Brake Bleeding Procedure

[tomk1960]

If any of you are planning to do a complete brake overhaul, you'll find this video helpful when it's time to bleed the brakes. A lot of guys think they need to use a Mity-Vac or some other sort of vacuum contraption, but once you see how this is done, you'll realize that you need just a few tools. Enjoy!

Motorcycle Brake Bleeding Procedure - YouTube

[tsorfas]

I wasn't aware of any other way of bleeding brakes besides that one or a vac. At least that's what I was taught and since it works why change it

[tomk1960]

I wasn't aware of any other way of bleeding brakes besides that one or a vac. At least that's what I was taught and since it works why change it

True, it's the oldest, most common way to do it. The issue is that a lot of people don't prime the master cylinder first and can spend hours trying to get fluid down to the calipers. If you're starting with a completely new/dry system, it has to be primed or you're in for a lot of frustration.

[tsorfas]

I think it was someone from here that once showed me that you can just connect the lines, leave the bolts open, fill up with fluid, go eat something and let gravity do its job.

[Falko]

Just be careful when you have a rear caliper that is upside down and the bleeder is on the bottom. You either have to pull the caliper (easiest way I've found) or use a faster purge like a vac system. Pumping usually will not get the air pocket out of the caliper.

[Kurlon]

I think it was someone from here that once showed me that you can just connect the lines, leave the bolts open, fill up with fluid, go eat something and let gravity do its job.

I'm a big proponent of utilizing physics when possible to make jobs easier. I never prime masters as shown in the vid as I don't like having my master drooling while I'm trying to attach lines and tighten banjos. To prime, once everything is bolted up I fill the master and either A) Let gravity do it's thing for a bit or B) start right in with a few slow pumps and then lever snaps to shock air out of the master. If I don't have time for gravity I'll spend a little longer on the initial snaps and end up using more fluid overall in the process.

And as noted by Falko, to use that trick you have to make sure the caliper is the lowest point in the system, the master is the highest which often means pulling the caliper off it's mount for rears. (Ducati's in particular are notoriously bad for trying to bleed in place rear brakes.)

[Crimedog]

I'm a big fan of taking a syringe and pushing fluid up through the caliper(s) and then finishing with a little standard bleeding.