Size/thread pitch for bleeder screws? (81 GS1100E)

[RocketScientist]

Going to be tackling a brake job shortly, looking to replace my bleeder screws with speed bleeders. anyone know which size to get? Don't know the factory dia/thread pitch/length. Thanks!

[oldGSfan]

When I can't find online my local hardware store has a thread size checker mounted on the wall. A friend bought an 'Identibolt' for his garage, but he's rich.... I'm lucky the local True Value stocks individual hardware, grommets, O-rings etc, not packets.

[cowboyup3371]

I strongly recommend against speed bleeders. I tried them once on my 550 and went back to stock ones within 48 hours because I couldn’t bleed all of the air out of the lines. Once the stock ones went back in, I was on the road within an hour with great brakes

[oldGSfan]

I 2nd that, had some many years ago they didn't cause air problems but they didn't help anything. A clear tube with a small zip tie cinched up tight and a thick bead of grease at the top of the threads always works for me.

I strongly recommend against speed bleeders. I tried them once on my 550 and went back to stock ones within 48 hours because I couldn’t bleed all of the air out of the lines. Once the stock ones went back in, I was on the road within an hour with great brakes

[RocketScientist]

You know, I was on the fence about them. I had never heard of them until recently, which is odd since I've been wrenching on wheeled stuff of many types for awhile and if they work as advertised you'd think they'd be much more popular/prevalent. The concept seems sound, and if you used decent rubber caps to keep out debris/corrosion I suspect you could maintain a good seal at the check valve. But I haven't had that much trouble bleeding things before, especially on a bike where you can literally work the lever with one hand and the wrench with the other.

But now based on your feedback I'm wondering if its even worth the waste/hassle. Maybe throw that money towards a decent quality manual vaccum pump, can be used for bleeding as well as other fun stuff in the garage. Or maybe just throw a speed bleeder on one of the calipers and see how it goes.