BEST VIDEO! I am a 66y/o F and miss riding so I purchased a 2020 Royal Enfield Continental GT 650, really like the cafe racer look. The back brake was soft so I had to bleed the line. Never doing this before, this video was a great teacher. Thank you so much!
@@nickbuchananracinghi. I purchased a 140cc pitbike with the rear break not working... I tried bleeding it but still not working! Could you give any advice?? Thanks
That's how I learned to bleed motorcycle brakes 40 years ago, still do it that way today (on non-ABS bikes). Only things I would mention is you should put some brake fluid in the catch bottle so that the end of the hose is immersed in fluid (that will prevent air from getting sucked back into the hose), and make sure the end of the hose is below the level of the bleeder. Gravity will help pull down the fluid and bubbles, in addition to the pressure from the brake lever.
@@JuneAtHomePH The pressure from squeezing the brake lever to force the fluid and air bubbles down the hose will be orders of magnitude more than what you could do with a syringe.
You will find it helps to stop for a while and tap-tap the brake lever. Often you will see air bubbles rising to the top of the reservoir level. Better that than pumping them down the whole way to the bleeder screw. Certainly bleed as normal, but stop occasionally and try the tap-tap on the brake lever.
Or, and it's a bit painful, remove the caliper and lift it above the master cylinder somehow overnight, you'll have all your air rise to the top now ready to exit the system.
Great directions. This helped me understand the process. I will be doing this tomorrow as i struggled trying to do it tonight before watching this. I'm confident I'll get it done correctly tomorrow! Thanks.
Good video. Little tip once finished pull the lever back as far as it will go and place a tie wrap around the lever and bar and leave overnight, this will force any tiny amounts of air in the system to the reservoir then release next day and loosen the reservoir cap to allow any excess air pressure to escape and recheck fluid levels.
I have been searching for a week now on how to change my bike's break fluids. This is the most helpful video I have found, it is as clear as my new break fluids, don't need to look further. Thanks a lot!
I overhauled the entire Disk brake system including the master cylinder and the caliper. No brakes whatsoever afterwards. Tried bleeding air watching some other videos. No success. Then, your video and voila! Did the process almost 30-40 times. No effect perceived for 25 cycles. Got disappointed but didn’t stop. And then suddenly, you get the pressure! Thanks bro!! Awesome!
your welcome. when the system is completely dry it helps to open the bleed screw up a full turn or two, so that its opened up more than usual, then just pump the lever many times to get things flowing. Then just bleed the air from the lines as usual as shown in the video. Also have a video on changing lines if that interest you. ua-cam.com/video/CQxN5HlnGB4/v-deo.html
@@nickbuchananracing Dear Nick, I am experiencing a small issue with the brake. The disc pads are slightly touching the disk even when brake lever is not pressed, causing the wheel to not move freely. Can you suggest something?? Thanks!
@@PankajMittal17 1 rotor or 2 rotors? it is normal for motorcycle brakes to slightly drag. put the bike up on a stand so that the front is off the ground and give the front wheel a good spin. see how many rotations it makes before coming to a stop. for 1 rotor brakes it should make at least a few rotations. for 2 rotor brakes its normal to only get 3 ish turns before the brake pads drag and make it stop. nothing to worry about. if its real bad make sure the calipers pistons are not hanging up and being sticky. if they arent freely retracting into the caliper they could be the problem. either clean around the pistons better or rebuild caliper seals. also check and make sure the reservoir isnt overfilled. an overfilled reservoir can cause some pressure build up if the fluid gets too hot. that could cause some brale pad dragging issues. also check that the discs arent badly warped. although that should be obvious as you would clearly hear the dragging noise get loud as the bent part of the rotors pass through the pads. good luck. let me know what you discover.
