Advice needed - replacing Hayes hfx-9

[sparkybhp]

Hi, I’m after some advice if anyone on here can help? I’ve just bought a muddy fox drift freeride/downhill bike as a project. Not sure if it’s everyone’s cup of tea but it was cheap and has some really good kit on it for the money I paid. The bike is in very good condition but the brakes (Hayes Nine) work but are both leaking from the seal around the top of the reservoir.
A google search suggests that these are pretty obsolete now so can anyone recommend a suitable replacement? Do I need new rotors too? The ones on there are huge - 200mm I think, can I go down to 180mm? Do I need to?
I appreciate any advice, I’m used to working on older retro bikes but this is a bit out of my comfort zone.
Thanks

 

[Mikey08]

Re:

I would email Hayes they might have some NOS rebuild kits still. Or contact hayes distributors asking them to check the dark and dusty corners of their warehouses... You might get lucky. Failing that perhaps you could make new seals from old inner tube, or carefully use automotive gasket sealant?

 

[Mikey08]

Re:

I know nothing about these brakes either but a quick google search shows a common issue where a plastic bung that goes in the bleed port on the lever can fall out. If thats your problem they are availabe on ebay. Good luck!

 

[sparkybhp]

Re:

Cheers for the advice. I did a bit more research in the meantime and opted to change out the brakes completely in the end. I’ve ordered some shimano M365 brakes and a bleed kit. I have the same on my modern Norco full sus bike and they work well with 180/160 rotors so should be mega with the 203mm brakes on the muddy fox.
The old Hayes fit on the Norco so the new brakes should go on the Muddy Fox.
I did think along the same lines as you about using some rubber to seal the reservoirs but they’re a bit of a crap design in that when the levers are mounted the reservoirs are upside down. I’m guessing that would lead to air locks without the proper bladder being there..
Cheers, I’ll update once the new brakes are here.

 

[sparkybhp]

Re:

So the new brakes arrived (big thanks to bikehq_co_uk on eBay), and they fitted on a treat. Bolted straight on to the original spacers and working fine with the original 203mm rotors. The bleed kit came with the new brakes and that all worked well. I don’t know if the brakes are the same sort of standard as the original (Shimano M365/Hayes Nine) but they work perfectly and sit nicely on the bars next to the Deore gear shifter.
Cheers for the advice.