Brake Fluid Woes...

[drkmtr]

Hey everyone. I'm new here, and feel very bad making my first post a request for help, but I'm desperate....

It all started Friday afternooon...{cue shimmery flashback}

Came home from work at lunchtime to walk the dog. found a nail in my back tyre. Panicking, i rushed to the nearest bike place (but apparently not the best) to get it looked at. They plugged it for £25.

As I was leaving, the mechanic rushed out and said "oh! mate, forgot to tell you that your rear brake pads are dangerously low, recommend you get 'em changed." I acknowledged his request, but thought that I should verify his claim.

This morning, I did just that. Took the rear caliper off and verified that the pads were in fact flat.

So I went to my local service place (Ride On Motorcycles), purchased some new pads, and set off home.

Got home, got bike prepped for servicing and started. Took off the caliper, took the old pads out, and like my Haynes manual told me too, attempted push the pistons back in to get the new pads on, and the caliper on to the disc. Twenty minutes I spent trying to get that bloody pistons move back in. The outer most would move a little, but the innermost piston would not move for love nor money.

To top things off, I accidentally pressed the rear brake which caused the outermost piston to pop out and brake fluid to run all over the street! Again, another twenty minutes passed whilst I tried to get the piston back in.

Finally concieded to defeat and decided that the caliper would have to come off so that I could get the piston back in, and the other one to move. So undid the banjo bolt...more brake fluid on the street and none in the master cylinder - could it get any worse I thought!

After much effort trying to get the caliper to separate, I got it open, put the piston back in (all the way in unfortuantely, but not before lubing it with DOT4 fluid) and got to work the other piston. Eventually fathomed that it had seized and contacted Ride On Motorcycles. Nice guy agreed that it had seized and said that I needed heat and pliers to get it out. So I heated that side of the caliper gently with a hairdrier and set about it with some pliers. Managed to get the piston out. Checked the seals, relubed the chamber and the piston and put it back in (all the way in!) Carefully cleaned and put everything back together again with the new pads and it appears fine.

Reconnecting it to the bike went smoothly, but the problem I have now is refilling the whole system with fluid again.

Can anyone tell me how to get the fluid running thru the system again?

Any help or advice appreciated.

Jay

[teampots]

should be the same as bleeding the system on the front, pump a little, undo the bolt then tighten it and repeat i believe just keep topping up the reservoir
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Current - Fazer 600
Prev - Bandit x2 (Killed) CB400 (Superfour) CBR125
Currently Restoring - Kawasaki S1 250 Triple (Slowly but surely)

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

Bleed the master clyinder first then work from there.

It'll help to keep the rear caliper off and hold it above the level of the master cylinder so the air rises into it.

Then as the above says, just pumps and loosen and tighten.

O and welcome.
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[gadfium]

I have rebuilt my clutch master with a new piston and seals. Bleeding it down was a proper bitch (small reservoir means constant topping up).

Just keep going at the bleeding. Eventually you will get some brake back. When you get to that point, I find it useful to crack the banjo on te master cylinder, as the air will normally rise to the highest point (normally the master cylinder).

Leave it overnight (with the cap on the reservoir, then a couple of pumps n the morning, crack the banjo again on the master cylinder, and you should be good to go.
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[Kickstart]

Hi

Fill the reservior. Put a pipe on the bleed nipple, and a spanner on it as well. Put the other end of the pipe into a jar, with the end submerged in a little brake fluid.

Push the rear brake lever down as hard as you can, and with it still down release the bleed nipple and tighten it again. Then release the lever. Then repeat this.

Rear calipers normally seem to bleed through more easily. Unless it is a bike with the bleed nipple on the bottom of the caliper when you haven't got a hope of bleeding it with the caliper on the bike.

All the best

Keith
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[wcr]

In future, leave one brake pad in the calliper and use a G clamp to push the pistons in
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[Phil_P]

Get yourself a 20ml or 50ml syringe off fleabay, push the plunger right in and connect it to the bleed nipple with some screen washer pipe. Put a blob of grease all round where the nipple meets the calliper body to seal it. Fill your M/C to the brim, crack open the bleed nipple and draw back the syringe plunger. Once you run out of travel in the syringe close the bleed nipple, disconnect the syringe and push the plunger back in. Top up the fluid in the reservoir and repeat. Keep on repeating till you get no more air bubbles getting drawn out with each pull on the syringe.

The grease round the nipple IS important or you will suck air past the nipple each time and you will think you still have air in the line.
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Moto Guzzi 1100 Sport Injection '96

[jimbothe]

[Phil_P]

[jimbothe]

[sickpup]