Bleeding my brakes tonight. Tips?

[pie_master]

After removing a tricky banjo bolt from the master cylinder (it's been swimming in GT 85 all night) I'll be popping my nice new wezmoto braided hoses on tonight! They'll go straight onto my freshly serviced calipers with fresh discs too, which is hunky-dory.

However.... I thought it may be worthwhile to scrounge some top tips for filling & bleeding the brakes once my new hoses are on 'cos I've not done this before.

I was going to get everything fixed-on, bolted & routed and then slowly fill the system (from the reservoir of course!) whilst opening the bleed nipples on each caliper (one at a time). Any one kind enought to lend me some thoughts / tips?

Cheers in advance :smt023

[svsam]

I did mine last week, it takes a while, and then when you think you'll never get any pressure behind the lever, it takes a while more, but it gets their eventually. Just keep an eye on the reservoir level.

[garynortheast]

Check those Wezmoto hoses carefully for length when you fit them. I've fitted some to my bike but the first set were dangerously overlong (long enough for excess in the rear hose to flop against the tyre). After some...er...discussion over the phone I sent them back and had them replaced with a set made up to my own measurements. They are still an inch or so too long but for me are within an acceptable tolerance.

[pie_master]

Check those Wezmoto hoses carefully for length when you fit them. I've fitted some to my bike but the first set were dangerously overlong (long enough for excess in the rear hose to flop against the tyre). After some...er...discussion over the phone I sent them back and had them replaced with a set made up to my own measurements. They are still an inch or so too long but for me are within an acceptable tolerance.

Yeah - same problem here! As soon as I opened the packet I saw that they were for an unfaired SV, but I've been assured (!!) that they are only about an inch longer than for the 's' so I should be alright...

How did you route yours?

[-Ralph-]

I found once the brakes were bled, the nipples closed, and I was pretty sure all the air was out, to get pressure into the system (and stop the lever just coming straight back to the bar) I had to hold the bar in one hand and rapidly pump the brake lever in and out with the heel of my other hand.

Use brake fluid that is less than 2 years old and the seal on the bottle has never been broken. It's hygroscopic, so a bottle that has been opened before, or is really old, will be knackered.

Don't spill brake fluid on your bike, it's nasty corrosive stuff, and wear latex gloves.

[HoL]

I found once the brakes were bled, the nipples closed, and I was pretty sure all the air was out, to get pressure into the system (and stop the lever just coming straight back to the bar) I had to hold the bar in one hand and rapidly pump the brake lever in and out with the heel of my other hand.


If you can get the brake lever back to the bar then that'd mean theres still air in the system wouldn't it? By pumping it you'd be compressing that air stopping it travelling so far

[-Ralph-]

If you can get the brake lever back to the bar then that'd mean theres still air in the system wouldn't it? By pumping it you'd be compressing that air stopping it travelling so far

If you say so, I didn't understand it either, but then I don't care too much for the mechanics of it TBH.

I couldn't understand why I was bleeding and bleeding, there was no sign of any air bubbles either side, and all I was doing was wasting fresh brake fluid that was being poured in the top, and bled out the bottom, a local bike mechanic advised me to pump the lever, that's what I did, it worked, that was 2-3 years ago, I had no issues, and as far as I'm aware from the current owner of the bike he's had no issues with it either.

[HoL]

Have you found if you leave the bike for a few days then the brake lever goes further again? I did & it got me quite worried - moved it out of the shed & the brake lever came all the way back & didn't do a thing. Pumping it got it working again but I'm gonna try bleeding them again tonight to see if I can see any air.

[-Ralph-]

No, not after a few days. After a few weeks maybe, but all my bikes have done that, I assume it's just pressure releasing as fluid seeps back through the master cylinder and into the reservoir, pumping pumps the fluid back into the lines and re pressurises the system. Pumping sorts it instantly in the garage, or a few 100yds up the road and use the brakes a few times and that sorts it too.

[muzikill]

I reverse filled & my understanding was that it made the final bleed a lot more easier.

[HoL]

Nice to know a bit is normal - mine were weren't as bad as this last time I did them though so I'm quite convinced I've left a bit of air somewhere. I'm starting to hate bleeding brakes :(

[TheRamJam]

Bleeding your brakes is a relatively simple job and shouldn't turn into some of the horror stories that you hear sometimes!

I fitted my HEL lines to the GSXR a few years ago and they are still great. It took my about 4 hours to do and I didn't use any fancy bleeding kits neither.

If your replacing your old lines then take the opportunity to inspect/clean your calipers. Once your happy that everything is clean you can go about attaching your new lines etc.

When bleeding use a clear hose and make sure its a tight fit over the bleed nipple.

Firstly you'll bleed the master cylinder (MC) first. So fill the fluid reservoir to the max line. Connect one end of the hose to the bleed nipple on the MC and other end in a container with some DOT 4 in it. Make sure the hose is submerged in some fluid, you don't want to be sucking up air into the MC.

Pump the brake lever 5 times and hold, crack the bleed nipple open and then close again. Repeat the above process until you see a clear liquid coming through. Keep repeating until your happy that there is no air bubbles coming through. That's your MC bleed

Now onto your calipers. Again attach the tubing to the nipple and submerge the other end in some DOT 4. KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR FLUID RESERVOIR!! Top up to Max if needed.

Pump the brake lever 10 times and hold, quickly open the nipple and close. Repeat the process over & over until you can see the fluid coming out and there is no air bubbles present. Again KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR FLUID RESERVOIR!! Don't let it get low.

Repeat that process on the other caliper. The lever will start to firm up. Once you fell adequate pressure then tighten up all your nipples. Make sure your fluid level is topped up and do a brake test just by freewheeling the bike. If i feels good then a quick ride just to make sure.

Job Done, follow this and like me you shouldn't have any bleeding nightmares :-)

HTH

[-Ralph-]

Firstly you'll bleed the master cylinder (MC) first. So fill the fluid reservoir to the max line. Connect one end of the hose to the bleed nipple on the MC and other end in a container with some DOT 4 in it

Does the SV650 have a bleed nipple on the MC?

[punkyp]

Does the SV650 have a bleed nipple on the MC?

Hope not, drained and refilled mine at weekend, couldn't find one.

[TheRamJam]

Does the SV650 have a bleed nipple on the MC?

Apologies, you are indeed correct sir. There is no bleed nipple on the MC on the SV :D

Therefore your job is even easier by just having to bleed both front calipers :-)

[MJC-DEV]

This (above #12) is the method I've always used (pump and crack open/shut!) and never had a problem with any bike. The SV new hoses were very simple to bleed with this method.

[pie_master]

Cheers for those tips - I'll actually be doing this job tonight now as the banjo bolt on the master cylinder is properly stuck - I think I'm going to have to whip the fairings & screen off to get at it with some force!

Will keep those suggestions in mind though, although I have invested in one of those little bleeder gizmos (100mm clear tube with an aluminium non-return valve in the centre) which makes the 'routine' bleeding easier - lets hope it makes this job easier too!!