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Brake Bleeding

8K views 12 replies 10 participants last post by  DrummerDaveB 
#1 ·
Hey guys,

So for the past few weeks I've been wanting to bleed my brakes since I know you should do it every two years or so. I read a few articles on how to do it and this weekend I finally get around to it. I didn't use a vacuum pump since I've read about people doing it without it. So I get going; pump my brake lever a few times, keep it compressed, open one of the bleed nipples and voila fluid comes out. Hook up the rubber drain tube so fluid doesn't go everywhere. Close up the nipple, pump a few more times, and repeat as I watch the level of fluid go down in the reservoir.

And here's where I f-ed up (or I realize now I f-ed up but didn't at the time). I let the level of fluid in the reservoir to the point where there was none/very little left. Which means I probably got a decent amount of air in my lines. But I'm thinking no biggie, I'll just have to pump a bit extra to get it out but nothing crazy. So I pour the new fluid into the reservoir, and repeat the process I did for bleeding the brakes. Only thing is, right now there's no pressure at all (the brake lever is moving very freely even when I compress) without any indication that the fluid is travelling down the lines into the calipers. My main indicator being the fact that the fluid in the reservoir isn't moving (the level is staying the same).

So now I'm scratching my head, and read up online that this is a very tedious process and once you get air in your lines, it's a pain the a$$ to get out. So I think it's a good idea to invest in some sort of siphon pump or something. I went to autozone, picked up a generic siphon pump that I think will do the job, but it didn't help at all.

Now I'm doing some reading and I see some people used the Actron vacuum pump (with pressure gauge - here's the link: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00999499000P?mv=rr) and used that to help remove all the air and pull the fluid through the entire tubing out to the nipple. I'm planning on picking this up tomorrow, but in the meantime thought it would be a good idea to ask the experts (that's you guys) on wtf I did/am doing wrong and what's the easiest/quickest way to fix it.

Thanks everyone,
Pete
 
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#3 ·
Umm get yourself some clear tubing and an empty clear bottle to aid you. Make sure the tubing has to stretch to fit over the brake bleeder screw to keep it air tight. Fill the bottle up with an inch or so of brake fluid or enough to keep the other end of the clear tube submerged in the brake fluid.



As you pump the lever keep filling and watching the hose for air bubbles. Make sure the end of the hose is submerged if not air will be sucked back up into the hose and piston. Keep filling and pumping the lever until no air bubbles are visible in the hose. Once you see that tighten up your bleeder screw, remove the hose from the nipple and top off the reservoir and do the other side.

Hope this helps.
 
#4 ·
The vacuum pump should solve the problem.

I have a MightyVac that makes it real easy to change the fluid each season.

I'm not familiar with the brand you mentioned, but MightyVacs are usually available at auto stores or Harbor Freight for about $35 (less if on sale).

You will be drawing the fluid through the system instead of pushing it. You hook the vac pump on the bleeder and create vacuum in the cup, then open the bleeder and the fluid will be drawn into the cup. Do it a couple times and refill the cylinder each time. Pump the lever (w/the bleeder closed) in between to make sure you have dislodged any air pockets.

Should solve the problem.


Jay
 
#6 ·
what people do every 2 years is replace the brake fluid. Your on the right track so far, what you need to do is keep doing what your doing for a bunch of fill ups, i normally just do it 10 fill ups. also the front brakes you bleed the right side first (the front brake side), then the left side (the clutch side). This is because your line goes to your right, then your left. So basically if you do it opposite, you will just let out your air into the left side (the side you bleed first because of doing it opposite). and also go on ebay and buy speedbleeders, I have them on my SV and love them.

So basically, pump your brakes how ever many times it takes it to drain the reservor 1/2 way then fill it and repeat. When your all done, then bleed them. You don't need to bleed them the whole process of running fresh fluid through your lines.
 
#8 ·
what people do every 2 years is replace the brake fluid. Your on the right track so far, what you need to do is keep doing what your doing for a bunch of fill ups, i normally just do it 10 fill ups. also the front brakes you bleed the right side first (the front brake side), then the left side (the clutch side). This is because your line goes to your right, then your left. So basically if you do it opposite, you will just let out your air into the left side (the side you bleed first because of doing it opposite). and also go on ebay and buy speedbleeders, I have them on my SV and love them.

So basically, pump your brakes how ever many times it takes it to drain the reservor 1/2 way then fill it and repeat. When your all done, then bleed them. You don't need to bleed them the whole process of running fresh fluid through your lines.
+1 I was sort of wonder why someone would suggest bleeding the system every two years. I only bleed the system if I think there is air in it.....after changing brakes or something. Depending on how your store your bike, you might even want to change it out more frequently. Heat, sunlight, moisture, etc.....are all factors that CAN break down your fluid.

It's really easy to do. I've used a high dollar vac system, an inexpensive bleeder like the HF one and I've done what you see in the picture that NEXUS posted. It's much more time comsuming without assistance of a vac or pressurized system, but it can totally be done.;D
 
#7 ·
I highly recommend you get a big 50-60mm syringe and some silicon hos the right size to fit tightly over the bleed nipples, rather than a mityvac or similiar- costs about 1/10th as much and works a lot better. The idea's simple- fill syringe with fluid, attach to brake nipple, push fluid into caliper using syringe. The old fluid comes out the top, drain it off, repeat till it's flushed. Then, with new fluid in the reservoir (which you can push up from the bottom or pour in from the top) you push fluid back down with the lever, and it'll refill the syringe and carry out any air left in the caliper.

The reason this is better than a mityvac (which I also own, but never use for brakes any more) is that with the mityvac you're aggressively sucking fluid down, and air wants to go up... Pushing the fluid up from the calipers carries the bubbles in the direction they want to go. This really makes it very, very easy. I'm not very good at bleeding brakes, so I spent some time looking for easy ways out, and this is far and away the best method I've tried- cheap, and very easy. It also cuts wastage.

Just to give you an idea of how fast and easy this is, I changed the front fluid on a friend's GSXR on a trackday, in the time it took to red flag a session, clear a minor crash, and reform the grid- perhaps 5 minutes including finding the tools. No spills, no mess.
 
#9 ·
The only time I use a Mitey Vac is to fill a dry system or to get air out. To change the fluid out (which I do annually) I hook up a bit of tubing from the bleed nipple routed to a jar. Then I empty the reservoir (siphon out) and refill with clean fluid. Then I crack the bleed nipple and let gravity to the rest. I keep the reservoir full and wait for clean fluid out the bleed nipple. Then I do the other caliper. Then I do the rear.
 
#10 ·
Yeah I can't imagine having some sort of vacuum pulling the fluid thru the piston faster then a few pumps of the lever will do with gravity. It's about a 20min process to do both front lines. Is there some need to have it done faster then that for more money too?? ???
 
#11 ·
If you have air near the top, and in the master cylinder sometimes gravity just doesn't work... And pumping can be very time consuming when that happens too. So the option becomes bench-bleeding the master cylinder or using a tool, or taking a very long time over it.
 
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