Good video, I will say that I find it much easier to reverse bleed brakes with a 150ml syringe, you essentially pump the fluid straight through, then you can open and close bleed screw and pump the brake to build pressure, I always found I had more luck with that method
If you were my teacher i would have stayed in class. Speechless! Very informative love the part about troubleshooting etc. saves the end of the world feeling when something is wrong! Thanks
Thanks for this video man. It really helps me a lot. I'm planning to bleed my brakes for the very first time on my 2021 Yamaha R3. It'll cost me around 400 Philippine Pesos for the service plus the tip when i get this serviced on a dealership. This helped me saved a few pesos 😁 Thanks man.
youre welcome. so glad you could get it done yourself and save some money. I hate paying another man to fix my stuff! sweet bike btw. I sometimes regret not getting the r3
Thanks Jeff! Thats nice to hear. I was a little annoyed about that guys comment but I suppose its constructive criticism, disguised as a dumb comment. lol. Glad you liked the video. Thanks for watching
Excellent video! I was going to buy speed bleeders, but I think I will flush my system with this method and just use a velcro strap to keep the brake lever depressed while I tighten the bleeder. Big touring bike and I can't reach the caliper and brake lever at the same time, lol. Thanks again for the great video! 👍
@@caryd67 there's you're opportunity then.. bleed screws have always worked for me & it's been a successful industry std.. manufacturer quality is a different thing again though..
Cheers for the video. I've made a playlist of your videos to use as a guide to service my bike, I'm a new rider so it all makes the learning process alot smoother. Thanks alot from Australia.
excellent video. i like how you explained how we can be tricked that air is in the hydralic system, when the air is actually entering through the bleeder hose. very good point to be aware...don't ask how i know. :-)
A genuinely good tutorial. One more thing I was advised - if possible after bleeding, pull your lever tight and hold it secure with a zip tie overnight.
@@jokurandomi93 I was told that any micro bubbles will then filter up into the reservoir and improve the effectiveness of the bleed. Don't know if this is the case but I was told this by a true blue biker???
You don't need to close the Bleed Nipple (Screw) between Pumps of the Lever. Simply open it just enough to allow Fluid to flow, and keep pumping the Lever, slowly and smoothly. Keeping at least 200mm of Tubing above the Bleed Nipple helps, but it's not entirely necessary.
Pro tip, suck or otherwise remove the old brake fluid from the master cylinder reservoir and clean the inside before adding new brake fluid, it will make the whole process much easier and quicker.
@@nickbuchananracing Of course! Just did it all yesterday, changing break fluid both front and rear. But I do it the other way. Apply pressure on the lever and then open the bleeding valve, let the lever go all the way down/in and then close.
To get that screw out, if theres any bit of the head left that isnt stripped, if you can the key is to use a lot of pressure into the fastener, like all your weight. Sometimes I will put a bit of the correct size into a 1/4 socket and use a ratchet, that way i can really lean of the back of the ratchet wrench and put a lot of force and hope it will grab. If that doest work you may need to drill the head out, remove the cover, and grab whats left of the screw out with some locking pliers. Hope that helps you get the stripped screw out! Good luck👍
Alternatively put your finger over the end of the tube when you release the brake lever. This stops the liquid being sucked back in but allows you to pump the fluid through quickly without having to keep on closing the bleed nipple.
Like my homie said super straightforward. I watched your video and was like light bulb okay and this is after watching bleeding kit videos I was like nah that shit seemed too hard. Got the thing downstairs. Appreciate the video man
great video. i am changing pads and break fluid on my honda rebel 500 this weekend. the other videos on brake pad replacement helped also. thanks for this.
This is extraordinarily clear and to the point. My current problem is the piston in the master cylinder (up on the handlebar) is stuck. When I squeeze the brake lever, it pushes the piston in, but the piston doesn't push the lever back out. I can pry the piston out with a small screwdriver, but another squeeze of the lever pushes the piston back in and it's stuck again. (This is on a Chinese 250 that's been sitting for about 2 years in my garage.) Do you have any tips for this problem?
Yes, you need to rebuild or replace the master cylinder. There is a spring inside that pushes the piston forward when the lever is releases. If the spring is broken or if the rubber seals are worn or has a lot of gunk in there, it wont spring back out like it should. I would recommend just replacing it because rebuilding can be more trouble than its worth if you can get a replacement on the low.
Luckily whether its cars or bikes or 3 wheelers, if it used hydraulic brakes, should be very similar to the video. Might need some long arms though to reach if thats a 3 wheeler though lol. If you cant reach, get another person to help or maybe try a speed bleeder. Ive never used a speed bleeder but i think they have a check valve so that you can do the job without manually turning the bleed screw. If you need it look it up and see if thats the case
I really like to do things in a totally idiot proof way, so I always buy new brake fluid that a different colour to the old brake fluid & just bleed away till the fluid changes colour.
