Brake Bleed
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2nd Gear
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 6
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Brake Bleed
OK Lads, I am the newest kid on the block but certainly not new to Motorcycles. However I have a problem thats got me pulling me hair out. I put some new rear pads on my 95 flhtc and while doing so I had to crack the bleeder in order to compress the caliper just a tad to get er off. All went easy as pie cause its an easy job ( NOT TODAY ) . All is back together but I have lost my foot brake. No pedal at all. I have even tried a vacuum bleeder but no luck . Years ago I had the same problem on a yamaha and believe it or nor I was able to jury rig a shop vac by taping and gradually reducing hose sizes and sucked the fluid out through the bleedervalve but even that wont work today. Any Ideas welcomed. Thanks in advance.
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 27
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RE: Brake Bleed
I had the same problem with a 95 softtail. The bleeder wasn't exactly on the top, so, when you bled the brakes, the air stayed in the top of the caliper and the fluid run straight out the bleeder. I had to take one of the mount bolts out of the caliper and turn it so that the bleeder was directly on top and bleed it. Don't take the caliper all the way off the rotor or you'll have to compress the pads to get it back on. Next time, use a 'C' clamp and just compress the pad back into the caliper before you remove it.
Novice
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 22
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RE: Brake Bleed
Take the caliper off the rotor and remove pads. put one of the old pads in the caliper and press pedal until piston is almost ready to come out of caliper, then very slightly open bleeder screw and push piston back in this gets all the air out. you may want to do this 2 or 3 times. I fought mine and heard this trick and tried it and worked perfect.
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 307
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From:
RE: Brake Bleed
Cant se why you had to crack the bleed nipple to ease the piston back? the fluid shoulf just flow back into the master cylinder. If you 100 % have to crack the bleednipple always depress the lever and hold it there first. Then put a length of tube with its end in a pot of fluid. This then stops any air being sucked back in as the fluid can only go one way. Time consuming yes but now where near as long as its takes you to sort it out when you get air traped in there.
if your taking the caliper off another trick to try is this. Hang the claiper form one of the bolt holes so the bleed nipple is at the top. Place a peice of wood between the pads and then depress the brake peddle and place soemthing on it to hold it on. Then leave over night. Whith fuild under pressure the air will move ot the highest point in the circuit which should now be the bleed nipple.Then next day leave the peddel depressed and open the bleed nipple then slowly push the piston back this should then push any air out the bleed.
if your taking the caliper off another trick to try is this. Hang the claiper form one of the bolt holes so the bleed nipple is at the top. Place a peice of wood between the pads and then depress the brake peddle and place soemthing on it to hold it on. Then leave over night. Whith fuild under pressure the air will move ot the highest point in the circuit which should now be the bleed nipple.Then next day leave the peddel depressed and open the bleed nipple then slowly push the piston back this should then push any air out the bleed.
Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,881
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From: USA
RE: Brake Bleed
1. position caliper with bleeder at high point.
2. open master cyl top
3. connect vacuum bleeder (pumped to -5 only just slight vacuum)
4. open bleeder & fill MC as bleeder emptys. Close bleeder you are done.
( if you suspect air is still in the caliper tap lightly with rubber mallet while bleeding)
OR: get a set of speed bleeders and just pump the pedal with hose on the bleeder. The air has to come out.
2. open master cyl top
3. connect vacuum bleeder (pumped to -5 only just slight vacuum)
4. open bleeder & fill MC as bleeder emptys. Close bleeder you are done.
( if you suspect air is still in the caliper tap lightly with rubber mallet while bleeding)
OR: get a set of speed bleeders and just pump the pedal with hose on the bleeder. The air has to come out.
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