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Warning! Brake Line Failure near cooler

24K views 34 replies 14 participants last post by  rbabos 
#1 · (Edited)
Own a 2011 Muscle. Riding home from work the other day I noticed my back brakes felt very inconsistent, before I knew it I realized that I had lost all back brake control (luckily only a few miles from home). Once home I opened the rear master cylinder to find it completely drained. I hooked up my vacuum up to the back brakes and tried to put more fluid in the cylinder I soon realized I had a leak somewhere around my radiator as the vacuum tube had nothing but bubbles in the brake fluid. I filled up the cylinder, turned on the bike and when I hit the pedal, brake fluid squirted out all over near my radiator. After tracing the rear brake line and cutting the zip ties I found that the oil cooler inlet was directly zip tied against the rear brake line coming from the ABS unit. The metal connection on the oil cooler inlet had melted through the brake line causing a pin hole leak and overall brake malfunction.

This is a pretty serious issue and a dangerous one if I may add; seems to be a terrible design flaw by Harley. Wanted to share this to see if anyone else has had this issue on their bike. If you haven't maybe you want to check yours to make sure this doesn't happen to you.

Icing on the cake is the brake line is over $110 to replace ($150 at the dealer).
 

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#3 ·
It's not a stock exhaust but that's besides the point. The exhaust has nothing to do with this. If you see in the picture the brake line, oil cooler inlet, and some other items are zip tied together onto the frame (stock install). The oil cooler connection is what melted the brake line, not the exhaust. you can see in the photo how the brake line is melted perfectly to the shape of the metal pipe connection.
 
#12 ·
It's not a stock exhaust but that's besides the point. .
Not at all besides the point. It's the exact point.

You came on here ranting about "HD's bad design" but "Somebody" made changes and that somebody is responsible for lack of due diligence, competence or experience.

I have done my share of mods and changes from mild to radical and nearly every change can or will present an issue. That's rudimentary when playing with a machine that was R&D'd and engineered for a couple of years. I always say with and modification or change: every action has a reaction. I don't blame HD or any other manufacturer when the changes cause grief. Sounds like another millennial thing to me.
 
#5 ·
The radiator hose does not get hot enough to melt a brake hose, if it did it would melt the radiator hose too. The brake hose is to close to the exhaust tube. The radiator hose might get to 220 degrees once in a while, and the exhaust header will get to around 1000 degrees or more every time you ride. Some exhaust headers will actually glow red if your bike is not tuned correctly and is running a little lean. There have been other instances of aftermarket exhaust headers melting the brake and oil cooler lines if there is not enough clearance to prevent it.

Mike

PS: Your first pic is of the oil cooler line with the brake line and an electric wire line, it is not a radiator hose.
 
#6 ·
You are correct; it is the oil cooler inlet line not the radiator line as typed. So you think the exhaust heated up the oil cooler metal connection enough to melt it or do you think it really is the metal scraping away after years of riding? If its just wear and tear you would think a lot of folks would have this issue. I did find another thread on a different site with the same issue; that is what made me believe this was secured like this from the factory. The piping and lines aren't in the way of the exhaust so they wouldn't have to be moved or modified to change the exhaust.

When I re-install the new line my idea is to wrap that metal connector with a bit of exhaust wrap before tying back together. It doesn't make sense that the brake line would melt from the exhaust seeing as the failure point is right in the location of the oil cooler connector.

If someone has a stock picture that may help to see how it is secured.
 
#8 ·
Awesome man. Thanks. I knew I couldn't be the only one out there with this issue.
 
#11 ·
Had the same happen on my DX.
My fault I tightened the oil cooler hose away from the exhaust because it is ridiculously close and the flange gradually rubbed through the brake line.
Talk about late braking!!!
 
#25 ·
DX is that what Ducati is now calling the Daivel X? Ya would figure foir that kind of money Ducati would not have those issues. Guess Porsche help them too.
 
#13 ·
Thank you for your useless comment. Seeing as this problem has happened to multiple people there is obviously an issue. To add to my point I went to the Harley dealer yesterday to find that the brake line is located directly next to the oil cooler line from the factory. The direct contact caused the failure therefor it is a design flaw; may not affect everyone but you obviously don't really care. Guess its just a "old man thing".

My post was to warn folks and to see if it happened to anyone else. I appreciate all the useful comments. Safe riding to all.
 
#22 ·
Seeing as this problem has happened to multiple people there is obviously an issue. "..
Yes, it has happened to a "few" others here. And most all have admitted guilt in that they moved it or modded the area, rerouted/changed it's direction somehow from "stock" orientation.

