[ian McIntosh]

I have a side car and trailer and now have both front brakes on hand lever and the rear brake is now connected to rear and the side car, but it does not stop to well on back brake

how can I increase the stopping power any HELP out There Please.


what size are the brakes on GL1500 so i can order speed bleeders for front and rear

 

[Bike...and Dennis]

The seller will ask what bike its for and give the correct size.

Goodridge 8mm x 1.25 Thread Speed Bleeder SB8125LL

 

[ian McIntosh]

have side car and trailer and now have both front brakes on hand lever and the rear brake is now connected to rear and the side car but it does not stop to well on back brake how can I increase the stopping power any HELP out There Please.

 

[AZgl1800]

I am going to Merge this thread ( Post #3 from Trikes ) into your other thread about brakes, that is in the Technical Forum.

I realize you have a Side Car, but we need to keep all of the responses in one thread.

 

[david_root2000]

Go with EBC HH sintered brake pads. They are as aggressive as you can get with out going to racing pads which do not work for street.

It made a HUGE difference on my 1500.

David

 

[cihilb]

You're stopping a lot of weight. Maybe adding electric brakes, if possible, would help.
Use front and rear brakes together.

 

[redwing52]

have side car and trailer and now have both front brakes on hand lever and the rear brake is now connected to rear and the side car but it does not stop to well on back brake how can I increase the stopping power any HELP out There Please.

Got stuck in a traffic jam going down the Smokey Mountains. Two killed on a GL1500 when they could not stop the run away bike and trailer. Hit the Jersey Wall.
I like Chilli's comment for the trailer.

Are you sure the hack's brakes are in good shape, adjusted and free of air?

It is critical that the adjustment on the hack is right up to snuff.

When you apply the rear brake you are applying pressure to 3 wheel brakes. Does the foot pedal have lots of travel?

 

[cihilb]

Sorry to hear about the accident.
Pulling a trailer means you have to adjust the way you ride. Lower gears downhill and a lot of distance in front.
I pull a Bunkhouse camper and have caught myself ignoring my own rules. I did run into a situation once that was beyond my control. An accident on a blind curve in front of me. Luckily there was enough room for me to go onto the berm.
I also pull a 30 foot toy hauler behind my truck. The truck automatically downshifts when going downhill in tow mode. still need the extra distance though.

 

[ian McIntosh]

I do have EBC HH brake pads and I do have Electric brakes on trailer but still find without trailer the rear brake does not do a good job at stopping even if I stand on brake pedal I did change the 88 rear disk to a 99 mod as it is larger but that made no difference at all any Help.
I have orders for new master cilender will see if that's the problem

Got stuck in a traffic jam going down the Smokey Mountains. Two killed on a GL1500 when they could not stop the run away bike and trailer. Hit the Jersey Wall.
I like Chilli's comment for the trailer.

Are you sure the hack's brakes are in good shape, adjusted and free of air?

It is critical that the adjustment on the hack is right up to snuff.

When you apply the rear brake you are applying pressure to 3 wheel brakes. Does the foot pedal have lots of travel?

No the foot brake only works the rear and the sidecar the front has now been joined to the front brake lever. but its still hard to pull up.

The seller will ask what bike its for and give the correct size.

Goodridge 8mm x 1.25 Thread Speed Bleeder SB8125LL

Yes its 88 GL1500 but the rear brake is a 99 model caliper with 8mm nipple.

 

[DougW]

With that much weight I highly recommend electric brakes on the trailer. I had them on one of my trailers and they made a HUGE difference in stopping power. I found it easiest to wire a 12V line to the trailer and mount the controller in the trailer, once it is adjusted you don’t need to touch it and if you are in an emergency situation your won’t have enough hands to use the manual over ride anyway.

Are the brakes on the sidecar disc or drum? If they are drum brakes is there a residual valve in the line to them? That will give you a firmer pedal and more braking power.

