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
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