Let’s do regular maintenance! How to grease up the lever that will drastically change the operation of the brake and clutch

GL1.jpg How to

Lubrication is essential for the parts of the engine, wheels, chain and other parts that move while in contact with each other.
The throttle and clutch cables will also move smoothly and lightly with lubrication, but the brake/clutch lever pivot is often overlooked.
If you find that the lever is reluctant to move when you begin to grip it, or if you feel resistance, remove the pivot bolt and grease it up.

Pivot lubrication also extends the life of the part

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The structure of the brake lever, which does not have an adjustment function, is very simple. However, the simplicity of the brake lever is a reflection of daily maintenance. The pivot bolt is not dustproof or waterproof (some trail models have a rubber cover). So the grease will certainly fall off over time.

The brakes that control the speed of the bike are not a two-way switch, on and off, potency This is a delicate part that can be adjusted from zero to 100% with fine gradations. It is possible to adjust not only to make the lever more or less effective, but also to transfer the force you hold on the lever to the pad as you imagine. It is important.

There are many high performance brake parts on the market, both made in Japan and abroad, but it is important to use genuine parts. The force of holding the lever is transmitted to the pivot point, even if it is a brand name product. If it's a simple on/off switch like an electric switch, it can work even if there's some resistance. Brake levers are much more delicate than electric switches.

In the construction of both the brake and clutch levers, the pivot part is a pivot bolt in the hole in the lever. It's as simple as just sticking a "1" in it, and it relies on the grease applied to the pivot for lubrication. Therefore, if it deteriorates or runs off and the grease loses its performance, the pivot bolt and the lever will be metal-to-metal and the grease will be lost. will rub against each other directly.

In many production cars, the bolts are made of steel and the levers are aluminum, so the friction in the absence of grease will cause The holes in the lever will be unevenly worn and enlarged, increasing the rattle. As a prelude to this, the lever will be reluctant to move due to lack of grease.

When the lever is lightly gripped, it does not move smoothly, but begins to move when a little more force is applied. When the lever is about to come to a stop just before it returns to its original position. If you see these symptoms, remove the lever and check the condition of the pivot part.
If you can get maintenance done in time before the grease runs out and starts to wear out, you'll have the added benefit of avoiding unnecessary lever replacement and using the parts longer.

[POINT]

  • The lever pivot is an often overlooked maintenance point.
  • Greasing up the lever will make it last longer.

Remove the brake lever carefully.

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If the nut is attached to the back of the lever holder, remove the nut before the pivot bolt. The pivot bolt itself has a stepped shape, so no matter how hard you tighten the nut, it will not stop the bolt from coming off. There is none. So there is no need to tighten it with foolproof force.

Grease up work on the brake lever pivot requires the removal of the pivot bolt. If you use spray grease, you don't have to disassemble the lever section, but the effect is temporary and not for grease up. We have no problem with this.

The structure of the pivot part has several patterns depending on the model, but the simplest one is This is a pattern where the nut is attached to the back side of the holder for the bolt that sticks in from the top of the lever holder. In this type of case, remove the nut first, then loosen and remove the pivot bolt.

There is no direct contact between the lever in the lever holder and the master cylinder piston. If the parts are pinched together, know the order in which the parts are assembled before pulling out the pivot bolt. If you have a service manual or parts list on hand, check the configuration of the parts together.

The removed lever and pivot bolt should be checked for oval holes in the lever, surface treatment of the bolt Check if it is not stripped or rattled through the hole and clean it with parts cleaner. It is. Some types of levers have a color built into the inside of the hole, so you can use a spray-on When using cleaner, be careful not to blow it off.

Also, when cleaning, pay attention to the dirt and wear on the lever holder part of the master cylinder as well as the lever.

Poor lubrication has caused the holes in the lever to wear unevenly, leaving the lever itself shaking up and down. If you continue to operate the brake, the upper and lower surfaces of the lever may scrape the lever holder. If this happens, you may not be able to recover the feel of the lever by just replacing the lever, so be careful.

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Some models use a collar to prevent wear and improve sliding performance. In addition to the collar, the clutch lever has an O-ring built into the lever. To avoid confusion or misassembly during the assembly process, care must be taken when removing the lever. I'll leave it at that.

[POINT]

  • Observe the configuration around the pivot before disassembly.
  • Check each part of the lever after removing it.

Grease ups are more regular than a pile-up.

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Apply a thin layer of water-resistant grease to the cleaned pivot bolts. If you apply it so generously that it protrudes from the lever holder, it will only attract dirt from the outside. It doesn't make much sense. It's more useful to wash and grease up regularly.

Once the cleaning confirms that there is no wear or damage, you can apply a new grease to restore it. A lithium or urea-based grease with excellent water resistance is recommended here. You may want to apply a generous amount of grease to protect the pivots and levers from wear! However, too much grease will cause dust and dirt to adhere to the lever area, which will become abrasive. Do not over-apply, as it is possible.

Frequent maintenance is more effective than a lot of application at once, and try to remove the lever and check it at least once a year.

The same goes for the clutch lever pivot, and a precise greasing will improve the clutch's feel. In the case of cable type clutches, the force to rotate the cable end tycoon is applied by operating the lever. In the case of a cable type clutch, a rotating force is applied to the tie rod at the cable end by operating the lever. Don't forget to apply grease to the tycoon part as well, as it will add to your car's performance.

Greasing up the lever pivot is a simple maintenance task, but you will be glad you did it because you will feel the smoothness of the lever operation afterwards.

[POINT]
Point 1 - Know the disadvantages of applying too much paint.
Point 2 - Clutch needs to be lubricated with cable tycoons as well.

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