Bleeding Brakes

[Alive]

Yeah, if there's air in the master, you can pump all you want One of those self bleeding kits might help, although nothing beats correct technique (I've bled heeeaps of bikes, never used anything but a hose off of the nipple).

I will do what you suggested.... then use a self bleeder to get rid of anything in the lines.

Thanks for your advice... appreciated

[imdying]

Yep, you'll need a hose and bottle anyway, and the self bleeders are cheap as chips, so you might as well have one!! Generally you can knock them over and not spill anything, unlike the trusty hose and bottle method....

[The Pastor]

Not really a good move, brake fluid absorbs moisture quite readily so leaving the reservior open & exposed to dampness or cold night air over night can be enough to contaminate the fluid.

Pressurizing the system properly during bleeding forces most air bubbles & crud out of the system.

Arrr... you do put the lid back on the resivar after tieing it up, Its the best way (imo) and works great.

[idb]

Not really a good move, brake fluid absorbs moisture quite readily so leaving the reservior open & exposed to dampness or cold night air over night can be enough to contaminate the fluid.

Pressurizing the system properly during bleeding forces most air bubbles & crud out of the system.

True enough I suppose, but it always works for me nevertheless.

[imdying]

But if you bled it properly, there would be not waiting over night, you could just ride it straight away!

[The Pastor]

But if you bled it properly, there would be not waiting over night, you could just ride it straight away!

True, Or you could just bleed the brakes at night just before bed - only takes 15mins.....

[FROSTY:Me]

guys has noone picked up on what the bike is--An XJ550
Dude if the bike still has the factory fitted brake lines you will NOT get a firm lever. The brake lines are just too old. -They are literally bulging as you apply the brakes
at this point most folk will be standing up saying "Braided lines" --nahh stuff that. Just get some factory lines from a (much) later bike.
doesnt need to be a yam. as long as the fittings at each end are the same and the lines are the same lenth.
Ill betcha $100 youll get a heap better lever

[Korea]

I've had really good results by not pumping the lever all the way to the stop/handlebar. Just pump a few times, then squeeze just a little (about 2-3mm); seems to make a whole heap of bubbles rise up.
Good luck with that...

[imdying]

True, Or you could just bleed the brakes at night just before bed - only takes 15mins.....

I'm assuming to let them stand overnight? You could have them bled properly in 15 minutes anyway!?!

[Ghost Lemur]

Came across this a while ago.

Thoughts? I'm sure the universal one could be modded to work on bikes.

[dhunt]

Came across this a while ago.

Thoughts? I'm sure the universal one could be modded to work on bikes.

hmm a bit dearer than my $2 of hose and peanut butter jar. It's very universal - works on cars and bikes.

[Warr]

Mr "Alive"
Bleeding brakes on front of bikes is difficult for sure.
By design the slave cylinders are lower than the master... well mine are and since air rises we have a problem....

Although my XJ900 had original lines on it I could get them pretty good... BUT I had to reverse bleed them. No-one on here previous has mentioned my method of doing this so for your info my un-patented method.
Find a friend who works in a medical place and get a reasonable size syringe and tube large enough to go over the bleed nipple and snug on the syringe.
Remove the master reservoir cap.
Fill the syringe and tube up with fluid and put onto the bleed nipple furtherest from the master cylinder and push the fluid through. When it runs clear lock off that bleed nipple and work on the next.

And when you are all finished wash out the syringe and put some vaseline on the rubber so that it will still work for next time.

[The Pastor]

I'm assuming to let them stand overnight? You could have them bled properly in 15 minutes anyway!?!

Yeah, that was my point - but it doesnt hurt to leave them over night anyways.

[RiderInBlack]

This is the method I use:

This the same as I do for brake bleeding (from this old thread "Bleeding Hydraulic Clutch":

Quote:

Originally Posted by RiderInBlack
"Roxanne" has a Hydrolic clutch lever. I had to replace her master cyclinder kit for it. Put the kit in the wrong way at first and wonder why it was not bleeding properly (it was sucking not blowing) Once I put the kit in the right way it was only just a bit harder to do than the brakes. This is how I go about it:
Once I have freash fluid in the whole line, I recycle the fluid back in the reservoir (using the same method of bleeding as in the brakes). I do this by having a bleeding hose long enough to go from the slave to the master (putting the end in the reservoir fluid). I keep recycling until I can not see any fine bubbles coming out of the hose.
By using this method I stop air being sucked back in the system, use less fluid, and can see when all the fine bubbles have come out. This eliminated power bleeding for me

Hope it helps.


as I posted here http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...35&postcount=5

[imdying]

I can't think of a worse idea than recycling the fluid (and all the crap that ends up in the slave (clutch slave/calipers/whatevers at the bottom). Brake fluid is cheap, and if your technique is tight, you'll only need a 500ml bottle.

Assuming your pumping fluid and not air, just keep pumping the lever till clear fluid comes out the bottom. Then resort to your close bleeder, pump pump pump, hold lever in, open then close the bleeder, repeat x3-4 technique. And that's it, you're done.

If that brings no joy, you've either not clamped your lines off when you've had your calipers off, and the masters run dry, or you've managed to make the master run dry by some other means... either way, dry master == no pumping. That's because she simply won't pump air. If you're in that situation, undo the hose at the top, prime the master (instructions in this thread), then bled as described above.

Using that technique you'll get anything to bleed, pretty much no matter how poked and expanding the hoses are. Sure the flex might mean that lever will feel crap, but the bleeding will be fine