Bleeding the Brakes??
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2008
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Bleeding the Brakes??
My rear brakes have been non-existent for a few months now - the pads still have life, but no stopping power. I figured I should bleed the brakes.
I purchased a mityvac bleeder kit and was trying to bleed the brakes; when I opened the bleed valve and was pumping the mityvac - nothing came out. I opened the valve to the point it was going to come off, and nothing came out. The resovior was still full and nothing was happening.
I don't think i did anything, but all of a sudden theirs life in my rear brakes; it has stopping power...???
Any ideas?
I purchased a mityvac bleeder kit and was trying to bleed the brakes; when I opened the bleed valve and was pumping the mityvac - nothing came out. I opened the valve to the point it was going to come off, and nothing came out. The resovior was still full and nothing was happening.
I don't think i did anything, but all of a sudden theirs life in my rear brakes; it has stopping power...???
Any ideas?
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 4,828
Likes: 8
Sounds like you have got an obstruction. Take off the banjo bolt and the lines, blow them out with air, and reinstall. While the line is off, check the action of the master cylinder. Install the brake line onto the master, but not the caliper. Place a pan under the line, fill the master cylinder with brake fluid and hit the brake. Fluid should come out. If so, install the brake line to the caliper and check the function. If it works, then you cleared the obstruction. If not, then the problem is in the caliper. Refill the master cylinder res. with brake fluid, open the bleeder, and pump until the fluid comes out the bleeder clean with no air bubbles. Press the brake pedal in one more time and hold it there, as you tighten the bleeder bolt. At no time should you allow the master cylinder res. to run low on fluid.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 4,828
Likes: 8
Incidentally, do the diagnosis. It is not hard. You may seem to have braking power when spinning the wheel by hand, but remember that it takes a LOT more power to stop the bike loaded, at speed. What may feel like a properly functioning brake with the wheel unloaded, may still be a dangerous brake when ridden.
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 958
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From: Hartford, WI
I ran into that EXACT problem with my ATV. In the ATV, the hand brake (front left) would run BOTH calipers while the foot brake runs the back caliper. If it works with the front, it means the caliper works when it gets pressure. Just NOT with the foot brake. So, I opened the bleeder and squeezed. Nothing. After a couple of squeezes, fluid came out, dirty fluid.
Try this. Do the manual bleed. Open, Down, Close, Up. Do this a few times. If you open the bleeder and push down, it might burp it but when you release the pedal, it will suck air into the system and you are back to square one. I can afford speed bleeders and mityvac units but I have never used them. I prefer the manual method since air can seep past the bleeders unless you are using speed bleeders.
Try this. Do the manual bleed. Open, Down, Close, Up. Do this a few times. If you open the bleeder and push down, it might burp it but when you release the pedal, it will suck air into the system and you are back to square one. I can afford speed bleeders and mityvac units but I have never used them. I prefer the manual method since air can seep past the bleeders unless you are using speed bleeders.
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