Bleeding brakes.

[spyug]

I picked this up from our friends over on the Honda CX forum. while the article was written with car brakes in mind its a good primer on brake fluid changing and has a neat little mod to make things easier:

http://pstca.com/articles/bleed/balloon.htm

I might try it next time.

Cheers all,
spyug

 

[Tom R]

I bought an off the rack automotive vacuum system's plastic check valve from Autozone or someplace like that several years ago. It fits nicely on the end of the tube I fit on the bleeder - I've bled several cars solo, front and back, this way.
For my bikes, in the past I've used a large 100cc syringe to push the fluid in from the caliper up - It's my favorite way to do it; but I couldn't find the damn thing anywhere when I was bleeding the GS1100's brakes earlier this year - the check valve worked fine here too.

 

[cal_look_zero]

Article lost all credibility with me.

Parking Brake Test

You can see what this means by finding a road with no traffic, slowing to 10 mph, and trying to stop the car using the parking brake. (Make sure no one is behind when you apply the parking brake, since there will be no brake lights to warn the driver you are slowing.)

The results can be alarming. You may find the parking brakes have very little effect even when they are working properly.

Your life, and the safety of others, may depend on stopping the vehicle when you need to. Regular bleeding and flushing is needed to ensure top performance from your brake system.

Any mechanic worth his salt knows that parking/hand brakes are cable actuated.

I use the Matco version of this guy:

http://compare.ebay.com/like/230482519650?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar

 

[Tom R]

Article lost all credibility with me.



Any mechanic worth his salt knows that parking/hand brakes are cable actuated.

I use the Matco version of this guy:

http://compare.ebay.com/like/230482519650?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar

I think that was his point - it can't be depended on if the hydraulics go out.

 

[cal_look_zero]

I think that was his point - it can't be depended on if the hydraulics go out.

Ah, didn't think of it that way.

 

[apopleptic]

I know I'm new on here, but a long time ago I learned that whenever I don't have someone to help me when bleeding brakes I go to walmart and pick up an air check valve from their aquarium section (2/$2) and attach it to the line I slip over the drain nipple on the caliper. when you compress the fluid by squeezing the handle it shoots out the air check valve and then no air is allowed to return into the line. Make sure you put a line on the other end into catch basin so as to not spray brake fluid everywhere. I hope even one person benefits from this knowledge.