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spencerin
Member
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# Posted: 28 Apr 2024 09:46
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What affects the "pull travel" of a hand brake lever?
So as you know my ATV is "new" (slightly used). Squeezing the right brake lever engages the brakes fine, at about 50% of the travel length of the pull the brakes are fully engaged and the wheels (assuming the rear) are locked up.
With the left brake lever, on the other hand, this occurs at about 90% of the travel length of the pull. And, if I'm on a significant downhill slope, the left alone won't fully lock up the wheels (assuming the front).
Both brake fluid reservoirs are full. Brake system parts are obviously new. Is there anything I can adjust so the left hand brake lever matches the performance of the right's?
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spencerin
Member
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# Posted: 28 Apr 2024 10:10
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Did they simply bleed too much fluid out when assembling it? And, to fix it, I just need to add more fluid back into the system?
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 28 Apr 2024 10:25
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Not familiar with that, this Tao here has a separate rear brake pedal and front lever, like regular motorcycle. Yours is the same, except you have a left hand lever for rear? Sometimes those levers have two fulcrum holes to change leverage.
You say the reservoir is full so adding fluid won’t help, unless you bleed some out, probably your first move.
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spencerin
Member
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# Posted: 28 Apr 2024 10:54 - Edited by: spencerin
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Yeah, turns out the left lever controls rear, right lever controls front, no foot brake pedal. I see the bleed point(s) right by the rear brake assembly. But, I don't *exactly* know how to add fluid into the system to decrease pull travel when the reservoir is already full. Removing fluid is more obvious to me.....
Unless this has nothing to do with fluid in the system but just the gap between pads and rotor? Still, I feel there should be some way to adjust this.....
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travellerw
Member
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# Posted: 28 Apr 2024 11:11
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Sounds like air in the system. I would try to bleed the brakes and see if it gets better.
There should be no adjustment as its hydraulic just like a car. Squeezing the lever pushes fluid. However, I have seen some quads where it a kinda hybrid. There is a cable that runs to a location where the master cylinder is for that lever (not right on top of the lever). In those systems, the cable can have an adjustment.
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spencerin
Member
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# Posted: 28 Apr 2024 11:32
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After checking again, I think you're right, I don't think it was bled properly upon assembly. The gap between pads and rotor are a mil, so it's not anything mechanical that I can tell.
I have DOT3 brake fluid already, and an hour round-trip on my motorcycle will get me a brake bleeder kit from Walmart for $10. Can't beat that!
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 28 Apr 2024 13:57
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You don't need a 'bleeder kit', just a wrench that fits the bleeder screw and a length of (pref) clear tubing that fits the knob on top of the bleeder to lead down to a 'catch can' for the fluid that comes out.
Do find the fluid reservoir to make sure it is full to the fill line/mark.
Open the bleeder screw just enough to break it free and close it off snug.
Squeeze the lever, hold it tight, and open the bleeder a comfy wrench throw. Some air and fluid should come out.
Snug the bleeder back up
Release the lever and give it another squeeze, hold tight.
Open the bleeder
Repeat until just fluid is seen coming out of the bleeder into the hose (ie, no bubbles).
During all this make sure the res doesn't run out of fluid!
When done, no bubbles and lever is 'tight' and higher fill the res and cap it.
Btw, it would be a good idea to do the other one also. There will be a bleeder on each caliper/each wheel.
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spencerin
Member
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# Posted: 28 Apr 2024 17:43
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Just finished. Marginal improvement. Did get some air out of the line, but it still has more travel to it than the right. So maybe at this point it is how it's supposed to be.....
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travellerw
Member
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# Posted: 29 Apr 2024 13:45
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Some ATVs are notorious for being very hard to bleed. We have a little chinese SxS for the kids and when I bled the brakes I thought I was taking crazy pills. It kept spitting small bubbles forever. Eventually it stopped any bubbles (had to shake and bang the unit around a bit while bleeding) and the brakes worked as I expected after that.
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spencerin
Member
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# Posted: 29 Apr 2024 17:51
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Now I'm tempted to give it another go. That said, I can grab the brake lever and watch the rear caliper action at the same time and it starts clamping down right away, smooth action, just seems like it has farther to travel 'til full engagement and that's all it is.
However, I need to check the full brake line, see if there's a high point in the middle where air could be trapped, and reorient it if there is. I also need to see if I can find another Tao Bull 200 to compare it to.....
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 29 Apr 2024 22:04
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If the disc has any side to side wobble as it rotates, that will push the pads back so they will have further to travel when applied.
Not likely on a new machine..
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 2 May 2024 09:24
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I gave the Tao back to the widow yesterday. She hopped on and rode around her place a little. All smiles, her grandkids might have to fight her for seat time!
Final thoughts: Going in, I had the thought I might end up with it, but after using it a bit, glad it’s gone. It had enough power, but really I’m too big and heavy for it, plus the turning radius was terrible. And though it has a rack on back, I’m much better off with my UTV that has a bed to just toss stuff and tools into., and a double seat to hop on, a reverse gear…
Maybe for just play fun it would be a good option.
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 5 May 2024 13:56
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Finally.
Someone who fits on the widow’s atv!
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jsahara24
Member
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# Posted: 6 May 2024 12:10
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Very nice of you paulz
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