Seeking Advice - Replacement of Brake Booster Hose, Check Valve and Grommet (1 Viewer)

[bicycleagent003]

I'm going to replace the Brake Booster Hose, Check Valve and Grommet this weekend - anything I need to know, or be careful not to break? It seems very straight forward, but sometimes that can be deceiving. Do I just remove the hose, pull the (probably very stiff grommet) out, and replace the 3 parts?

Thanks

 

[davidp14]

Check valve, grommet, and hose are very easy to r/r. You won't even finish your beer before you're done.

When I replaced mine it didn't help my brake fade issue. I ended up biting the bullet and getting a whole new (oem) booster. Been stopping, well, slowing down, great ever since.

The new booster doesn't come with check valve so you're not wasting anything by trying that first. Just don't hold your breath. I can't remember if it comes with grommet or not but they're cheap.


Good luck

 

[BILT4ME]

Very easy.

Jerk it out, push it in, slap it tight.

 

[bicycleagent003]

Great, thanks guys. My breaks are *pretty* good, but I like replacing parts in critical systems before they fail, and these parts were pretty cheap through Amayama. I have a 10+ year horizon for my 80 Series ownership, and I'm at 255K miles, so I think it's reasonable to believe that some parts will not make it another 10+ years.
Thanks again.

 

[bicycleagent003]

For anyone else looking at this thread later, you'll need these tools: a 12mm thin wall socket, a pair of pliers for the hose clamps, and a screwdriver to pry out the old grommet. On my 1996, the hose and grommet were hardened, but not rock hard. There is a retainer tab for the check valve which is held on by a 12mm nut, and direct access to that nut is tough because of the brake line right in front of it. I gently bent toward the outside/DS the little metal loop holding the wiring going to the top of the brake fluid reservoir, then I was able to get an open end wrench on that nut. You need to loosen the nut to loosen the little retainer arm that holds the brake booster check valve in.

Take care, too, when prying out the check valve grommet. It sits in the forward face of the brake booster, which is an expensive part. You don't want to mangle the metal hole the grommet sits in by putting undue force on it with a prybar or screwdriver. Just take your time and try to apply pressure to the grommet itself - I suggest starting at the top/12 o'clock position on the grommet with a screwdriver and pushing straight down, so all your force is on the grommet itself. If you come from the side you'll likely be using the metal face of the brake booster for leverage - bad idea.

I wasn't sure if it would be easier to put the grommet in first, or put the grommet on the check valve, then put them in together. There is no lip on the entering side of the check valve, so I just put the grommet in first, then the check valve. That worked fine, and I recommend doing it in that order because there is a lip on the grommet, and you have to make sure that the grommet lip gets seated all the way around in the face of the brake booster.

This is a 1/2 job, and something any Cruiser owner can do with simple tools and about 15 minutes of free time.

Cheers!

 

[hfuentes]

For anyone else looking at this thread later, you'll need these tools: a 12mm thin wall socket, a pair of pliers for the hose clamps, and a screwdriver to pry out the old grommet. On my 1996, the hose and grommet were hardened, but not rock hard. There is a retainer tab for the check valve which is held on by a 12mm nut, and direct access to that nut is tough because of the brake line right in front of it. I gently bent toward the outside/DS the little metal loop holding the wiring going to the top of the brake fluid reservoir, then I was able to get an open end wrench on that nut. You need to loosen the nut to loosen the little retainer arm that holds the brake booster check valve in.

Take care, too, when prying out the check valve grommet. It sits in the forward face of the brake booster, which is an expensive part. You don't want to mangle the metal hole the grommet sits in by putting undue force on it with a prybar or screwdriver. Just take your time and try to apply pressure to the grommet itself - I suggest starting at the top/12 o'clock position on the grommet with a screwdriver and pushing straight down, so all your force is on the grommet itself. If you come from the side you'll likely be using the metal face of the brake booster for leverage - bad idea.

I wasn't sure if it would be easier to put the grommet in first, or put the grommet on the check valve, then put them in together. There is no lip on the entering side of the check valve, so I just put the grommet in first, then the check valve. That worked fine, and I recommend doing it in that order because there is a lip on the grommet, and you have to make sure that the grommet lip gets seated all the way around in the face of the brake booster.

This is a 1/2 job, and something any Cruiser owner can do with simple tools and about 15 minutes of free time.

Cheers!

well, this is certainly later, April 2024 and I am glad you took the time to add this post. Thank YOU! Did you add any grease to the hose to get it in?

 

[CharlieS]

I'm not the OP, but I replaced mine last summer and no grease was required to install it.

 

[bicycleagent003]

well, this is certainly later, April 2024 and I am glad you took the time to add this post. Thank YOU! Did you add any grease to the hose to get it in?

Agreed, no grease in my case either. Glad my post helped you out. Mud has literally made it possible for me to keep this old Cruiser of mine on the road. I don't know what I would do without the hive mind here. Happy Trails.