Bleedin Brakes!! and Heat shrinking and..

First the confession:
When I was reading before on the forum about how difficult people were finding it to bleed the brakes I've got to admit I was feeling a bit smug, having bled car brakes more times than I can recall and also having had no trouble with the rear brake on the SV..... And then I decided to change the fluid in the front brakes. Well, what a bludy job it has been! I've finally got it 'sort' of done, but the travel in the front brake lever is maybe more than it was before. Somebody mentioned leaving the brake lever tied back overnight to allow any bubbles to rise into the res. , so I'll do that. Not a nice, and definitely not a smugly feeling when things don't go according to plan is it?.

And a couple of questions:
I want to do the TRE mod on my SVK1 tomorrow, according to the method giving in the 'How To' topics, and I was wondering what to use in order to shrink the cable wrap I have(to seal the cut cable ends). I've got a heat gun but I'm a bit concerned about using it near the petrol tank. What have others done?

Is a well lubed throttle supposed to snap closed when released?

[pmapp]

Brakes:
Try, Try and Try again. Tap the lines, wiggle em around etc to get it all out.

Heat Shrink:
Heat gun should be fine, in light doses.

Throttle:
Pretty much.

The TRE mod in the 'how to' is well written and illustrated, but I think making it more difficult than it needs to be ...

You can attack exactly the same wires at the CDI/ECU unit itself, and all you need to do there is lift the rear seat and unplug the wires from the CDI/ECU; not take half the bike apart to get to the same wires, but under the tank!

Anyhoo

Have you tried a 'reverse bleed' on the brakes?

[northwind]

I always use a cigarette lighter for heat shrink, you won't find that tip in the haynes manual because it sounds so bodgey but it works

[dirtydog]

Originally Posted by northwind

I always use a cigarette lighter for heat shrink, you won't find that tip in the haynes manual because it sounds so bodgey but it works

ditto

Also, check your throttle cable, might be worn. Mine didn't snap back for a while, then it went almost to the extent that I couldn't drive- it was hanging on by a single thread.

bleeding brakes can sometimes be a nightmare lol you just have 2 keep on and on at them!i ended up buying the we sealy pumping gun kit it works very very well!

[yorkie_chris]

Bleeding brakes: you can do it just fine by treating it like a car system and squeezing then closing the bleed nipple etc.

TRE: yes, do it at the ignitor unit, it's far easier, but don't expect an extra 3,000,000bhp, just a bit of extra tug there.

Heat shrink, the adhesive backed stuff is ace, really good seal and protection, and yes just shrink it with a lighter. Zippos rule.

[BanannaMan]

+1 on all this.
Just keep bleeding..... being extra careful not to release the lever with the bleeder valve open.

Another lighter user for heat shrink tubing.

Originally Posted by BanannaMan

+1 on all this.

Another lighter user for heat shrink tubing.

oh thats good!