Bleeding brakes

[moto]

I have recieved my new rear stainless steel braided brake hose and have never fitted one before.

I assume the taking off and fitting is fairly straight forward but would like some tips please, do's and don'ts.

Often heard people talking about bleeding the brakes but have never attempted this myself before.
I guess as I take the old line off air will enter the system and I need to get this out before the brakes will work efficiently.

DOT 4 brake fluid is specified for my XT600.

[cb1rocket]

Have you done an oil change?

If you have then you can do this.

Get the correct spanners, get lots of rags and proceed as follows

1. Put rags around/near the banjo bolts to stop spillages. Brake fluid eats paints!

2. Undo the bolts, be careful with the spillages and take off the old brake line(s).

3. If you have been given new banjo bolts and fittings, use them and refit the new line and routed correctly, and tighten up properly. But don't over tighten and strip the threads!


Now once thats done its time to bleed the system!

You will need brake fluid, a length of tubing (small fuel tube etc) and a jar.

1. take off the cap where the fluid reservoir is.

2 place tube over the bleed nipple at the caliper end. you will see it.

3. assuming the system is now empty or almost empty. pour in fresh brake fluid where you took the cap off. make sure bleed nipple is not undone at this stage. Fill to the top.

4 Now pump the lever/pedal several times.

5 keep pumping and then hold lever in. hold it there and undo the bleed nipple and fluid will flow out the tube with air into the jar.

6. repeat 5 & 6 until good pressure can be felt.

Remove tube and top up if necessary and replace cap.

job done.

4. Take off the master cylinder reservoir cap.

[moto]

Thanks for the reply.
Yes I have changed my oil, filter, plug, fitted tyres and exhaust system myself.

The kit came with new banjo fittings and washers.

So should I throw away the brake fluid that comes out?

Are these any good instead of a jar and line?
https://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_204703_langId_-1_categoryId_165469

Will 500ml be the correct amount of brake fluid to buy?

Why is there another number "4" after number 6?

[Kaph]

[moto]

Yes I read the reviews, some for some against.

I will be doing this alone, I have a jar and may be able to find some tubing but this thing from Halfords has a one way valve which should make the job easier.
I need to go to Halfords anyway to buy the brake fluid.

[Kaph]

[Blau Zedong]

The one way valves are crap as they don't stop air being drawn back into the system via the bleed nippled threads as you release the brake lever.
____________________
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18:54:59 Rob Fzs: unless its their clothes/ hair/ golden teeth

[Serendipity]

Yeah I tried to use a fairly ancient example of the “one man” bleed tubes to do mine last night. I wasn’t having much luck so I switched to a length of clear plastic tube (unused breather tube from a battery for the RXS I think) dipped into an old bottle with some brake fluid at the bottom.

Dunno if my technique is correct, but seemed to work. After priming the system by getting fluid into as much of it as I could, it was a case of pump the lever several times, hold, open the bleed nipple, close the bleed nipple, then release lever. Repeat while keeping the master cylinder reservoir topped up. I repeated this for both callipers until the fluid ran clear with no more air bubbles.
____________________
2016 CBF1000F - Commuter heaven | 1994 CBR600FR - Awaiting defibrillation

[ms51ves3]

[moto]

This sounds like a messy job, hence the rags I suppose.

But as you try to bleed the air out of the system and keeping the reservoir topped up isn't there brake fluid coming out of the banjo connections, which cannot be used again because it is being soaked up by the rags.
Do you get through much fluid like this?

[ms51ves3]

You should have tightened the banjo bolts up when you come to bleed it

The rags around the banjo fittings are just for when you remove the old brake line. Some fluid may come out and you don't want it going everywhere.

[Dazbo666]

Moto, in the unlikely event that you're anywhere near Cardiff, I'd be more than happy to help out
____________________
1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[stirlinggaz]

Hi,
i have found the easiest way to refill brake lines & bleed is by reverse bleeding/filling.
using a big syringe, (i use a 100ml but i also use it for filling forks) bought from the local chemist for a quid odds. 25ml or 50ml is big enough, & 6 inches of tubing or washer hose.
connect one end of the hose to the bleed nipple.
loosen bleed nipple,
remove reservoir lid,
fill up syringe with fluid,
loosen bleed nipple,
connect syring to the other end of the washer hose & "inject" the fluid.this will force any air trapped in the caliper & line, into the reservoir & if its empty, it will fill it up with fluid.
thats it.
you might need to pump the lever in the conventional way of bleeding but doesnt take nearly as long as just using the conventional method alone. (or leave it cable tied overnight)
never had much luck with these one way valve things,
cheers,
GAZ

[Ste]

[blownygti]

[stirlinggaz]