[HillmoorPete]

I just completed most of my first attempt at preventive maintenance (plugs, oil), upgrade to Nav IV, motolights, fuzeblock, and installation of Spiegler brake lines. The BMW Motorrad Club of Northern Illinois video for the Speigler installation was great. My front brakes seem fine, pressure/resistance has been restored. My rear brakes aren't coming back for me. I'm apparently too dense to understand my Clymer manual for this, and it isn't addressed in Kirk's brake flush video. Can anyone point me in the right direction or explain what I should do in a way a wrenching neophyte can understand? This is for a 2002LTE with non-integrated ABS II brakes. Thanks in advance!

Pete

 

[KennySD]

I just had the same problem. Did you buy the funnel filler from Beemer bone yard to help with the filling? If you did not, that's the step you're missing. You won't be able to do the job without it.

 

[MikeERideWNC]

If you have a MityVac, try pushing the fluid from the caliper to the pump.

 

[bmwcoolk1200]

I just completed most of my first attempt at preventive maintenance (plugs, oil), upgrade to Nav IV, motolights, fuzeblock, and installation of Spiegler brake lines. The BMW Motorrad Club of Northern Illinois video for the Speigler installation was great. My front brakes seem fine, pressure/resistance has been restored. My rear brakes aren't coming back for me. I'm apparently too dense to understand my Clymer manual for this, and it isn't addressed in Kirk's brake flush video. Can anyone point me in the right direction or explain what I should do in a way a wrenching neophyte can understand? This is for a 2002LTE with non-integrated ABS II brakes. Thanks in advance!

Pete

If you actually have non I-ABS brakes and the ABS-II system, then it is a straight bleed of the ABS unit and the rear caliper. I thought 2002's had I-ABS installed but maybe some didn't. Do you hear a electric motor whine when you squeeze the front brake handle, key on, engine not running? Just trying to determine which system you have for sure without seeing it.

If you have the ABS-II system, Clymer says to bleed the rear caliper first and then the ABS unit. Did you use any speed bleeders or vacuum equipment to assist or did you do it like I did by just pumping the peddle and then opening the bleed valve with a wrench and catching the fluid in a jar. I had help with someone sitting on the bike working the peddle and handle for me while I did the bleeder valves. You may just need to repeat the process and see if you get more air out.

If you had the I-ABS, the procedure is different. I haven't done this one yet as i DO have the ABS-II on my 01.

 

[Jim_McG]

Since your bike is a 2002, your have the first Gen - i-ABS as I do. I also installed Spiegler lines. Contrary to above, you do not need the funnel - that is more important for Gen 2 i-ABS (2005 & up) with the tiny reservoirs on top of the module. To keep the rear reservoirs topped up (especially for wheel circuit bleeding using the servo pumps) I remove the overflow hoses from the reservoir caps and use a clean clear hose dipped in fresh DOT4 brake fluid to refill the reservoirs as fluid is being pumped out.

Chances are your problem is air in the rear control circuit - that is the most difficult to bleed since the master cylinder is at a low spot in the lines. Repetitive bleeding of ports R1, R2 & R3 on the module until there are absolutely no more air bubbles should take care of it.

Oops - I went back and reread the OP first post - and this is ABS II? On a 2002???

 

[bmwcoolk1200]

Oops - I went back and reread the OP first post - and this is ABS II? On a 2002???

Yeah, was trying to verify that. I know my 01 has ABS-II and 02's have I-ABS generally speaking but that doesn't preclude any 02's having ABS-II but it will take someone like Sailor to pull out the nitty gritty details of what VIN's and when the split was for the two systems.

If it is actually an ABS-II system, he may do better following the Clymer recommendations of pulling the rear caliprs, forcing the pistons all the way in and blocking them while bleeding. Just make sure you don't run the reservoir dry when pumping the brakes back up after reinstalling the caliper. The reservoir has about 4 or 5 full pumps in it before it sucks air. Not very large.