 

[ian McIntosh]

With that much weight I highly recommend electric brakes on the trailer. I had them on one of my trailers and they made a HUGE difference in stopping power. I found it easiest to wire a 12V line to the trailer and mount the controller in the trailer, once it is adjusted you don’t need to touch it and if you are in an emergency situation your won’t have enough hands to use the manual over ride anyway.

Are the brakes on the sidecar disc or drum? If they are drum brakes is there a residual valve in the line to them? That will give you a firmer pedal and more braking power.

No side does not have Ridsitual vale its a drum hidrolic connected to rear brake this is the lot that is having trouble stopping have now master on order will change its 33 years old so time for update.

With that much weight I highly recommend electric brakes on the trailer. I had them on one of my trailers and they made a HUGE difference in stopping power. I found it easiest to wire a 12V line to the trailer and mount the controller in the trailer, once it is adjusted you don’t need to touch it and if you are in an emergency situation your won’t have enough hands to use the manual over ride anyway.

Are the brakes on the sidecar disc or drum? If they are drum brakes is there a residual valve in the line to them? That will give you a firmer pedal and more braking power.

With that much weight I highly recommend electric brakes on the trailer. I had them on one of my trailers and they made a HUGE difference in stopping power. I found it easiest to wire a 12V line to the trailer and mount the controller in the trailer, once it is adjusted you don’t need to touch it and if you are in an emergency situation your won’t have enough hands to use the manual over ride anyway.

Are the brakes on the sidecar disc or drum? If they are drum brakes is there a residual valve in the line to them? That will give you a firmer pedal and more braking power.

The trailer brakes are Electric and work good its the bikes rear brake that I have trouble with and it connected to side cars drum brake and they don't work to good even if I stand on brakes I have orders new master cilender to see if that fixes it up good or not.

 

[DaveO430]

I have orders new master cilender to see if that fixes it up good or not.

If your master cylinder is holding pressure a new one won't fix the problem. The new fluid that goes in with it might help.

 

[cihilb]

I find it hard to believe that the bikes master cylinder has enough pressure and volume to also do the drum brake on the sidecar without a residual valve. The MC was designed to operate the bike's brakes.

 

[ian McIntosh]

I find it hard to believe that the bikes master cylinder has enough pressure and volume to also do the drum brake on the sidecar without a residual valve. The MC was designed to operate the bike's brakes.

Yes but all that has happened is the front brake disconnected and reconnected to side car that still has brake flued flow it should still be the as was before..

 

[ian McIntosh]

I find it hard to believe that the bikes master cylinder has enough pressure and volume to also do the drum brake on the sidecar without a residual valve. The MC was designed to operate the bike's brakes.

Also how do I get the right Residual valve for my needs what would be the right pressure valve 2psi or 10 psi how would I know.

 

[DaveO430]

Also how do I get the right Residual valve for my needs what would be the right pressure valve 2psi or 10 psi how would I know.

You haven't said if the pedal goes down too far or is it fairly firm. If it doesn't move too far you don't need a residual valve.

 

[ian McIntosh]

You haven't said if the pedal goes down too far or is it fairly firm. If it doesn't move too far you don't need a residual valve.

You haven't said if the pedal goes down too far or is it fairly firm. If it doesn't move too far you don't need a residual valve.

Yes pedal does go down to far that my problems.

 

[redwing52]

Yes pedal does go down to far that my problems.

The brakes on the sidecar must be adjusted very close to the drum. I would even make it drag some but not so mush it gets real hot. That should help shorten up the pedal travel.
Does anyone know how the proportional valve is designed a d how it functions. Might it be contributing to his issue?

 

[DougW]

Also how do I get the right Residual valve for my needs what would be the right pressure valve 2psi or 10 psi how would I know.

2# is for disc brakes, 10# for drum brakes.

Too much pedal travel is a sign the residual valve is quite likely to help. If you pump the pedal a time or two I suspect the brake gets better, which is another indicator the residual valve will help provided there is no air in the brake system.

 

[ian McIntosh]

You haven't said if the pedal goes down too far or is it fairly firm. If it doesn't move too far you don't need a residual valve.

Yes it does go down more than it should.