How To Bleed brakes
#3
10-15-2007 | 05:50 PM
Super Moderator
1st Gear Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,350
From: Clarksville, OH
RE: How To Bleed brakes
Hmmm, not many takers on this one...
Buy a FRESH can of fluid. (No old stock stuff sitting on your shelf since the 80's) OK, unscrew the cap on your brake fluid reservoir, keeping a rag underneath tocatch any possible overspill. (Rule #1: Fluid gets on your paint, you're not gonna be happy.) Find an appropriate sized wrench which fits the bleedscrew on youractual brake calipers (probably an 8 or 10mm.) Find a small hose (the kind that comes with a new battery works pretty well) and attach it to the nipple end of the bleed screwand the other end into a catch can. Put the wrench on the bleed screw, and while compressing the brake lever, turn the wrench until fluid begins to flow in the hose. The lever will go against the grip (DON'T LET GO YET!) Tighten the wrench before you let off the lever (otherwise you get air into the line and the process takes forever.) If the bleed screw is now tight again, you can let off the lever. Squeeze the lever again until pressure gets built-up in the line.Again, while compressing the lever, loosen the bleed screw. Zzzzip-out comes more fluid. Tighten bleed screw. Let go of lever. About every 4-5 times you do this precedure, check the amount of fluid in the reservoir so you don't rundry. (Otherwise, you get air in the line; not good.) Repeat this procedure until you get fresh fluid coming out of the hose. It will take some time, so be patient beyond your usual threshold.
Method 2 is to get a brake bleeder pump of some sort.And, (yes, I have one) although these work pretty well (depending upon what kind you get) I've found that with a small reservoir, they tend to suck the fluid out pretty quickly. This means you need to be very aware of how fast you're depleting the amount in your reservoir. (Remember AIR is not your friend.)The old-fashioned way I've explained above, will do the job. Just be patient, and keep the fluid away from your paint (even put a towel or something underneath where any drips might potentially hit. Better safe than sorry.)
You can do this!! Good luck!
Buy a FRESH can of fluid. (No old stock stuff sitting on your shelf since the 80's) OK, unscrew the cap on your brake fluid reservoir, keeping a rag underneath tocatch any possible overspill. (Rule #1: Fluid gets on your paint, you're not gonna be happy.) Find an appropriate sized wrench which fits the bleedscrew on youractual brake calipers (probably an 8 or 10mm.) Find a small hose (the kind that comes with a new battery works pretty well) and attach it to the nipple end of the bleed screwand the other end into a catch can. Put the wrench on the bleed screw, and while compressing the brake lever, turn the wrench until fluid begins to flow in the hose. The lever will go against the grip (DON'T LET GO YET!) Tighten the wrench before you let off the lever (otherwise you get air into the line and the process takes forever.) If the bleed screw is now tight again, you can let off the lever. Squeeze the lever again until pressure gets built-up in the line.Again, while compressing the lever, loosen the bleed screw. Zzzzip-out comes more fluid. Tighten bleed screw. Let go of lever. About every 4-5 times you do this precedure, check the amount of fluid in the reservoir so you don't rundry. (Otherwise, you get air in the line; not good.) Repeat this procedure until you get fresh fluid coming out of the hose. It will take some time, so be patient beyond your usual threshold.
Method 2 is to get a brake bleeder pump of some sort.And, (yes, I have one) although these work pretty well (depending upon what kind you get) I've found that with a small reservoir, they tend to suck the fluid out pretty quickly. This means you need to be very aware of how fast you're depleting the amount in your reservoir. (Remember AIR is not your friend.)The old-fashioned way I've explained above, will do the job. Just be patient, and keep the fluid away from your paint (even put a towel or something underneath where any drips might potentially hit. Better safe than sorry.)
You can do this!! Good luck!
#6
10-15-2007 | 06:33 PM
Senior Member
1st Gear Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,762
From:
RE: How To Bleed brakes
Or, there is a third method.
Get three or four feet of "clear" tubing, hook one end to the caliper bleeding screw. Tape, or secure the tubing about midway up the fork leg, and let the rest of it hang down into a catch pan. Open your bleeder screw (but don't hit the brake lever yet!!!), wait until the fluid makes it's way to the highest point of the tubing and then start pumping away. (Yes, leave the bleeder screw open during this.) Keep watch on the brake reservoir to make sure it doesn't run dry. eventually, all the air will work it's way out, and you don't have to go through the mess of pumping up the M/C and cracking open the bleeder screw over and over.
Get three or four feet of "clear" tubing, hook one end to the caliper bleeding screw. Tape, or secure the tubing about midway up the fork leg, and let the rest of it hang down into a catch pan. Open your bleeder screw (but don't hit the brake lever yet!!!), wait until the fluid makes it's way to the highest point of the tubing and then start pumping away. (Yes, leave the bleeder screw open during this.) Keep watch on the brake reservoir to make sure it doesn't run dry. eventually, all the air will work it's way out, and you don't have to go through the mess of pumping up the M/C and cracking open the bleeder screw over and over.
#7
10-15-2007 | 09:42 PM
Super Moderator
1st Gear Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,350
From: Clarksville, OH
RE: How To Bleed brakes
Thanks, HoeD!
Mark, gotta admit, I haven't heard that one before. That's pretty good!
Hey, have you guys ever tried the Speed Bleeders? I did, and wasn't too impressed, really. [:'(]
Mark, gotta admit, I haven't heard that one before. That's pretty good!
Hey, have you guys ever tried the Speed Bleeders? I did, and wasn't too impressed, really. [:'(]
