Having just bought this second hand Dyna, I found the rear brake caliper was damaged due to a bush being missing.

BUT! I failed trying to repair it!

I attempted to machine a new bush out of plastic to replace the missing part, but the damage to the caliper was so bad that my plastic bush didn’t work.

This job required a new caliper but you can follow along my thought process for the repair.

Also, if you have an ABS-equipped late-model Harley Davidson, the manual will tell you to go to the dealer to bleed the brakes, as the ABS module needs to be opened by the HD service tool so you can bleed the fluid through the module.

I found this wasn’t necessary if you use a vacuum bleeding tool. I was able to successfully bleed the rear brakes without visiting the dealer.

I know this is contrary to what you’ll read on most HD forums, but it worked for me, and the vacuum bleeder would cost less than the hour’s labour the dealer would charge.

I was using an Air Boy bleeder, part number 143123-000, which is shown on their website here:
http://www.jwl.dk/en/p/brake-bleeders/

In Australia you could buy this unit from Repco, Bursons or Total Tools, however its probably a special order.

In the USA, I couldn’t find the Air Boy brand on Amazon, the closest was this knock off (which is a lot cheaper than Air Boy):
https://amzn.to/2ROfgD5

If you’re just interested in the discussion about bleeding the ABS brake system, skip to around 14:15 in the video.

RELATED TO THIS VIDEO:

Other videos and articles in the “Working on Mechanical Systems” series:
How to identify worn chains and sprockets: https://youtu.be/LTvtpHwKtbA

If you want to use a vacuum bleeder similar to that shown in the video, you’ll need an air compressor. Check out my compressor overview:
https://krankengineering.com/tech/air-compressor-overview/

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I believe anyone can build their own custom motorcycle. I believe you should enjoy that sense of satisfaction that comes from creating something with your own hands. I believe you don’t have to pay someone else to do it.

So now I teach people how to build custom motorcycles by helping them build skills and confidence with my articles and training videos. I provide better technical information for custom motorcycle builders. And I shorten the learning curve getting you there.

Rather than having to spend thousands of dollars at a commercial shop, I can teach you to do as much or as little as you want.

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