|   Open System brake levers interchangable ????? | YaMon
Jul 23, 2003 6:21 AM | | Can you interchange brake levers from different manufacturers as long as they remain open system ?? Does anyone know of a aftermarket manufacturer of open system brake levers ?? Altek used to make a model for closed system hydraulic brakes and they were fantastic, still have them on my other bike for my Magura 33's.
The Formula 4 racing brake levers that I own are being held together by tie wraps and constantly need parts to maintain. Great brake if you want to just hang your bike on the wall. Anyways, I have not yet had any problems with the calipers, so am now thinking of just switching out the levers if at all possible.
Otherwise...Shimano or Hayes. |
| Not usually... | AndyH
Jul 23, 2003 7:50 AM | | ...if you do try and fit some other brake lever to your Formula brakes I'd be aware of the following items:
1) Make sure the new levers use the same type of brake fluid as the Formula's. In other words, don't throw Shimano or Magura levers on there and expect them to last (Shimano & Magura uses mineral oil as brake fluid versus Formula's DOT brake fluid)
2) Without knowing the master-cylinder size in your Formula brakes and not knowing the master-cylinder size in the new levers, you may end up with bad results when you mix-and-match the levers.
3) I'm not aware of any aftermarket manufacturers (like Altek) that make an entire replacement lever-unit for disc brakes. Yes, there are some aftermarket lever-blades available for Hayes and Shimano, but no entire lever-unit that includes the lever, master-cylinder, etc.
4) Attaching the Formula hoses to this other lever may be difficult or impossible.
I'd say the easiest thing to do would be to replace them with a new set of brakes...or perhaps Thorsten (http://www.thorusa.com) from Formula would have some other suggestion for a heavier-duty Formula lever (perhaps the one from the 4 Racing Freeride / Downhill brakes, the "MOTO Lever") that would work with the 4 Racing calipers. |
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