Wish I'd noticed this bent brake fitting sooner

[billbuilds]

     I had my ABS brakes bled by an indy shop around the middle of last October and didn't do a whole lot of riding thereafter. I know darn well that this fitting was not bent like it is now before that visit. Do I dare try to bend it back into position or is that asking for trouble? Bill

[motorplex88]

 I guess you could take it up with your shop...or just ride it. I wouldn't bend it back but check it for stress cracks.

[hattitude]

Hard to tell....

Is it actually bent...?  Or was it just twisted at the banjo bolt on the caliper...?

If just twisted.... You could always loosen banjo bolt, twist it back, and retighten... then if it leaks, just replace the banjo washers/gaskets #41751-06A (part number is just a guess, check to be sure for your year bike)

If bent.... I have successfully re-bent a brake line before, but I was careful and ready to replace that section of brake line if I screwed it up..

Or, as suggested above... if it's not hurting anything and not leaking.... ride it...!

[Coyote]

It looks OK to me. 

[Hossamania]

Maybe a picture of the other side for comparison?

[kd]

You don't say what year and model but my 2011 RGU has a 90 degree bend there.  I doubt you'll be able to hang it on the dealer tech though.  There would be no reason for them to even touch that fitting.  IMO it's more likely it was bumped by accident in use or the victim of a tiedown strap etc..  The possibility of a tiedown on the dealers lift table if the tech straps around the lower leg is real though.

[billbuilds]

    Seems like that brake line should come out of that banjo and then turn straight up to form a 90 degree angle as it does on the right side. I've polished those lower legs on a couple of different occasions prior to having that service work done and have always been able to fit my fingers between the brake line and the lower leg. Both banjos are in the same base position. IMO it doesn't look right but rather quite bogus.
 

[Hossamania]

I think kd might be on to it, it looks like it was tied down and bent.
I also don't know that I would try to bend it back, but if so, I'd be ready to replace if necessary.

[Hossamania]

Is that a fitting screwed into the end of the line, or the stock molded line without the removable fitting?

[billbuilds]

You don't say what year and model but my 2011 RGU has a 90 degree bend there.  I doubt you'll be able to hang it on the dealer tech though.  There would be no reason for them to even touch that fitting.  IMO it's more likely it was bumped by accident in use or the victim of a tiedown strap etc..  The possibility of a tiedown on the dealers lift table if the tech straps around the lower leg is real though.

    The bike is a 2011 FLHRC. It wasn't a dealer, it was an indy. Potty mouth works happens in them too. Yep, could well have been bent by a tie down strap.

I think kd might be on to it, it looks like it was tied down and bent.
I also don't know that I would try to bend it back, but if so, I'd be ready to replace if necessary.

    It's pretty involved to replace it so I guess I need to learn to live with it for the time being though I'm not particularly pleased about that. 

[billbuilds]

Is that a fitting screwed into the end of the line, or the stock molded line without the removable fitting?

     The flex line is held to the banjo fitting by the ferrule. On the this ABS setup you'd (I'd) have to replace both left and right side lines, the junction and the line from the junction to the handlebar master. It's all one non-detachable item.
 
   Edit: The line goes from the junction under the lower tree to the ABS module under the seat, not to the handlebar master cylinder.

[kd]

I see a risk of the line and ABS cable contacting the sharp lower edge of the cowbell on hard suspension compression.  That would be bad juju.

IIRC the travel from no load at rest is about 4" when I measured it before fitting a supplementary Lockhart oil cooler in the upper frame (shovelhead) position.  I synched it down while on the lift when measuring mine.  Where your line comes close to the lower leg appears to be about 3 1/2" (or less) from the cowbell.  You will have to measure and confirm for your own peace of mind. I just checked my 2011 RGU and the elbow is very stiff but I personally would be tempted to try to reposition it at least part way back for clearance if not all the way. It's more twisted than anything. I think if you are careful and mark the collar of the banjo fitting to the base and fastener cap so you can observe any slippage and not be impatient you should have success.  IMO the biggest risk straightening it is cracking the weld spinning the steel line in the banjo eye.  The steel line should be robust enough to take the re-bending once.

I would also consider first asking the Indy how he straps to the lift.  Then share your discovery with him to give him an opportunity to get involved.  By that I mean he may offer to fix it by straightening it out or replacing it.

[billbuilds]

     Well I decided to give it a try and had pretty good success. I removed the caliper from the lower leg and was able to set it on a small work table. I shielded the fitting just below the ferrule and clamped down with vise grips just enough force to hold in place then used a couple of blocks of wood to get a good angle then it was a little strength and a lot of determination. It's not perfect but it's a whole lot better than it was. Thanks for giving me the confidence to attempt this kd.     Bill

[kd]

Good one.     From where I am sitting I would never know if you didn't point it out.   

[Coyote]

If it cracks under abs braking, what's the worse that can happen?

[billbuilds]

If it cracks under abs braking, what's the worse that can happen?

     Is it going to have any more pressure than it does when I grab a fistful several times while just sitting here? 

[Hossamania]

If it cracks under abs braking, what's the worse that can happen?

It will be just like when the abs IS working. 

[kd]

If it cracks under abs braking, what's the worse that can happen?

     Is it going to have any more pressure than it does when I grab a fistful several times while just sitting here? 

It shouldn't have any more pressure than under ABS operation.  ABS is designed to relieve the pressure when the front wheel sensor tells the system it is travelling slower than the rear (as in skidding) and then reapply it to continue the braking until it locks again.  That's the shudder sensation from the on / off application.  Your front and rear brakes aren't directly linked so you will have rear brakes. Two different reservoirs.  I suspect if you get yourself out in a safe location you can (at slow controllable speed above the activation (when the light goes off) work the front brake hard to check it out.  It's something I (and many others) do regularly with the front and rear to exercise the ABS module. 

Just clean the banjo fitting and tube real well with alcohol (isopropyl) so it's powder dry and do your static (stopped) testing at hard panic stop levels first without riding it. You have no ABS until the speed picks up to where the ABS warning light stops blinking telling you it's armed so applying the front brake hard when you are rolling too slow will skid the wheel so be careful.  Carefully check for moisture around the effected area using your fingers.  You may notice it slippery if it's wet but surely you'll be able to tell if it's on your fingers. Keep an eye on it for a while.  The part you are monitoring is the seam where the tube is sweated into the banjo ring.  IMO the tubing where you straightened it up should be fine.  Steel line is cold formed to 90 degrees with benders all the time. It is also overkill for the hand pressure you put to it under the most extreme application pressure.  All you've done is moved it back toward where it's memory is from the manufacturing bend.  Don't forget to tighten (re-snug) the banjo fitting first to be sure it didn't loosen off the seat when it got tweaked or during the repair.