Any tricks on bleeding brakes?

[boingmotorsports]

I am trying to use a brake bleeder to bleed my brakes and not having any luck. I keep bleeding the right side, left side, the master itself, and repeated that several times, but the lever still has no substaintial resistance to it. It's a Brembo master with Goodridge steel lines. I'm not getting any air bubbles from the left side or the master, but the right side seems to have some bubbles. Could that mean there's a leak in that line? Is there a certain sequence that I should do that order in? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

[G-reg]

once I get most of it out at the calipers I'll leave it sit for awhile and then crack the banjo bolt at the top, or if you have one of those fancy new bikes the bleeder screw at the top use that instead  ;D  

Squeeze and hold the lever, open the bolt and let the fluid come out, and tighten it back down all while holding the lever in..  Then release the lever, hit it a couple times quickly to get some feel in it, and repeat..  No special brake bleeder needed.

After 5 or 6 times its usually pretty good for me..  Just shove a nice big towel or rag under the banjo bolts up top to soak up the fluid.  I do it with the reservoir cap off too.

[boingmotorsports]

Hmmm....
Well I have the bleeder on the master, and I've been doing that. I'll try the "Squeeze and hold the lever, open the bolt and let the fluid come out, and tighten it back down all while holding the lever in..  Then release the lever, hit it a couple times quickly to get some feel in it, and repeat." with both caliper and the master bleeder tonight. thanks.

[tzracer]

You do not have to tighten the bleeder bolt between squeezes when bleeding manually. Open the bleeder slightly, sqeeze lever, release, squeeze lever - repeat until reservoir is almost empty. Hold lever after last squeeze, tighten bleeder. Refill reservoir. Repeat as needed.

[boingmotorsports]

Still no luck. Also tried what tzracer suggested. There is some resistence, and it does stop the front wheel on the stand. But I can literally pull the lever all the way to the grip. Any way to detect air leaks?

[Gixxerblade]

Go around and check the torque on all the banjo bolts.You might need new crush washers as well. If you have to you might think of disassembing the calipers as the seals tend to wear out. I usually do what tzracer does except I use smaller squeezes so the bubbles don't escape back into the system, unless you have a speedbleeder. Speaking of bleeders, I almost forgot, air sometimes likes leaking around those too.

[damico]

Take a zip ty and squeeze the brake lever as tight as you can get it it, if goes to the bar so be it. Leave the brake lever zip ty'd to the bar for a day. Not only can this sometimes allow trapped air out but can also point out leaking or broken parts. If this does not work your master cylinder may need to be rebuilt. It is very easy to do and pretty cheap.

[Steviebee]

Find your best buddy,  and brag to him how stiff your brake lever is.   Then the contest is on !!!

Worked for me and Stumpy.   We tried everything to get a good lever.

The zip tie thing and frequet bleeding is a must.

[Super Dave]

Take a zip ty and squeeze the brake lever as tight as you can get it it, if goes to the bar so be it. Leave the brake lever zip ty'd to the bar for a day. Not only can this sometimes allow trapped air out but can also point out leaking or broken parts. If this does not work your master cylinder may need to be rebuilt. It is very easy to do and pretty cheap.

+1

[Super Dave]

Find your best buddy,  and brag to him how stiff...

 :o :o :o

 ;D

[SVbadguy]

I like to use a syringe to inject fluid into the system through the caliper bleeder bolts.

[boingmotorsports]

I bought some speedbleeders and crush washers and waiting for delivery. I'll see how that goes.

[GSXR RACER MIKE]

I like to use a syringe to inject fluid into the system through the caliper bleeder bolts.

I know someone who does this on all his toys with good results - but I have never tried it myself.


If you don't get it I have a trick that may work that I used to get my freinds Mini-Motard brakes working after he replaced his lines. Keep us updated! :)

[boingmotorsports]

Well - I've resorted to rebuilding the calipers. Got them apart, but only ordered enough quantity seals for one caliper. See if that does it.

[Z-man]

First with the mity vac, you have to remove your brake bleeder and either use teflon tape or bake this solvant on them.  If not the suction is strong enough that it will suck air through your threads and it will never get all the air out.  I don't like teflon tape because it will disolve in your brake fluid.

Mity vacs are good to get a decent amount of fluid through but then I recommend moving to the traditional way to finish the job(I do the same with speed bleeders)


Questions and then a couple tricks.

What did you change that caused you to have to drain your brakes? 
Did you change the master cylinder or something that touched the crush washers?  (Brembo master cylinders need their own special bajo bolt, using a stock one may not allow the cable fittings to match up or may create openings for air).
If nothing, were your brakes in decent shape before you started?

tricks
stop with the mity vac go to the traditional way.

grab a small water bottle and poke a hole in the top that will allow a tight seal on a piece of aquarium tubing.  Put the clear tubing into the hole and squeeze the bottle to get all the air out.  Put the tubing onto the brake bleeder.(this will cause some suction and help the process slightly).

Pump the brakes a few times, hold it hard against the bar or as close as you can get and then open the valve very very quickly. If you open it slow there isn't much flow and air bubbles can be tricky, you got to have a mad rush of fluid leaving the bike.  Once you get to the bar hold the lever there and tighten the bleeder bolt.

Repeat as neccessary, start at the top and work away from the master cylinder.

Next trick, grab a rubber mallet and hit the calipers lightly a few times to help the air bubbles get to the bleeder, same on the master cylinder but use the back of a screwdriver.
Next start on the lines start at the calipers and start tapping the lines with the back of a screwdriver all the way up the lines into the master cylinder.

Bleed again using the above method.

When finished put the cover back on the res and pull on the lever (doesn't have to be all out tight as described above) attach a zip tie or two to keep compression.

Bleed until you don't see air bubbles.  If this doesn't work it is definitely something else.

Z