Fun with Kelsey Hayes brakes

[400brian]

I recently had Sam Polito repair a K&H brake master for me. I decided after that one came back that I should get another one fixed because there is no time like the present.

Back in 2008 Troy Miley was up from southern IN to attend the Ride with the Champs. He was at the farm helping put a few final touches on my 340/S. He had brought along a chunk of new plastic brake line to replace my original. We were getting it installed when he casually mentions most of these masters are cracked. I told him as far as I knew this one was OK, he gives it a casual look and says; no, it is cracked. SOB, I had never looked close enough, it was indeed cracked! After we got the line on and the system bled it worked, and I never noticed any leaks, so I have been ignoring it.

I took it off the sled tonight, and the crack is exactly the way I remembered it. I'm sending this to Sam to get rebuilt and a reinforcing ring installed. I forgot my phone when I went to remove the master, I will get a pic taken and show what this did to the grip.

[400brian]

Here is graphic evidence of what happens to the aluminum ring in the brake grip of your hydraulic brake equipped sled if there is a fluid leak. In this case, the leak was so slight that after 15 years the reservoir was still full. The area between the grip and the rubber that the master clamps to is slightly damp. The aluminum has grown fur like a Chia-pet, and blown the plastic grip apart!

The master is going out for repair, and the grip will have to be replaced.

[BU1]

Brian, could you use Dot 5 silicone fluid?? Assuming it was run of the mill Dot 3 that caused this.

[400brian]

Brian, could you use Dot 5 silicone fluid?? Assuming it was run of the mill Dot 3 that caused this.

I am open to opinions on that. Yes it had DOT 3 fluid in it. I asked Sam Polito what he thought about using DOT 5, and he had no opinion.

[sledz]

I use DOT 5 in my vintage Polaris sleds with no issues, gotta be 3-4 years now.