Bleeding front brakes on a 98 Steamer

[Bob Tosi]

so some more squeeze squeeeze twist, squeee squeeze twist, repeat as neccessary :roll:

[JetdocX]

wHUT THE mUSTANG SAID....

You got air in the lines.

[Bob Tosi]

wHUT THE mUSTANG SAID....

You got air in the lines.
_________________

Yeah but whats it going to take to get it out!

[CoolHandLuke]

The old fashioned way :)

Squeeze, release the bleed screw, tighten the bleed screw and then release...

And don't let the reservoir get empty :)

[Bob Tosi]

I need a robotic hand   I've been working on this for awhile now.


I talked to a motorcycle mechanic yesterday and he said I could take the calipers off and raise them up and try that. This would help get the air out of the caliper if it was there. He also suggested turning the whole system upside down to force the air out that way. :roll:  

does this sound like      

[CoolHandLuke]

You just have to be patient :(

Try alternating side to side.  If you have got all the old crap out and have a clean container you can recycle the fluid as it comes out.

Two questions for you :)

How far can you pull the lever back?

Do you have the original rubber hoses?

And - so, I lied - does pumping the brake make it firmer?

[JetdocX]

Never tried this but:

Pull the lever as hard as you can and ty-wrap it to the grip.  Walk away for the evening, drink beer, etc.  In the morning, cut the ty-wrap and see how it feels.

[abruzzi]

Never tried it on the steamer, but on my truck I do a gravity bleed.  It can take some time though.  Just remove the cover on the reservoir, loosen the bleed nut, put a jar or bowl under it, and let gravity do the work.  Just keep the reservoir topped up.  I don't know if there is anything on the steamer that would prevent that from working though.

Another useful thing--BMW makes DOT4 brake fluid in two different colors.  Buy a jar of each, and every time you flush the brakes, switch colors, that way you know you have pushed everything through.

Geof

[CoolHandLuke]

Another useful thing--BMW makes DOT4 brake fluid in two different colors.  Buy a jar of each, and every time you flush the brakes, switch colors, that way you know you have pushed everything through.

Geof

Now that's a good idea.  How much do BMW charge for this though? :)

[Mustang]

Never tried this but:

Pull the lever as hard as you can and ty-wrap it to the grip.  Walk away for the evening, drink beer, etc.  In the morning, cut the ty-wrap and see how it feels.

it works on some bikes and not on others :icon_scratch . as long as the master doesn't run out of fluid filling the new brake lines , if that happens you get air and the whole process starts over . which is what I suspect is happening to bob with the mighty vac .....................new lines are a bitch to refill and keep the air out

[Bob Tosi]

How far can you pull the lever back?

All the way but it is spongey. I get about a 1/4 in of travel then the brakes start working.

Do you have the original rubber hoses?

No, 2 factory steel lines and 1 new aftermarket.

[akendall1966]

I use a Venhill twin line set up, separate braided hose runs all the way up to the master cyl banjo bolt from each caliper.  You bleed each line pretty much independent of the other.

Think it has been mentioned already but I tend to fill bottom up using a large syringe. Use ty-wrap or similar to hold the lever in to just before the piston covers the reservoir hole to minimize the air in there. Then push the fluid in, if your not happy you can do a bit of push and pull to try and dislodge any trapped air. Syringe is the one I got with my fork oil level tool, just give it a good wash out after so you don't end up with fork oil in your break lines or vice-versa.

OH - and finally ptfe tape on the bleed nipple threads make sure you not leaking air into the system as fast as your beading it out.

Its a bit of a OTT process but seem to be reliable in its results.

[dave NL]

I use a Venhill twin line set up, separate braided hose runs all the way up to the master cyl banjo bolt from each caliper.  You bleed each line pretty much independent of the other.

Think it has been mentioned already but I tend to fill bottom up using a large syringe. Use ty-wrap or similar to hold the lever in to just before the piston covers the reservoir hole to minimize the air in there. Then push the fluid in, if your not happy you can do a bit of push and pull to try and dislodge any trapped air. Syringe is the one I got with my fork oil level tool, just give it a good wash out after so you don't end up with fork oil in your break lines or vice-versa.

OH - and finally ptfe tape on the bleed nipple threads make sure you not leaking air into the system as fast as your beading it out.

Its a bit of a OTT process but seem to be reliable in its results.

Sounds like it will work very well! the tape is also a good idea, i always tend to close nipple as much as workable, but i will try the tape! It does not get in the system anyway. The oil dissolve the tape after a wile

[Bob Tosi]

I use a Venhill twin line set up, separate braided hose runs all the way up to the master cyl banjo bolt from each caliper.

This could be my problem because my setup is a single line to a splitter then a separate line to each caliper.  I will try and bleed the system again and bleed it at the splitter also.

[akendall1966]

Sounds like it will work very well! the tape is also a good idea, i always tend to close nipple as much as workable, but i will try the tape! It does not get in the system anyway. The oil dissolve the tape after a wile

The ptfe tape only has last while you bleed, once the nipple is closed its done its job, you can put fresh piece on next time. Just be careful not to cover the hole below the thread or the cone so it still seal ok when you do it up.