Bleeding Brakes...
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Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 602
Likes: 12
From: Ma.
Bleeding Brakes...
Hey everyone, just posted about this yesterday. Still having no luck. I should of mentioned yesterday in my post that I replaced both calipers and both master cylinders. So the system is pretty well empty. Could that be the problem since there is not a drop of fluid in the line? Sorry for the re-post. Happy Easter to all...
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 705
Likes: 8
From: southern IL
Yes, the problem is no fluid in the lines, and they're so small that it takes time, gravity, or some patience to get it done. I replaced my front line not too long ago and ran into this. Here's what I did: Open the master cylinder and SLOWLY squeeze the brake. You do it too fast and you'll have brake fluid everywhere. But, anyway, you'll notice that sometimes there's bubbles that come up every once in a while. This is part of the system in place that is normally used as a safety factor. Its some sort of backpressure in the master cylinder, but also helps get fluid down in your lines. It also helps if you can crack open your drain plug (a mcdonalds straw works great!) and do this slow squeezing. It will eventually get fluid down into the pistons and you can start bleeding it from there.
Or you can fill the master cylinder and leave it overnight and let gravity do the work. I've heard that trick works too.
Good luck!
Or you can fill the master cylinder and leave it overnight and let gravity do the work. I've heard that trick works too.
Good luck!
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
From: park county colorado
I remember when I replaced my front caliber it took forever to get it to bleed. I popped the cover on the master and opened the bleeder screw and put a clear hose on the bleeder and ran it into a jar. Let gravity do its job , when it starts to come out of the hose I tightened the bleeder, put the master cover back on and started squeezing the lever . I remember squeezing that damn lever a thousand times before I started to build up pressure, once I had some pressure I bled the system with my one man bleeder kit.
Road Captain
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 562
Likes: 66
From: Fredericksburg, VA
I had a problem getting my front brake to bleed when I changed to a braided cable last summer. My local indy shop told me to turn the handlebars so that the master cylinder was at the highest point (turn to the left). Then he told me to whip/shake the brake line back and forth. This relieved all of the built up air in the line; I could see a lot of bubbles coming out of the little vent hold in the bottom of the master cylinder. It took a little while, but that worked really well for me.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 100,455
Likes: 19,810
From: Centennial, CO
I also put on a braided line and one of those newfangled Chromium plated calipers over the winter. Took Forrrrevvvvver to get fluid thru it all. I prolly got a grip now to crush a golf ball. Anyway, saw a post out in the general population about using a NEW small hand pump oil can to push the fluid up from the caliper to the cylinder. Attach a tight fitting tube tween oil can and bleeder. I'm gonna try this for the rear line I have in near future.
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 43
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