If this doesn't work because sometimes air gets trapped in the caliper. Try this method. Get a big syringe attach a tube to it and fill in with brake fluid. Attach it bleed nipple and pump it in untill reservoir is full. That expels all the air and is easier than pumping the lever and lock on lock off the bleed nipple. It's a good way when your by yourself. A syringe from fork oil filling is good.
Thanks. I've done this many a time just the way you said. The one bit I didn't know was those stupid little bubbles were likely coming from the bleeder screw threads. That might help thanks.
Yes I assume the really tiny bubbles come from the threads or possibly from the velocity of the fluid, sort of like how a boat propeller will make bubbles from speeding up the fluid. Ill have to seal the threads one time and see if it still happens and figure that out for sure.
@@nickbuchananracing Before this I had the idea I was entraining air by pouring the new fluid in too quickly though pouring it slower never seemed to stop it. I prefer your theory. I'm overdue changing my fluid, front and back. I see an experiment coming.
Hi Nick, thank you for the video. it helps me understand better. My scooter requires DOT 4. When it's the time to change, can I mix the manufacture fluid with another brand as long as it has the same rating?
Nope. Wrong. You don't open the bleed screw 1st. You SLOWLY pump pressure 3-4 times, Hold the pressure at the lever, then open the bleed, shut the bleed when brake lever is all the way down, then release the lever, repeat. Important to pump slowly and deliberately. If you pump the lever too fast you will "cavitate" any air in the system (big bubbles will turn into small bubbles and be harder to get out). If you can't get all the air out, disconnect caliper from mount, place suitable block in caliper to prevent pucks (or brakes shoes if you leave them in) from moving out, move the caliper to a level above the master cylinder (hang with suitable wire or bungee) with the bleed screw at the highest point and repeat the process. Remember air wants to move upwards. Pushing air downward is trying to fool mother nature. Best Hack: If you have an air compressor, doesn't have to be huge, get the vacuum bleeder at Harbor freight for about $35. It is by far the easiest and most efficient way to bleeds brakes, especially for problem brakes. Works on all hydraulic brakes. Has a vacuum bottle that collects the expended brake fluid. Because this bleeder can pull a regulated and constant brake fluid flow, it can move air bubbles down hill. Use it once you'll never bleed brakes any other way.
Caution. The process for bleeding a system with ABS is not necessarily the same. You should refer to the factory service manual. Some ABS units incorporate a bleed valve but the ABS solenoid may have to be cycled in order to bleed the normally closed side of the system.
its usually the same. but yes i suppose i should have mentioned if you drive a german spaceship that they will probably tell you to cycle the pump while bleeding the brakes.
@@nickbuchananracing hey, if you're not riding a german or much more importantly a Japanese rocket ship then clearly you dont want to do quick lap times, so what's the point. ....
@@garedjo-edpantas4044 unless your service manual or manufacturer says otherwise, just bleed the system like normal. expect more volume of fluid to be used for an ABS system.
suggestion: at end> I always start screws slightly....... and then tighten progressively. Only 2 screws in this case. But putting one screw on and fully tightening before starting the other- struck me as odd.
Just an editing thing, i also do that, but i try not to show too much boring stuff on camera or else it gets kind of boring spending too much time watching me turn screws and bolts. But yes you are correct to do that, always!
I'm facing another problem. I have rebuilt the brake caliper, twin piston. I took it off completely, disconnected it from the hose. The hose was lifted up and fixed to the frame of the motorbike so that the fluid would not leak out. After installation I started bleeding, everything went well. But after 5 seconds, the pedal fails again and the brakes work from the second time, third time. After pressing the pedal, the level in the reservoir drops, but as soon as I return the pedal up, the level in the reservoir rises. The liquid rises from the caliper into the tank. I understand that I have an air cushion in the caliper, and when it is clamped, it is compressed, the liquid pours out of the tube without bubbles, but when the force is reduced, the compressed air expands and pushes the liquid back into the tank. Apparently there is this air trap in some piston. tomorrow I will take it all apart again and clean it all. Triumph Sprint ST 1050 with ABS. 2006.
