Brake bleeding kit?

[gstrong82183]

I have heard about brake bleeding kits that make the job much more manageable. I just found out my newly purchased sv has an empty rear brake fluid resevoir! :smt009 Does anybody know which kits are good? '99 650 bone stock (for about 1 more week) :)

[Big Chris]

You shouldn't really need one. They only hold about an egg cup full of fluid, by the time you set it up you could have it bled.

[Colby]

I bought the kit from halfords for a tenner.

Its two pieces of tubing with a one way valve in the middle. Not used it yet but seems easy and cheap enough

[Biker Biker]

I thought that a one way valve was usefull for bleeding brakes solo

[Biker Biker]

The one way valve was about £8 and comes with clear tubing at either end.... it worked for me.

I also bought this but never used it.... http://www.mandp.co.uk/netalogue/photos/large/500557.jpg

[Viney]

The easi bleed kits dont work on the SV. It has a square rears res.

A bit of tube, a spanner, and a milk bottle is all you need.

[flymo]

The easi bleed kits dont work on the SV. It has a square rears res.

A bit of tube, a spanner, and a milk bottle is all you need.

totally agree, although getting a milk bottle these days is probably more difficult then getting a bleed kit :)

After much faffing I found recently what worked best for me was a long peice of clear tube as normal, but raised up into the air and held by something rather than down into a container. It allowed the bubbles to escape easier and the fluid remained at the bottom near the bleed nipple where it should be.

Then when finished bleeding you just drop the top of the tube and drain any excess into said milkbottle etc and remove from the nipple. worked a treat.

The rear always seems to be a pain in the A$$ though no matter how you do it.

[Big Chris]

If you want to use a one way valve, this does make job a bit easier then Motrax do one called a "little bleeder" for a few quid. I got one, very good they are too.

[yorkie_chris]

I might sound like a butcher here, but I've never used a bleed kit, never needed one.

[Caddy2000]

The easi bleed kits dont work on the SV. It has a square rears res.

A bit of tube, a spanner, and a milk bottle is all you need.

I use a Fullers ESB bottle! Empty of course!

Stick the pipe on the bleed nipple and into the bottle. Squeeze the appropriate lever, open the bleed nipple, and when the lever is almost to the end of its travel close the nipple.
And repeat!
Also don't forget the bleed the banjos and connections, and keep plenty of clean rags and an ample supply of water handy just in case of an accident.

[Viney]

Sooooooooo many ways of bleeding brakes, and everyone has thier technique. I like the tube being held above.

[Yog-Sothoth]

If you have deep pockets, check out the Mityvac bleeder (around 40 quid inc P&P) from M&P. It cuts out all the tedious lever squeezing and nut cracking (and swearing).

[jambo]

The one way valve kits can be more trouble than they're worth, Some of them require a fair bit of pressure to operate the valve meaning the pipe keeps popping off the nipple.

A long bit of clear tube and a bottle are my chosen tools.

Edit: If the rear brake still works, just fill the resevouir up, There's a fair amount of fluid held in the pipe so even if the resevoir's empty there may be no air made it as far as the rear master cylinder ;)

[yorkie_chris]

A lot of people run the rear brakes with no reservoir, just a bit of clear tube directly onto the M/C, you can easily see and top up the fluid then. Save's a little weight if you're into that sort of thing.

[Dangerous Dave]

A lot of people run the rear brakes with no reservoir, just a bit of clear tube directly onto the M/C, you can easily see and top up the fluid then. Save's a little weight if you're into that sort of thing.
This is a good setup, its called a HRC setup and is lighter but more importantly it is easier to see the fluid level and top up.

[yorkie_chris]

I've always thought that the curvy rear brake res is in a really daft place too, right pain to get the top on and off.

[sv650k4]

i have a sealey hand pump bleeder and it works great on my sv and all my other bikes ive used it on!;)

[flymo]

i have a sealey hand pump bleeder and it works great on my sv and all my other bikes ive used it on!;)

Is that this one? http://www.justoffbase.co.uk/Brake-Bleeder-Vacuum-Type-Sealey-VS020 I was thinking of getting one of these, not bad at just under ?30. Obviously need a compressor though.

[sv650k4]

Is that this one? http://www.justoffbase.co.uk/Brake-Bleeder-Vacuum-Type-Sealey-VS020 I was thinking of getting one of these, not bad at just under ?30. Obviously need a compressor though.

no thats not like my one mine is a bit different and in its own we blue box think it was around the £50 mark.

[sv650k4]

the one i have dose for a load of differen things aswell and not just bleeding your bike brakes.

[flymo]

the one i have dose for a load of differen things aswell and not just bleeding your bike brakes.

