Front Brake Line for the Crossbones Springer with 16 ape hangers

I have already measured the extra length I need to be 6 inches longer than the hose I had. Which is odd because the stock Crossbones bars are supposed to be 12 inches and I am running 16's.


Let's get the rest of the DOT 4 out before I make another mess.


Take the banjo bolt loose to get the hose off.


Cover everything until I can get the proper hose built.



This is where my plans wrecked out again. I was planning to have a hose built locally, like before. Then, I made this discovery. The front brake line has this very specific section of hard line to route it from behind the trees and to the left of the front wheel. You have to have this section to do it correctly. A universal line won't work. Like hiding wires, just another place where a Springer is different than a hydraulic front end.


Luckily, with some internet searching, I found the part number for the 6 over line and found it available on clearance at Dennis Kirk. It was only $28 to my door. I doubt a locally made one could be had much cheaper.


I did buy fresh washer seals for the banjo bolts locally only to find the hose came with them. There were two big and two smaller ones. I used the small ones at the master cylinder and the large ones on the caliper.


Route it through.


Fit it up to the master cylinder. (I need to clean off the yucky clearcoat and put on fresh, but I want to make sure it works out first.)


The proper parts mean a good proper fit. Right in the guide and around the corner twice.


Right to the caliper.


All put together.


Torque the top banjo bolt to spec.


Wow. I never thought this would be an issue. I don't have a double hex socket in this size. I am really anal about torque in an aluminum hole and making sure it seals. Luckily my neighbor had the proper socket so that I didn't have to run to the store to get one. So that got torqued properly.


So I bleed the brake line and of course made a mess on the floor. The brake seems to function, but the lever has a ton of travel. The stock bore Harley MC is 9/16 bore = 0.563. My original plan was a 13mm Kawasaki MC = 0.512. I actually had a 1/2 in Kawasaki MC on had = .500. I will see how it goes. The bigger the MC bore the shorter the stroke needed.