@@GeneralKing7 Unfortunately, I can't tell you what to do. The only thing I didn't do was to pump through TuneECU. I disassembled all the lines, spent 2 litres of brake fluid, pumped both with back pumping and direct pumping, disconnected all the tubes on the ABS unit. Somewhere there was air, and the system pumped itself, but it took a month. I just work a month after a month, the bike was not moving. When I got home from work, everything was already working fine).
You can bleed by pressurizing the system before opening the valve, or you can bleed by pressing the brake after the valve is already open, like in this video. What's the difference between the two?
Good video and good info. But what if I've done this but I'm still getting a squish lever? Basically, I pull the lever and the front brakes engage but if I continue to hold the brake lever for a couple more seconds it slowly sinks into the handlebars. I have an old '81 Kawasaki KZ305-A CSR.
you may need to replace or rebuild the master cylinder. If the seals inside arent holding tight it might casue that issue. rebuild kits are pretty cheap and arent too hard to do for motorcycle master cylinders.
I like to explain it as I did because its a bit simpler to tell someone, but you can press first, and hold pressure, then open next. Once you open the screw you will feel the pressure release and bleed out as the lever or pedal goes to the end of its travel. Just make sure you close it before you release. Either way is fine.
Great video, quick question, I was doing my brake pads and I popped one of my pistons out of my right caliper. I was able to get it back in there and it’s able to push out but it doesn’t retract, I already ordered a new caliper incase. But, it’s a ZX10R, with two front brembos and ABS, I noticed there is 0 brake pressure when squeezing the handle, the other caliper doesn’t even move, does it just need a bleed? The piston that I popped is moving fine and no broken seal.
if everythings back in place, yea definitely need to bleed the brakes and see. With ABS usually you can bleed like normal but if you have trouble you could use a vacuum bleeder if it comes to that. as far as it not retracting,if all is installed correctly, usually once installed the rotor scrubbing against the pad is what helps knock the pads back. Thats why even a perfectly functioning brake caliper will still have the pads slightly touching( slight dragging sound) even when lever is let go.
@@nickbuchananracing yeah it compresses the caliper and I see the pads up on the the rotor, then it just stops, no pressure at all on the handle. I tried to bleed them today but my plastic tube is too wide to fit on the bleeder, even with a zip tie. What do u recommend for a vacuum bleeder? Harbor freight?
@@Undefeated.ZX10 for sure bleed the brakes and see first. I dont know how the harbor freight one is but maybe..if its cheap enough. Since some things at harbor freight seem to be single use only lol.
@@nickbuchananracing literally nothing 😂 I have no idea how I accidentally did that I was watching a short about a mustang not crashing lmao. I definitely look crazy
@@DJR3M1XX 😂😂😂 thats funny. Im like wtf!? You do make a good point though. I used to have a foxbody and that thing really wanted to terrible mustang stuff when doing burnouts.
@@nickbuchananracing Lol I just found it hilarious the amount of people commenting about, “finally a mustang driver that can let off the gas”. I saw you had a drifting video on your main page so I think it’s safe to assume you know all about it 😂 some people are dumb enough to keep flooring it, but most of the crowd killer videos I’ve seen are from people going from wot to 0% causing the rear to whip back the other way lol
good eye. yea i have to put it on the cap first, then place the cap and diaphragm on together. the cap has a ridge on the inside so it keeps the diaphragm from folding in. but yea its getting due to be replaced soon.
It is not always this easy, if you lost your pressure completely you have little or no fluid in your system, take a manual fluid pump fill it with brakefluid connect it to bleed screw with a hose and open screw, make sure there is no fluid in the reservoir, hold a firm grip on hose on bleed screw and slowly press fluid in to it fills the reservoir, close bleed screw and you should have pressure, then bleed for air as shown in video 😊
Yes thats reverse bleeding and it works, this video is just for the least amount of tools needed. If you struggle to get if flowing with empty lines you could do like you said, or what I usually do is "gravity" bleed them to get things started. Open the bleeder screw all the way and leave the fluid sit for a few minutes and pump the lever repeatedly without closing the screw each pump, usually that will get some flow. Then do like I showed.
