I bought a Brake Bleeder to Combat Mushiness

I hope it will work on the car and the bike, as both have mushy brakes. Good stopping power but just a little soft feeling.

I have changed pads and rotors but have been afeared of playing with the liquids, but I hope it will work. It is a type with hoses and a hand squeeze valve that empties into a canister.

If you have any tips to watch out for, please let me know.

 

Oh, and I have a bar-mounted katana Brake master and SS brake lines, so it should be easier than the fubar fork mounted one, I am hoping...

 

I am a Toyota MDT tech and have used vacuum bleeders for years.

I use them ONLY to flush fluid. Not to bleed any know air out of a system.

I find when I use them to bleed air out, it causes a mushy feeling in the pedal.

The best way to eliminate the mush is to use the old manual method with two people.

 

I'm seconding Martinfan30, I use the same method. Vaccum bleeders don't quite get the job done as needed for a firm lever.

 

When you think you're done, lightly tap the calipers to shake loose tiny leftover bubbles, and bleed some more.

 

AND then go warm the bike up, make a few hard stops from at least 50mph and then bleed 'em again. Actually, I just ride the bike briskly for a few days and then bleed again. Getting the brake fluid hot helps any air that's in there get together and form bubbles. Then you bleed 'em out. The old method does work the best; I've had the same "mason jar/clothespin/hose" bleeder "rig" for probably 20 years.

 

Good ideas! Thanks for the input!

 

I bought a "one man" bleeder from Harbour Freight and it didn't even have a check valve- - just a clear tube and a jar.

You use a clothes pin on the tube for a check valve????

******** BRILLIANT !!! *********

 

Yeah no kidding, that is the old school, garden hose method!

This looks like the kit I bought, although mine was cheaper and has a plastic reservoir.

 

I'm paying attentiont to this thread. I'm doing the front brakes on my 750 -- having trouble getting one of the pistons to let go, in fact -- and I'm sure this will come in handy when I go to reassemble.

I will confess, though, that I thought the kit would come in very handy for removing air from the lines, even if only when initially adding fluid to an empty system.

 

Brake System Tools:


bp1) Master Cylinder DEEP-REACH CIRCLIP PLIERS----these special extra-deep 90-degree angled circlip pliers allow you to easily remove and install the circlip (or "c'-clip) that hides way down inside the top of the plunger bore (below the rubber boot). Without a DEEP set of circlip pliers, you're going to fight and struggle with this part of your master cylinder rebuild project. Regular store-bought circlip pliers may have a 90-degree attachment, but unless they are extra-deep like these, they still won't be able to reach that circlip.

HCP1597 Aftermarket master cylinder Circlip Pliers, each:
$ 28.00



bp11) Aftermarket BRAKE BLEEDER KITS. By eliminating the need to constantly pump-and-release the hand lever, and loosen and tighten the bleeder screw, you'll save yourself an incredible amount of time, effort, and swearing with these kits.

The master cylinders on these bikes push a very small amount of fluid with each hand stroke, and thus bleeding a system is a long, time-consuming chore----but, on the positive side, it's a really great way to build up a really strong, firm, manly handshake and grip. But there's other ways and times to accomplish that, so when all you want to do is bleed your brakes, then there's nothing better than these labor-saving tools.

NOTE: hand-bleeding a dry system...such as when you change brake lines, or have rebuilt the master cylinder or calipers....is next to impossible to do without the use of a Mity-Vac vacuum system. It will take you hours to do by hand. With a Mity Vac, you'll do it in about 10 minutes, tops.

The one-way valve kit is recommended for bleeding already full systems during annual fluid changes, etc.

Hints: Make sure you don't run out of fluid in the reservoir when using these tools!

Also, make sure that your caliper bleeder screws are clean and pass fluid freely (and continue to do so once the system is evacuated) as old debris in your brake system settles down to the lowest point in the system (the caliper reservoir) and gets sucked into the bleeder screw during bleeding, this clogging the system and making it impossible to bleed.


HCP5908 All hail the great MITY-VAC vacuum assisted brake bleeder system. This complete kit contains the patented Mity-Vac vacuum-assisted brake bleeder vacuum pump, a fluid cup with bleed and storage lids, and assortment of clear hose lengths, adapters, and instruction manual.
$ 39.95


HCP8546 Aftermarket ONE-WAY VALVE BLEEDER HOSE KIT. The principle behind this simple device is just like the Speed Bleeder screws listed previously: a pressure-controlled one-way valve allows fluid out, but snaps shut to prevent air from rushing back in....thus allowing one person to easily bleed their brake system. Just release your standard brake caliper bleeder screw, install the clear tube over the fluid port, and begin pumping the lever. Nowhere near as quick and easy as the Mity-Vac listed above, but a very useful alternative to the muscle cramps you'll get trying to bleed your system using the old-fashioned (two-person) method. Instructions included. NOT RECOMMENDED FOR USE ON EMPTY (DRY) SYSTEMS!
$ 16.95

 

Gee, why does this look familiar... oh, yes. I've got this list. Got any updates?

Quite. This is a family site, you know... :mrgreen:

I was right, then.

 

Always. Daily. And twice on Sundays.........

And what a sight for the whole family that would be!

You always are.

 

also when you do your final bleeding make sure you turn the forks so that the caliper you are bleeding is on the high side. Pull the handle hold it crack the bleeder to get the last little bubbles that hide in the top of the caliper when the front wheel is straight ahead. Reason for this if you look at where the bleeder is drilled it is slightly below the very top arc of the piston turning the wheel gets the drill hole for the bleeder up above this arc and allows you to get all that pesky air out of your system.