If you have never changed your brake fluid...DO IT!!!
- Thread starter FIZZER6
- Start date
AngelFZ
Junior Member
Do not let the fluid run dry, it will then take you much longer as now you'll have air in the system
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
AngelFZ
Junior Member
Ideally that is the case. But since I was doing this for the first time and by myself, it took me longer since I wanted to make sure the fluid did not run dry.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Vikingj
Minnesota Viking Fan
Would be nice if someone posted a video to demonstrate !! The ones on youtube are so generic.:thumbup:
ChevyFazer
Redneck MacGyver
I'm no expert on brakes but bleeding and flushing them is fairly generic, there is really nothing too different between bikes, because the brakes all work on the same principle. Maybe someone can or will post a video but the ones on YouTube are pretty good, just remember that all brakes( unless your talking about air brakes) pretty much work the same, they may have different or better parts but they work the same, the fluid pushes something that compresses against something causing friction. The better,fresher, and less contamination, wether it be water or air the fluid has the better it will work simple as that.
vinmansbrew
Junior Member
I am surprised no has mentioned speed bleeders. Take out the crappy ass stock bleed nipple and put in one of these. Open quarter turn and pump away!
You do not need to open and close the bleed nipple.
To those replacing fluid every year, why? If you need to do it every year, get the synthetic dot4. Fluid shouldn't need replacing every year.
You do not need to open and close the bleed nipple.
To those replacing fluid every year, why? If you need to do it every year, get the synthetic dot4. Fluid shouldn't need replacing every year.
mongol777
Member
Fluid should be replaced every year if you really riding your bike. And I do use full synthetic dot4. If you just take it out every other weekend for 100 miles ride - every two seasons would be enough (I would still do it every year).
I ride my bikes a lot and I see how fluid is degraded after a season. It is cheap, fast (especially with speed bleeders or simple vacuum pump) so why not? Never skimp on tire and brakes maintenance.
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2008
- Messages
- 2,601
- Reaction score
- 104
- Points
- 63
- Location
- Edenvale, South Africa (GMT +2)
Definitely 8mm and for that money were they Snap-On??
Related in a way, my bike has developed a leak on the rear caliper banjo connector. I haven't ridden in a while and when I looked at it today I was dismayed to see the peeling paint on the rear wheel
I never use my rear brake so I haven't noticed any change in efficacy but the reservoir is almost empty. Is this fluid leak going to affect the tyre?
vinmansbrew
Junior Member
I have never seen fluid go bad that quick, ever. I suppose if you do a lot of slamming on your brakes, maybe you do need it. I don't, so fluid will not go bad that quick. Best the manual says is anytime you replace internals, which would be every 2 years. Again though, unless brakes are used a lot, they will not wear that fast. My bike still has the original hoses. I do not plan on replacing them anytime soon as there are no cracks or leaks, in short, nothing wrong with them.
But then a number of these maintenance schedules are not set by engineers but bean counters and lawyers.
I mean, you can do what you think you need but for me, it goes way beyond overkill.
I thought I'd bump this and get a few to do some maintenance as the season starts.
CHANGE YOUR FLUID FELLOW RIDERS!!!
Also take NOTE: DOT 4 BRAKE FLUID with its higher boiling temperature has a draw back. IT ATTRACTS MOISTURE AT A FASTER RATE THAN DOT 3 FLUID!!! The typical rate for absorption of DOT 3 Fluid is 1% moisture per year of service. It is rumored that some DOT 4 Fluids can double this rate especially in the high humidity areas.
NOTE: Adding 1% moisture can reduce the boiling point upwards of 40 to 50F.
In short, 5 years on DOT 4 FLUID has potential to cripple your brake system and cause a costly repair from corrosion damage to brake components! Not to mention potential HEALTH HAZARDS to the Rider!
Lastly; Throw AWAY any unused brake fluid and top off with or FILL UP WITH NEW FLUID from a NEW CONTAINER and do so on LOW HUMIDITY DAYS!!!
Rubber is permeable and absorbs moisture even though this system appears to be sealed well with its bladder style lids.
HOW TO BLEED: (from post above)
Straight from the manual and the way I have always done it successfully is this:
1. Bleed:
• Hydraulic brake system
▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼
a. Fill the brake fluid reservoir to the proper level with the recommended brake fluid.
b. Install the diaphragm (brake master cylinder reservoir or brake fluid reservoir).
c. Connect a clear plastic hose “1” tightly to the bleed screw “2”.
d. Place the other end of the hose into a container.
e. Slowly apply the brake lever several times.
f. Fully pull the brake lever or fully press down the brake pedal and hold it in position.
g. Loosen the bleed screw.
------------------------------------------------
NOTE:
Loosening the bleed screw will release the pressure and cause the brake lever to contact the throttle grip or the brake pedal to fully extend.
------------------------------------------------
h. Tighten the bleed screw and then release the brake lever or brake pedal.
i. Repeat steps (e) to (h) until all of the air bubbles have disappeared from the brake fluid in the plastic hose.
j. Tighten the bleed screw to specification.
k. Fill the brake fluid reservoir to the proper level with the recommended brake fluid.
Refer to "CHECKING THE BRAKE FLUID
LEVEL" on page 3-22.
IMO; pumping the lever(s) with the bleeder screw open is likely making allot of extra work trying to get the air out of the system and I would NOT advise performing such a practice.
Be safe.. .. ..
