pads in it as well... try those things first and see if that improves it... let me know how you get on, Del
Del, you're a star! Thanks a lot for the reply. Ok, fair enough will do that once more and let you know how it goes. Peace x
It totally worked.. there were still a lot of small bubbles in the system. You were totally right, I passed 3-4 reservoirs to get rid of them air bubbles. It's spot on now. Many thanx, God bless
FB34
Well done Sir, that's what we like to hear, success and a happy biker... top stuff.. Del.
great video
this a good fix for the sporty but i have a v-rod streetrod with mids there's no rod how do you adjust these
Never done this on a V-Rod, Can you send me a few closeup images Derek, ill take a look and fathom a possible method if it helps..!
hi Del,have found a post on the 1130cc site in the States on how to do the mod from 2006 on my V-Rod -street rod,funny thing is the info came from a magazine here in Australia.after trying it, it was so simple and what a difference
,take foot peddle &then brake lever off, the round feral on the slave shaft, then
drill it all the way trough ,turn 180 ,put back on the shaft which is now lower down ,with a dremmill tool grind the small amount of the shaft that protrudes from the top ,put everything back on peg is now about 3/4 of an inch lower ,if it needs to be lower then the plastic sleeve will have to be drilled as well so it can be lowered a bit more .hope this is of help to someone else,thanks for your quick reply Derek
Thank for sharing that info Derek, its the greatest part of youtube, have a great week buddy, and keep in touch.. Del.
Get you some forward controls.
Will try tolet you know how it goes
Hello Mr. Delboy (I attempted to send this to you via youtube messaging but its a pain now on youtube to find so i just wanted to try and comment and hopefully you see it) love your videos cheers to your success with discovery channel
wish you the best cus you deserve it, by the way love the English accent I watch
anything Ricky Gervais does and I think of him every time I watch one of your vids.
but if you dont mind helping by answering a couple of questions please. first one being
i have a 2010 sportster 48 practically identical to penny's nightster, now i was trying
to watch a few of your back brake issues videos but i just couldnt get the answers that
I wanted, so I just wanted to ask if you know what i can do about the rear brake pedal,
it goes down when i press on it but it doesnt retract up unless I push it back up with my
foot, now it isnt stopping me from riding but its an inconvenience, hopefully it wont be a
pain to fix or expense either. Second question is on your thoughts on the New electric Harley,
while i think its an interesting idea, I just dont know what to make of a quiet non obnoxious
harley... thank you, youre a stud and truly all the best!
Found your message in the private messages mate, and already sent you a reply!
Moonfleet41 thank you for always being a gentleman, I am going to study these vids and memorize the message like its the bible, I am certain I will get it... thanks for the insight on the electric harley as well, I dont know a single person that would get it either but I see what you mean on the subject matter... lastly another big thank you for going out of your way to help a lowly guy out!
elvibaby You are most welcome any time buddy, there are no 'lowly guys' we are all bikers and therefore family, which means we help each other when ever we can aye... take care and ride safe fellah... all the best.. Del.
Shane from Chainsikle (www.chainsikle.com) made me an adjustable brake linkage for my 09 Nightster. He doesn't list the part on the website as of now, but just email him about it and he will get you going. Great guy to work with.
Hi sir can this adjustment be done on a hayabusa?
Can you send me a photo of your brake pedal assembly please...
You clearly dont run a business...or dont buy tools very often mate... left hand taps and dies are very expensive, and the correct stock tube would be only the reserve of commercial fabricating shops, unless you use 'Hex' bar and properly machine the whole part...again, trained engineering work... and it costs tens of thousands to set up a fully equiped engineering shop and buy stock.. and you think fifty lousy quid is a business opportunity?..!
You'd be a better engineer for Harley as some of the things I've run into! Believe me I wd be better off with D Yamaha I had than ds Sportster which I can't even get D money I've put in it now! I know I'm gonna piss off alotta ppl by saying this but mechanically they SUPER SUCK! I've a 2002 883 Sportster W/14000 mi on it N it's too short looks little N aaaah! Pissed me off D 2nd year I owned it! I've put alotta chrome N things to makit look better N I did but it's a short bike N heavy as Hell! I'm gonna loose like $2000 selling it for $3000 but To Hell with it! Last Harley Sportster in my life!
if engineers were good at engineeering then i wouldnt need a new brake rod or techs to fix anything now would ya
So bodge artists like me cant do it with bluetack and sticky tape lol :-)
What a bloody silly design mistake by harley!!, they want a good slapping :-)
7:36 cat appears!
The video is titled break pedal removal and it’s all about fwd controls... wtf
Is it? Or is it titled Brake Pedal 'Adjustment'...
Dkcustoms.com sells an adjustable brake rod for harleys!