Bringing it to attention and keeping it a sticky is a good thing for the next group of backyard mechanics to learn fron member mistakes.

The rear switch light can have a heat issue, catch fire, leak and loose rear brakes. Now, that one is definitely a precarious design or location, but even still, it didn't fail until I switched out exhausts, the CFR absolutely puts more heat to that area. I now wrap it with exhaust cloth and have gone 30someK without failure, I also switched to a Chevy switch. Never had an issue with the front line. 2nd V-Rod and closing in on 6 figure mileage without a "rub". (no pun intended)
 
#15 ·
That's clearly wear, the lines were rubbing on each other.
Doesn't matter if it's caused because of a missing strap or because something changed when the exhaust was fitted.
It happened to others aswell and it's a serious issue.

Thanks for the heads up.
 
#16 ·
Well, after all this I went looking. Sure as shit the damn crimp on the oil line was pressed against the rear brake line. Between pressure and heat it caused wear almost all the way through. I added a split rubber sleeve protector to the worn area but on a ride today it failed with a slow leak as shown with testing with hard brake pressure. This showed the peddle slowly moving down and it has been for a while now with wet line under the frame rail from previous rides. I don't use the rears aggressively so this is why I didn't notice it. Was going to be a winter replacement but now I need to fix it. Not in stock so about 2-3 weeks and about $185. I suggest every one taking a good close look at this area and at least add a protector sleeve to the line. What a pain in the ass it will be to change . Bike is a 2013 DX. Update. Got the line off and here is the oil cooler line imprints to the point of failure.
Ron
 

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#18 ·
That oil line floats around freely and is why I tied mine off to the frame down tube to keep it off the exhaust initially.If it ever let go you would have a flaming inferno to deal with despite HD's 'fix' of an extra heat shield wrap around it was my thought.
Fast forward and the brake line got chaffed through instead so this time I left it floating as stock,there's just nothing to fix it to by pulling it to the opposite direction.
Something to keep an eye on its a hot spot in more ways than one.
 
#19 ·
When I get my new line I'm doing this. I discovered a 1 1/4" long x 1/4" id fuel line hose split length wise and postioned at the oil line crimp will offer the needed separation for protection. Like I said in my earlier post that worked but as you can see the prick leaked on my next ride. I let it go too long and frankly being hidden I wouldn't have known it being an issue. Spent plenty of time making sure all other cables , wires or whatever were secure and no rubbing issues when I first got the bike. That one I missed, damn it. My question is this. Why wouldn't the NHTSA be notified and a recall be issued? This is clearly a standard factory ABS routing method that has a flaw. Not a matter of if but when it gets a hole poked in it.
Ron
 
#34 ·
Thanks for posting this issue. I checked my stock 16 Muscle and found exactly the same problem developing with the brake line. The lower feruIle on the oil line has been vibrating and wearing away the line in two spots. Note this line is for the rear brake ABS system. I agree with you completely. Will sleeve the line with some protective hose and replace it sometime in the future. Not sure how to support the oil line away from the brake line yet but I’m sure to think of a way. New line will be ordered tomorrow. HD should be compelled to issue a recall.
Again thanks for letting everyone know of this potentially dangerous issue. This is not an exhaust or heat issue/cause. Vibration of one flexible component against a rigid component is the cause.
Dunc


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
#35 ·
Thanks for posting this issue. I checked my stock 16 Muscle and found exactly the same problem developing with the brake line. The lower feruIle on the oil line has been vibrating and wearing away the line in two spots. Note this line is for the rear brake ABS system. I agree with you completely. Will sleeve the line with some protective hose and replace it sometime in the future. Not sure how to support the oil line away from the brake line yet but I’m sure to think of a way. New line will be ordered tomorrow. HD should be compelled to issue a recall.
Again thanks for letting everyone know of this potentially dangerous issue. This is not an exhaust or heat issue/cause. Vibration of one flexible component against a rigid component is the cause.
Dunc


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
One thing you can do and what I did was add large dia o-rings in the low points of the crimp. These act like rubber bumpers. The sharp edge of the crimp is what chatters the metal line . It seems with some house keeping an a slight bend of the tube that plugs into the engine I currently have clearance on that crimp area of that line now. The o-rings are there but no contact with anything. Spacing the bottom of the rad away a bit helps also. There is one other issue, at least on the 2012 and up DX. The seat actually sits on the fuel module fittings, with some force actually when sitting on the bike. I clearanced my seat pan with a small drum sander to eliminate that. I'm surprised none have been snapped off yet. There are two recesses molded into the pan but not even close to the fittings. Typical HD engineering. :mad:
Ron
 
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