CHANGE YOUR FLUID FELLOW RIDERS!!!
Also take NOTE: DOT 4 BRAKE FLUID with its higher boiling temperature has a draw back. IT ATTRACTS MOISTURE AT A FASTER RATE THAN DOT 3 FLUID!!! The typical rate for absorption of DOT 3 Fluid is 1% moisture per year of service. It is rumored that some DOT 4 Fluids can double this rate especially in the high humidity areas.
NOTE: Adding 1% moisture can reduce the boiling point upwards of 40 to 50F.
In short, 5 years on DOT 4 FLUID has potential to cripple your brake system and cause a costly repair from corrosion damage to brake components! Not to mention potential HEALTH HAZARDS to the Rider!
Lastly; Throw AWAY any unused brake fluid and top off with or FILL UP WITH NEW FLUID from a NEW CONTAINER and do so on LOW HUMIDITY DAYS!!!
Rubber is permeable and absorbs moisture even though this system appears to be sealed well with its bladder style lids.
HOW TO BLEED: (from post above)
Straight from the manual and the way I have always done it successfully is this:
1. Bleed:
• Hydraulic brake system
▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼
a. Fill the brake fluid reservoir to the proper level with the recommended brake fluid.
b. Install the diaphragm (brake master cylinder reservoir or brake fluid reservoir).
c. Connect a clear plastic hose “1” tightly to the bleed screw “2”.
d. Place the other end of the hose into a container.
e. Slowly apply the brake lever several times.
f. Fully pull the brake lever or fully press down the brake pedal and hold it in position.
g. Loosen the bleed screw.
------------------------------------------------
NOTE:
Loosening the bleed screw will release the pressure and cause the brake lever to contact the throttle grip or the brake pedal to fully extend.
------------------------------------------------
h. Tighten the bleed screw and then release the brake lever or brake pedal.
i. Repeat steps (e) to (h) until all of the air bubbles have disappeared from the brake fluid in the plastic hose.
j. Tighten the bleed screw to specification.
k. Fill the brake fluid reservoir to the proper level with the recommended brake fluid.
Refer to "CHECKING THE BRAKE FLUID
LEVEL" on page 3-22.
IMO; pumping the lever(s) with the bleeder screw open is likely making allot of extra work trying to get the air out of the system and I would NOT advise performing such a practice.
Be safe.. .. ..
Yasko
Senior Member
See, that's why I love this site.:rockon: Good looking out.:thumbup:
Now if we can add a video to this link.
FIZZER6
The Angry Blue Mantis
Good looking out! I need to go ahead and do mine again, been 2 years. :thumbup:
There was too much GOOD INFO in your thread to NOT do a little Recycling !!! :thumbup:
I read in other places about DOT 4 breaking down SOONER than DOT 3 and thought it worthy to mention it here. 2 YEARS MAX on DOT 4!
FIZZER6
The Angry Blue Mantis
I think it's worth mentioning that people who live on the east coast, south or gulf coast need to change brake fluid MORE OFTEN due to the fact that in many of these areas our relative humidity is 70-99% for most of the year! Humidity is how moisture gets into brake systems slowly over time, that and leaving the bike in the rain often.
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2007
- Messages
- 1,825
- Reaction score
- 53
- Points
- 48
- Location
- adelaide australia
Brake fluid is a hydrscopic fluid,which means it not only gets moisture in it but attracts moisture. It is specificly designed to do this to keep moisture away from the metal parts of the braking system. As said the down fall to this is the higher the moisture content the lower the boiling point of the fluid, the greater the chance of vapour lock and no brakes. On any standard dot 3 and dot systems, change intervals are 2 years or normally 40 000km which ever comes first. Do not mix brake fluids, even though dot 4 has a higher boiling point than dot 3 dont change out dot 3 to 4 in other systems to be safe. If running a toyota dot 4 has a good chance of killing the braking system as the seals are not compatable. A trick if using a reverse bleeder to suck the fluid through, is to take the nipple out and put a litle rubber grease on the thread to stop it sucking air past the threads. Also if bleeding alone the standard way put the tube into a old bottle and make sure the tube is submerged preferably in some brake fluid, this will make it not so critical to close the nipple on ever pump(though this is far more preferable) it wont have the tendancey to suck air back in as easy. Lastly dont forget brake fluid is highly corrosive so dont spill it on your painted surfaces, if you do use water to get it off.
Ohendo
Site Supporter
Finally got around to the "feed and bleed" to changeout my brake fluid. I've owned the bike about a year and have no idea if/when it was done last.
What came out of the lines horrified me.....
Couldn't even see through this gunk when I held it up to the sun.
Needless to say, braking performance has been greatly improved!
What came out of the lines horrified me.....
Couldn't even see through this gunk when I held it up to the sun.
Needless to say, braking performance has been greatly improved!
Yasko
Senior Member
I'm going to do mine next weekend.:rockon: I hope it's not as bad.
This will be on my maintenance plan for the week along with coolant flush :thumbup:
I got home a little while ago from taking my step son for a ride and decided to bleed the brakes. I pumped/added fluid until it was clear and bubble free. It took all of 20 min to do...eazy peezzy:thumbup:
The brakes feel so much better!
The brakes feel so much better!
A whole 20 minutes for piece of mind and you did it the right way! Good Job!
Because mine has DOT 4 in it, it'll likely be done when the T stat gets replaced!
Similar threads
