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Clipped a bar at the weekend resulting in a pretty spectacular barrel roll with miraculously few injuries to me. However, knocked my Tech3 lever. After straightening it on the bars noticed a drip of fluid from where the copper washer meets the lever, so called it a day.
Considering stainless fittings into alloy lever body, assumed the worst, and that the thread would be knackered in the lever body. However, back home I tightened up the fitting, and it now seems to hold pressure and there's good feel to the brakes. Will bleed it properly and see if it still does.
I've got an uplift day booked in 2 weeks - would the hive mind think it's ok, or would I be over cautious to replace fitting and lever body (and hose, because braided hoses are an ugly, unnecessary PITA)
It'll be fine, I've knocked mine before in Whistler in a crash and it started leaking fluid because it came loose. A quick bleed and it was fine for years.
It'll be fine. I've done similar and just nipped up the shroud and it has been ok afterwards.
So what you're basically saying is 'you need to nip it up, bleed it, then do an awful lot of riding over the next couple of weeks, you know, just to be sure'. Right?
(Fwiw, the shroud cover was reasonably loose, the actual fitting into the lever body barely, so I backed it off and tightened a few times to reseat)
So what you’re basically saying is ‘you need to nip it up, bleed it, then do an awful lot of riding over the next couple of weeks, you know, just to be sure’. Right?
Correct😀
If you're really worried, clean and dry, dust with talc, then tie the lever off over night. You'll have your answer in the morning.
Probably a tad loose beforehand and the shock from the crash just brought it to your attention, a little drop of fluid then nothing after tightening suggests no problem, the same happens when altering hose angle at the caliper end which can result in a drop of fluid around the copper washer, it wont really affect performance. You'll be surprised how long some people go without bleeding their brakes, even after shortening the hose, also for peace of mind get a jewellers loupe off eBay to inspect for any cracks, they're great for seeing if something just a scratch or a crack.
To be fair it wasn't just a little drop of fluid after the crash, I straightened it on the bar, straightened the stem, flicked the levers a few times, and my mate went 'err, your not going to want to hear this...'
You could see the drops forming.
I'll rebleed and throw some talc at it, good plan, ta.