Bleeding Brakes

Mine need doing looking at the kits for doing this anyone had any experience with any of them.
M and P do a couple of one man operation ones.
Mityvac Brake Bleed Kit £34.99
Eezi-Bleed Brake Bleed Kit £16.99

Screwfix
Draper £7.99
Own make £4.99

Are the one man operation kits just basically a tube going into a pot?

easy bleeders are normaly just a piece of rubber pipe with a non return valve on the end which is dipped into a jar of fluid.

you can make your own with a piece of rubber tubing and a pop rivet, near the rivet just make a small nick with a sharp knife.

the tube must be soft, like bunsen burner tube but smaller

Originally Posted by wheelnut

easy bleeders are normaly just a piece of rubber pipe with a non return valve on the end which is dipped into a jar of fluid.

you can make your own with a piece of rubber tubing and a pop rivet, near the rivet just make a small nick with a sharp knife.

the tube must be soft, like bunsen burner tube but smaller

Thanks Malc thats what I though when I looked at whats in the kits £34.99 I think it should do the job and make you a cup of tea for that price.

[Scoobs]

Basically a tube going into a pot.

Get one with a one way valve in the tube otherwise you have to close the bleed nipple everytime you squeeze and release the brake.

The operation is as follows:

Open the reservoir and make sure it is kept topped up with brake fluid (careful cos it will strip paint).
Open bleed nipple.
Squeeze lever.
Close bleed nipple.
Release lever.
Open bleed nipple.
Squeeze lever.
Close nipple.
Release lever.

If you have a bleeder with a one way valve there is no need to keep closing the nipple.

I find that it is best to keep the fluid topped up at all times. You can pump all the old fluid out first but it always seems a nightmare to get the system filled again.

Don't go pumping at the lever either. Slow squeezes are best

HTH

Personally I find it can be done just as quick with a normal plastic tube and doing it the old fashioned way. Takes me about 5 minutes to bleed front brakes.

Seems hardly worth while going through the effort of using a one way valve system.

[Scoobs]

Originally Posted by BigApe

Takes me about 5 minutes to bleed front brakes.

Takes me 2.5 with MY brake bleeder, so ner!

(That leaves me 2.5 minutes to have sex.....twice)

Never done this before but seam an easy operation gonna give the brakes a good check over this afternoon no rush.
Will probably have a listen to the Derby v Coventry match on the radio.
Got a couple of other jobs to do as well.

[embee]

I can thoroughly recommend the Mityvac systems. Their equipment is used in industry, and although you need to treat the plastic body versions with appropriate care, they are still quality items.

I have a combined vac/pressure metal body version of their handheld pump (with gauge) which I use for all sorts of testing/calibration etc, and it came with a bleeding kit , I mean a kit for bleeding brakes.

Use it to first empty the master cylinder, then top up with fresh fluid. This means you don't have to pump all the old fluid through and end up diluting the new stuff with old in order to avoid emtying the reservoir completely and risk getting air in.

Then just pop it onto the bleed nipples in turn and suck the new stuff through.

I have never had any problem with "soft" brakes after using this system, even on complicated linked bike brakes or on multi circuit brakes on cars. As said by others, very quick and easy to use.

They are also handy for adjusting oil levels in front forks if you want to play with them.

[northwind]

I love my Mityvac. Bleeding brakes is rubbish, even when you know what you're doing, just beause of that 1 time in 10 when they just won't bleed. No mess, no fuss, just a good bleed first time every time- and they cut wastage too. Top stuff. Also, as Sid Squid says, generally useful for other applications.

The Gunnson's presurised "bleeder" kit is a complete disaster, you don't want it. it's quite fun to use, what with the pressurised brake fluid and the bad seals, but if you value your paint and, well, eyesight, walk away.

Bled the brakes no problems.
The match was terrible Coventry 6 Derby 1