changing brake fluid

hey all,

anyone have a nice step by step (kinda like Neka's for Jase's front sprocket post!) chain of events for changing the brake fluid?? (front)
I just think that I'll do it when I do my front pads (ie: tomorrow!) and the only thing i know is that it is corrosive as @$%#& .....
anyway, as always, your advice is much appreciated!!
cheers all

hmm thats not a bad idea..a how to section with all sorts of things....brakes are easy to change..its the fluid change i fuk up!!

OK. You need some clear plastic hose thats a tight fit over the bleed nipple and a hose clamp for same, plus a tall bottle of some kind to collect the old fluid in. Something like a Cold bottle works well. A little funnel is also handy and a towel to put over the tank in case of accidents. If you have a paddock stand its easier to do this if the bike is upright. Put the hose over the bleed nipple and clamp it on and put the other end in the bottle. Crack open the bleed nipple and pump your brake lever. Open or close the nipple so the fluid comes out pretty easily but doesn't piss out. The lever should be easy to push but still have something to push against. The clamped hose means no air gets into the system so just keep pumping the old fluid out making sure the resovior doesn't empty out and let air in. When it gets close to this point pop in some more fluid being careful not to spill any. Also always use new fluid. Being hydroscopic means once its opened it starts soaking up moisture so stuff you opened six month ago won't be worth a pinch of shit. Once all the old fluid has been pumped out tighten the nipple, empty out the hose as much as you can, undo the hose clamp and with a rag around the hose pull it gently off the nipple. Do the same to the other caliper and your done. Have fun.

Open Resovior n mop it out with tissue paper, not all of it as you dont want air to get into the lones ...... re fill n re assemble, ride for a week n redo it again with the tissues.
Job done n no need to bleed em up.
A certain someone told me this, but 30% of ya's dont wanna hear it apparantly
Cheers Brett

wot u need breaks 4 ?

Yankee
I did mine yesterday..the brake fluid flush and bleed
(fronts and rear)

needed....
1 new container of brake fluid* (a litre bottle should be fine for a bike)
a piece of clear plastic tube 30-40cm long to fit over bleed nipples
a small container for used fluid ( an old margarine container is good)
10mm spanner ..for nipples (check the size for yours)

1) clean around the top of the master cylinder with paper towel
after getting the master cylinder level ..move the bars to do so
2) remove top of master cylinder..check fluid level is ok
3) fit tube up to bleed nipple and other end into marg container
4) slowly loosen bleed nipple as you squeeze the brake lever
and fluid (probably dark and yuck) should start to flow out tube
5) as the lever gets close to the bar, close bleed nipple
6) repeat until clear fluid comes out the tube
7) keep an eye on the level in the master cylinder as you do this
- do not let it drop too far (you may have to top it up a few times)
8 ) repeat on other front caliper (same goes for rear caliper)
9) if the system on your bike has an unequal length of hose
to each caliper or one caliper gets its fluid from another one
do the one furthest from the master cylinder first
10) top up master cylinder to correct level and refit the top.
11) watch the fluid does not splash as you refill or as you bleed
- if it does put paper towel over the top of and around the master cylinder
12) if you get some fluid on the paint work do NOT wipe off
- wash it off immediately with water. if you get some on your hands
wipe with paper towel (it will wash off when you are done)
13) recheck fluid level and that you have tightened the nipples up
14) check the brake lever is firm in your hand (under your foot)
after you are done.
14) if you have calipers with 2 bleed nipples, do the one the furthest
away from the hose connection or the highest one (air in the system rises)
15) if you are fitting brake pads as well, replace them before you do the
brake fluid flush/bleed

* buy the best you can..brand is not the important ..Castrol Motul whatever
but it must be at least Dot 4 spec and yes, you can the stuff cars use
(again at least Dot4 spec)
You do not need race spec synthetic brake fluid in the bike
and if you do put it, in you will need to replace all the rubbers in your brake system,
as they are not compatible with this stuff....


cheers

Last edited by Smitty on Mon May 16, 2005 7:55 pm, edited 2 times in total.

What Smitty.. no tissues??

What Smitty.. no tissues??

tissues?
naaah, they leave pink bits on ya bike.....

Whats wrong with "Pink Bits", I've had no end of fun mucking around with Pink Bits
Also Tiggrs brakes were powerbled today by the bike shop via compession i believe. I aint gonna be mucking around in the shed with a compressor when i can have a quick play with a coupla "pink bits" n go watch Boxtell instead.
Cheers Brett

Whats wrong with "Pink Bits", I've had no end of fun mucking around with Pink Bits
Also Tiggrs brakes were powerbled today by the bike shop via compession i believe. I aint gonna be mucking around in the shed with a compressor when i can have a quick play with a coupla "pink bits" n go watch Boxtell instead.
Cheers Brett

hahhahaha
Brett
you can do whatever you want with a compressor....
power bleeding is the quick 'shop' way
but most of us don't have the adaptors lines and compressor
to do the job...
so my slow way...is the way i do it

btw
play with pink bits...? thought tissues were for ya nose or arse...??

cheers
mate

you can pump them if you like but me mechanic showed me a way that involves just losening off the nipple at the botom of the brake caliper and leting it run and keep filling it at the top (bit hard if you have a tiny master cylinder) till the old fluid is all gone you can tell when the stuff comeing out the bottom is a diferent colour.

Then nip up the bolt on the caliper and no need to bleed them.

Works great on a taxi anyway.

Marty if you run into technical dificulties give me a ring I have done plenty of brake bleeding old school pump and bleed from the top to the bottom style as well.

excellent tips there guys... yeah, Bob, I was wondering if it was gunna be a one man operation, or if i'd need a mate?!
but i think that i'll try the "pour in the new stuff while the old stuff comes out the bottom until the new stuff starts coming out the bottom"....
oh, and DOT 4 obviously!
cheers all...

only tricky bit with tht technique is if you let the master cylinder run dry you get a air bubble in the lines andas air compresses you get a spongy brake lever.......which is not go and means you have to bleed it some more.

excellent tips there guys... yeah, Bob, I was wondering if it was gunna be a one man operation, or if i'd need a mate?!
but i think that i'll try the "pour in the new stuff while the old stuff comes out the bottom until the new stuff starts coming out the bottom"....
oh, and DOT 4 obviously!
cheers all...

yankee
my method is a oneman job....all by myself operation
and I NEVER use the dribble method
why? it cannot get any air in the system out
and the chances of letting air in are higher

hth

cheers