 

[sailor]

Yeah, was trying to verify that. I know my 01 has ABS-II and 02's have I-ABS generally speaking but that doesn't preclude any 02's having ABS-II but it will take someone like Sailor to pull out the nitty gritty details of what VIN's and when the split was for the two systems.

If it is actually an ABS-II system, he may do better following the Clymer recommendations of pulling the rear caliprs, forcing the pistons all the way in and blocking them while bleeding. Just make sure you don't run the reservoir dry when pumping the brakes back up after reinstalling the caliper. The reservoir has about 4 or 5 full pumps in it before it sucks air. Not very large.

The OP (MillMoorPete) needs to check these details below as it is technically impossible to have a 2002 with the simpler ABS2 (also called ABSII) system. All 2002 and later in USA market have IABS with servos. In most other markets (CANADA, EUROPE, Australia...) the change over to IABS with servos was in 2001.

It is IMPORTANT to identify braking / ABS system when asking for help.
From SIMPLE to more complex, MAIN HINTS to WATCH are:
1) IF the front brake Calipers have BMW marking, then it is IABS with servos (earlier marked Brembo and have different look 1999-2001 mainly)

2) Top of IABS unit is FLAT and has a sticker with "FTE S2AB...." (FTE is the OEM supplier for these units). Ealier K1200LT/RS with simpler ABS2 look like attached photo. Note 2 bleeders on a rounded Top and a large black plastic section on side (this is where they hide the ABS unit relay).

3) Some will say to ask the OP to listen for electrical-motor/pump noise when you press front brake lever (ignition ON, engine NOT started). However this is questionable when not on site to listen for yourself... I do not really trust data that can be interpreted differently by different riders. Noise is subjective unless you can offer a Video on YouTube with good sound quality to compare.

 

[bmwcoolk1200]

1) IF the front brake Calipers have BMW marking, then it is IABS with servos (earlier marked Brembo and have different look 1999-2001 mainly)

I forgot about that simple distinguishing feature. BMW or Brembo on the calipers.

Thanks for providing the details. I have yet to do a I-ABS bleed yet so I will let those who have the practical experience continue to assist.

 

[HillmoorPete]

My bad. My Clymer manual says if the calipers are Brembo it's an ABS non-integrated system. I have BMW calipers, and should have integrated brakes. FWIW, there is a whining sound when the front or rear brakes are engaged, presumably the servo. I have not bled the ABS module, only the calipers. I am using a hand vacuum pump. My apologies for making this harder than it need be. I couldn't find definitive brake specifications showing the year by year breakdown (pun intended). Kirk's youtube video for integrated brakes is for 2004 and up. I assumed that prior to 2004 they were non-integrated. Please correct me if I'm wrong - I now believe I have ABS-II integrated gen I brakes.

 

[jzeiler]

You have iABS and the fluids do not move from the control circuits any farther than the ABS unit where they are bled from. The wheel circuits are bled from the ABS to the calipers. There are several posts that cover it well and I am hampered by a cast on the right hand from typing it all out again here.

 

[Voyager]

You have iABS and the fluids do not move from the control circuits any farther than the ABS unit where they are bled from. The wheel circuits are bled from the ABS to the calipers. There are several posts that cover it well and I am hampered by a cast on the right hand from typing it all out again here.

What happened to your hand?

 

[HillmoorPete]

John, again - my apologies for my confusion over my brake system. Now I know what to look for in past threads. Sorry to hear about your hand. I'm sure by now you've got a work around rigged for your throttle.

 

[jzeiler]

Not really but the swelling is finally going down. Have been wanting to get the arthritis fixed for two years but other surgeries and riding always got in the way. Just decided to bite the bullet this year. Should be back in the saddle no later than July.

You can Google "CMC Arthroplasty" and watch what they did to me. They wouldn't let me watch I had to have a general and go to sleep.