Weak front brake

[blueoval]

I have read the old posts regarding making the weak front brake on the k5 better.  Mine is a 2000 and the front brakes do not work well.  I like a very strong front brake as I do a lot of technical down hill riding.  My specific question is what year and model CR/F front brake lever will work on the stock brake system for the 2000 k5?   

thanks in advance   

B.O.

[kxpegger]

Can't help with any conversions but an old trick I use especially on my Zooks is to apply a slight amount of pressure on the front brake lever overnight. I usaully use a zip ty. This forces the tiny little air bubbles back up into the master cylinder and stiffens up the front brake for a couple of rides. Don't apply too much pressure though to avoid anything blowing past the seals. Sometimes you can use a gallon of fluid try to bleed them and never get all the air out. I'm sure others may chime in on their favorite methods.

[DoldGuy]

KXPegger,
You are the first person I have heard of doing this besides myself (people laugh at me for doing this).

B.O.,

I assume you have an earlier model K5? Does your Master Cylinder have the # 11 on it by the banjo bolt? As Pegger stated that trick really does work. I have many KXs and each one has this done to it while sitting. I use a piece of small rope about a foot long with a loop hole in one end and pull the front lever in until it is pretty firm (where the front wheel would be locked up) the use the rope to hold the lever in by wrapping around the grip and back over itself to keep it from slipping (there is some Nautical name for it?) . It is easily removed in 5 seconds & can be reinstalled after the ride in 5 seconds with no zip ty or wire cutters. Try it on for about 2-3 days and test, I think you will be impressed with the results & not need any other modifications.
Keep us posted on your results
DoldGuy

[Hillclimb#42]

Dold Guy told me about the Little Mighty Vac, when I was having fits with a rear brake line not long ago. Found it at Orielly's Auto parts and worked very well. It sucks fluid at the bleeder valve, and built pressure quickly for me. If you are thinking it needs bled. Thanks for the previous tip Doldguy. Workin well for me.

[hughes]

I have read the old posts regarding making the weak front brake on the k5 better.  Mine is a 2000 and the front brakes do not work well.  I like a very strong front brake as I do a lot of technical down hill riding.  My specific question is what year and model CR/F front brake lever will work on the stock brake system for the 2000 k5?   

thanks in advance   

B.O.

You really need the shorter front brake like the "CR style" or from a newer KX. My 87 kx500 had the CR style front brake line from the factory. The shorter brake line provides better feel and stronger brakes. I'm unsure what year or model for the brake line that you'll need. In my experience the banjo bolts and washers for the brake lines are industry standard and work across all models.

[blueoval]

Thanks everyone for the responses!   Appreciate it as always.   

[cr37]

I used a CR front brake on my AF and made a big inprovent and was fairly cheap, all you need to change is use the KX caliper carrier

[Polar-Bus]

I've owned 5 KX's over the past 22 years, and every dam one of em' had the imfamous KX front "sponge brakes". I've tried different fluids, bleed methods, nothing that made any substantial difference. Like Hughes pointed out, converting to a CR style hose routing seems to be the ticket, however i've never actually ridden a KX with this mod. I've just gotten used to the KX sponge brakes. When I went railing into my first high speed berm on my brand new '07 YZ450F I hit the front brake, and got catapaulted 40 feet right over the handlebars (wasn't quite ready for that level of new YZ mucho stopping power !!!..   

[greencannon]

replace stock line with quality aftermarket steel braided one, get a quality aftermarket rotor, quality aftermarket brake pads.
Disconnet caliper from fork and hold it up higher  than the master cylinder ( attach to garage ceiling with wire, string, ect)
Get Mity-Vac pump and bleed the hell out of it...
My front brakes are beautiful now, and still predictable...unlikle the "throw me over the bars CR style" brakes

[barryadam]

replace stock line with quality aftermarket steel braided one, get a quality aftermarket rotor, quality aftermarket brake pads.
Disconnet caliper from fork and hold it up higher  than the master cylinder ( attach to garage ceiling with wire, string, ect)
Get Mity-Vac pump and bleed the hell out of it...
My front brakes are beautiful now, and still predictable...unlikle the "throw me over the bars CR style" brakes

+1

PM me.  I've got your braided line.
I went with an oversize Braking wave rotor / stock calipers.  Works great.  I got it a long time ago on Fleabay.  Have seen a few since.

Barry

[DoldGuy]

If you want POWER the Brembo setup is the only way to go if you are going to spend some $.

One finger Stoppies with their setup, but harder to modulate after riding KX brakes for years.
I have tried the braided line the Honda style routing (which is best of all, but you need special fork guards to mount the cable), Honda Mastercylinder & Caliper, Oversize Rotor but the Brembo setup is mucho bueno.
DoldGuy

Barry Adam still have those DSP units? I am interested in them if you want to get rid of them.

[blueoval]

Thanks for the replies.  I am used to riding bikes with excellent front brakes.  My 2004 kdx 200 has very good front brakes and all of my previous bikes did also - mostly yamahas and KTM's.  I will start making some small changes that have been suggested by y'all.