Removing/Replacing the brake pedal on the XL650V

[BuckarooBanzai]

Has anyone else been reduced to a gibbering wreck by this task? I can remove the brake pedal by displacing the RH Footrest bracket, and then undoing the pinchbolt with a ratcheting pivot-headed 12mm spanner. Putting it all back again is a different matter! If you leave the spring on the footrest bracket attached, fitting the pedal back into the thingamabob thats attached to the brake mechanism is almost impossible, and lining up the punch mark so that the pedal is at the correct height just can't be done (unless you have X-ray vision). If you leave the spring unattached, how do you reconnect it when the pedal is back in place and the footrest bracket tightened up? At the moment (after much swearing) my brake pedal is now reattached, but sitting at about 4 o'clock in relation to the bracket!

There must be an easy way to do this which, as an amateur bodger, i'm just not seeing - can someone please put me out of my misery and tell me how it's done?

Ta.

[HeebyGeeby]

I managed to remove and replace without removing the footrest bracket, I just removed the two brake cylinder bolts, dropped the cylinder and bent my wrist to a 143.21 degree angle. The main spring never came off.

Replacing it was a matter of trial and error for me I'm afraid, fitting it, checking position, replacing it etc.

Honda could have made it all far more accessible if they'd felt so inclined.

[Recycler]

Look here:

650 rear brake service

[BuckarooBanzai]

That's just what I was after - Mr Haynes is rarely of much help in these matters! Many thanks guys!

[RainMan]

I managed to remove and replace without removing the footrest bracket, I just removed the two brake cylinder bolts, dropped the cylinder and bent my wrist to a 143.21 degree angle. The main spring never came off.

Ah now I understand why I was having problems, I was only bending my wrist to a 140.32 degree angle.