I'll bet it does :smt101

[the_lone_wolf]

The rear always seems to be a pain in the A$$ though no matter how you do it.
high five for unintentional sexual innuendo

;)

[sv650k4]

I'll bet it does :smt101


LOL tho it wasnt meet that way.

[gstrong82183]

Thanks for all the suggestions! The brakes do still work but I have no idea how long it has been since they were bled. I should probably just bite the bullet and bleed both front and back. I'm tempted to get that Mityvac just to save a few headaches...

[BILLY]

If you have deep pockets, check out the Mityvac bleeder (around 40 quid inc P&P) from M&P. It cuts out all the tedious lever squeezing and nut cracking (and swearing).
Had one for years:thumbsup: So much easyer also with Braided lines cause there a bitch to get the fluid through!

[Baph]

If you have deep pockets, check out the Mityvac bleeder (around 40 quid inc P&P) from M&P. It cuts out all the tedious lever squeezing and nut cracking (and swearing).

That's what I have, kind of like a one-way valve, that you can easily put in reverse. Take your pick, do you want to draw fluid out (using the mityvac hand pump) and pull air with it, or do you want to push fluid up & force air out that way? The reservoir is ample too IMO.

I've also used the mityvac for household plumbing too (mainly the tubes, to drain water out of my boiler ;) )

[flymo]

high five for unintentional sexual innuendo

;)

wahay! I did chuckle when I realised what I'ld written :smt119

[mattc]

I always take the bleed nipple out and just use my finger, you can feel the pressure in the system and the air bubbles in the fluid. When you can't feel any air bubbles hold the lever in and spanner the bleed nipple up. Couple of quick bleeds through the nipple and job done. Oh a bit of brake/clutch cleaner and job done.

[northwind]

I use a big syringe and a bit of tube to push the fluid up from the bleed nipples- it also works to drain into, if you crack the nipple and squeeze the lever the syringe'll back up and accept more fluid. Works a charm and only £4 off Ebay (the parts probably cost 10p but it's easier to buy one off Ebay than go and try and find a huge syringe). Plus it cuts the waste to basically zero, I can do my brakes with one of the titchy Halfords bottles whereas before I'd use a big one.

I own a Mityvac, but I never use it for brakes any more, this is quicker and easier IMO. I had a Gunnson's pressure bleeder, it wasn't too hot, and massively overcomplicated for what it does. Also, if it goes wrong you pressure wash your bike with brake fluid. Straight in the bin.

I'm RUBBISH at brakes, I hate doing it without some sort of aid... I can do it but it takes ages and it always feels like it's never going to work, then all of a sudden it works, without doing anything different. Hate that.

[Lozzo]

Any decent chemists shop will sell you a large syringe.

[Viney]

Thanks for all the suggestions! The brakes do still work but I have no idea how long it has been since they were bled. I should probably just bite the bullet and bleed both front and back. I'm tempted to get that Mityvac just to save a few headaches...
Where are you based? I could give you a brake bleeding master class :)

[mister c]

I use a Fullers ESB bottle! Empty of course!

Stick the pipe on the bleed nipple and into the bottle. Squeeze the appropriate lever, open the bleed nipple, and when the lever is almost to the end of its travel close the nipple.
And repeat!
Also don't forget the bleed the banjos and connections, and keep plenty of clean rags and an ample supply of water handy just in case of an accident.
:winner: +1

[Tim in Belgium]

What size syringe do you guys use?

Just got one of my dad's sheep worming syringes and hope it's big enough.

[21QUEST]

You need atleast a 1L syringe































:mrgreen: ;)


Ben

[Tim in Belgium]

Sheep don't need that much worming.

[northwind]

I think mine is 50ml. You could go bigger or smaller but that's a nice size. It's a good idea to use some sort of hose clip to fix the hose to the syringe and then do the same over the nipple, otherwise it can pop off at importune moments and you spray brake fluid all over the wheel :shaking:

[zunkus]

My method is to use clear tubing one end to the nipple, the other in a glass jar. I empty as much as I can old fluid from the reservoir using a syringe. The old fluid in the syringe emptied in the jar I top up the bike brake reservoir with fresh new fluid and start bleeding (pumping the brake lever) the rest of the old stuff out. Close the nipple when clear new fluid stats coming out without any air bubbles. That's it.

[Dangerous Dave]

I think mine is 50ml.
You can pick up a good 50ml or 60ml from your local vets for pennies!

[northwind]

I just went online and looked at suppliers, even buying in bulk the cheapest I found was about 60p... And you still need to source some suitable hose. So for convenience sake £4 off ebay isn't too shoddy I reckon. 1/10 the price of a Mityvac :mrgreen: