By AndyW June2005 (6 months after I did the job!...oops)

• Tools

• Before you start

• Removing the old brake lines / hoses

• Fitting new brake lines / hoses

• Notes

A much more straight forward job than changing the brake lines (see brake line install FAQ) with perhaps the exception of getting at the clutch hose retaining clips behind the right-hand side frame spars. I'm sure the job can be done without even lifting the tank but I think it's a lot easier with the tank up and the airbox out so that you can see what you are doing (see air box removal). In theory the clutch line will just pop out of the retaining clips with a bit of persuasion but the hose retaining rubbers are a tight fit in the clips.

I fitted Goodridge Stainless Steel Braided lines - see here for info on brake and clutch lines at a great price.

Before we start a before photo:

And another showing the location of the hose retaining clips behind the frame spars.

The top one can be seen looking through the hole in the frame and the bottom one can also be seen if you get down on your knees (or have a hydraulic lift/workbench ;-).  The middle clip is part of the bracket that holds the throttle idle/tick-over adjuster screw.

Right lets get on with it:

Tools:
You'll need an 8mm open ended spanner for the calliper bleed nipples and 14mm ring spanner or socket to undo the banjo bolts. A torque wrench and 14mm socket to tighten the new banjo bolts. 10mm ring spanner or socket and a cross head/Phillips screw driver:
 

Doh!...after doing the photo above, thought to check the manual! This is better.....

Before you start:
First thing to do is wrap some clean cloth around the top of the brake hoses to stop any leaked fluid running down them. Cover the fuel tank and wheels, any areas likely to be damaged by spilt or splashed brake fluid, with a couple of layers of clean cloth also. Keep that wet cloth close to hand!
You'll also need a length of plastic tube with a suitable internal diameter to make it a tight fit on the bleed nipples (possibly two different tubes as the rear brake bleed nipple is larger than the front!). And of course something to collect bled brake fluid in. Alternatively use an 'easy bleed' kit.

**Quick warning**
Brake fluid damages paint work....surprisingly quickly! Apparently the right way to deal with spills is to rinse the brake fluid away with clean cold water. I just kept a wet cloth to hand, do not wipe spills with a dry cloth, paintwork may still be damaged!

Step 1:
Removing the old clutch hose:
Remove the clutch reservoir cap - remove the rubber diagram ('bellows') within.
Gently dry/clean the diaphragm with a lint free cloth and pop it in a plastic bag to make sure it doesn't pick up any dirt.

• Using your plastic tubing/easy bleed kit, drain all brake fluid, don't undo the bleed nipple too much or brake fluid leaks up past the thread of the bleed nipple instead of through your plastic tube!

• Close the bleed nipple and loosen the banjo bolt from the clutch slave cylinder taking care to catch the few last drops of brake fluid that'll run out.

• Pull the banjo bolt and wrap the hose end in a piece of cloth, just in case :-)

• Undo and remove the top banjo bolt from the clutch master cylinder- remove the hose being careful that no brake fluid drips.

• Wipe away all signs of brake fluid from the calliper and master cylinder where the banjos have been removed with a wet cloth...you've still got lots of dry cloth everywhere?!

Most likely the inside of the clutch reservoir will have a fine film of dirt  coating it (a build up of miniscule rubber particles from hoses and seals). See here for information on a revision to the clutch slave cylinder and clutch slave cylinder maintenance. Carefully wipe the reservoir out with a lint free cloth.

Unbolt the retaining braket/clip located on the head-stock of the frame.....

...and unclip the hose from the further three clips inside the frame. Before you pull the hose down through the frame to remove it make a note of how it's routed in relation to other cables that run down from the handlebars.

Feeding the old hose down through the frame will be considerably easier if you've taken my advice and at least lifted the tank. Better still, if you've removed the air box you'll find it easy to guide the hose through and stop it getting snagged.

Step 2:
Install your new braided clutch line:
Straight forward really.......feed the new line through from the clutch slave cylinder up through the frame following the same route as the old hose. How many rubbers, for locating in the hose retaining clips on the frame, there are on your new line will depend on the brand. Some people dispense with using the bottom clip but I removed a rubber from the old hose and used a small 'tie wrap' (cable tie) to hold it and the clutch line in the bracket (braided lines have a smaller diameter than the original rubber hoses hence the need for a tie wrap).

Tighten the line unions/banjo bolts once you are satisfied that the new line is located right. Only tighten the top union gently initially and then move the bars from lock to lock to make sure the clutch line is correctly positioned - once happy torque it up.

All that's left to do is refill the system with brake/clutch fluid and bleed it - much the same procedure as described here in the brake line install FAQ

Job done:

Notes:
1) Are crush washer reusable? I don't know, some say yes and some say no. According to some if you tighten up a banjo bolt to the specified torque and then decide you don't like the orientation of the line you can't just loosen the bolt (even if its only been tight for a few seconds), reposition the line and retighten. You must disassemble the fitting and reassemble with brand new crush washers.
To play safe I recommend that you only place enough torque on the banjo bolts to keep the lines stationary during the install until all lines are run and all attachment points are decided upon. Then as the last step the banjo bolts can be torqued to the proper specs. This way you'll be free to make some changes without having to replace the crush washers. As a contingency and for the sake of a few pennies, order a few spare crush washers :-)

2) Please note that the correct torque settings for the bleed nipples/valves are very low (as specified in the Tools section) - over-tightening can easily result in the threads being stripped in the callipers. It's probably a good idea to try and get a feel for what the proper torque is before trying to bleed the system. This can easily be done by setting your torque wrench to the proper torque and giving a twist to any nut with a higher torque spec.
There should be no need to exceed exceed the specified torque settings. If you think you need to use more torque than the spec don't do it - you have some other problem that needs to be remedied.

After installing my new lines I was sure I passed enough fluid through the system and tightened the bleed nipple but after a test ride there was signs of a small amount of brake fluid around the base of the nipples. The natural tendency was to tighten more assuming the valve must still be open a bit but I knew I had already tightened them properly. Having asked around apparently it is not unusual for a little fluid to seep up past the nipple threads for the first few rides - just wipe it off with a cloth and keep an eye on them......they should dry up soon.

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