If brake fluid takes in moisture when opened why do they sell so much in the bottle sell it in smaller quantities ps i have purchased a brake fluid tester and i have tested opened bottle a year later and it's been good to go is it hipe to make you buy more answers please
Im pretty darn sure its the same. However with more lines and fluid involved with an abs set up, if you have any trouble getting all the air out, consider using a vacuum bleeder. Not saying u need to but thats what I would do if I had any trouble getting a firm lever.
Clearest tutorial I've seen on bleeding brake fluid
Literally one of the best guiding and clearest video I've seen. I was having a lot of trouble with my front brakes. I'll try this.
BEST VIDEO! I am a 66y/o F and miss riding so I purchased a 2020 Royal Enfield Continental GT 650, really like the cafe racer look. The back brake was soft so I had to bleed the line. Never doing this before, this video was a great teacher. Thank you so much!
Youre welcome. And nice choice for a new bike. Royal Enfield has some pretty cool stuff lately. Thanks for watching.
@@nickbuchananracinghi. I purchased a 140cc pitbike with the rear break not working... I tried bleeding it but still not working! Could you give any advice?? Thanks
That's how I learned to bleed motorcycle brakes 40 years ago, still do it that way today (on non-ABS bikes). Only things I would mention is you should put some brake fluid in the catch bottle so that the end of the hose is immersed in fluid (that will prevent air from getting sucked back into the hose), and make sure the end of the hose is below the level of the bleeder. Gravity will help pull down the fluid and bubbles, in addition to the pressure from the brake lever.
@@JuneAtHomePH The pressure from squeezing the brake lever to force the fluid and air bubbles down the hose will be orders of magnitude more than what you could do with a syringe.
One of the clearest, to the point videos. Thank you
Thanks! Im glad u liked it.
You will find it helps to stop for a while and tap-tap the brake lever. Often you will see air bubbles rising to the top of the reservoir level. Better that than pumping them down the whole way to the bleeder screw. Certainly bleed as normal, but stop occasionally and try the tap-tap on the brake lever.
Or, and it's a bit painful, remove the caliper and lift it above the master cylinder somehow overnight, you'll have all your air rise to the top now ready to exit the system.
saw that in another video on here GOOD tip too
I find eating eggs enjoyable for me
This video couldn’t be any more straightforward I swear! Thank you bro!
youre welcome. I aim to please.
Great directions. This helped me understand the process. I will be doing this tomorrow as i struggled trying to do it tonight before watching this. I'm confident I'll get it done correctly tomorrow! Thanks.
im glad it helps. let me know how it goes or if you have any questions. 👍
Good video. Little tip once finished pull the lever back as far as it will go and place a tie wrap around the lever and bar and leave overnight, this will force any tiny amounts of air in the system to the reservoir then release next day and loosen the reservoir cap to allow any excess air pressure to escape and recheck fluid levels.
I have been searching for a week now on how to change my bike's break fluids. This is the most helpful video I have found, it is as clear as my new break fluids, don't need to look further. Thanks a lot!
Brake, not BREAK!!
I overhauled the entire Disk brake system including the master cylinder and the caliper. No brakes whatsoever afterwards. Tried bleeding air watching some other videos. No success.
Then, your video and voila! Did the process almost 30-40 times. No effect perceived for 25 cycles. Got disappointed but didn’t stop. And then suddenly, you get the pressure! Thanks bro!! Awesome!
your welcome. when the system is completely dry it helps to open the bleed screw up a full turn or two, so that its opened up more than usual, then just pump the lever many times to get things flowing. Then just bleed the air from the lines as usual as shown in the video.
Also have a video on changing lines if that interest you.
ua-cam.com/video/CQxN5HlnGB4/v-deo.html
@@nickbuchananracing Actually I dismantled the brake line as well. Cleaned it and used it again. Thanks for the link though!
@@PankajMittal17 youre welcome. thanks for watching. have a good weekend✌️
@@nickbuchananracing Dear Nick, I am experiencing a small issue with the brake. The disc pads are slightly touching the disk even when brake lever is not pressed, causing the wheel to not move freely. Can you suggest something?? Thanks!
@@PankajMittal17 1 rotor or 2 rotors?
it is normal for motorcycle brakes to slightly drag. put the bike up on a stand so that the front is off the ground and give the front wheel a good spin. see how many rotations it makes before coming to a stop. for 1 rotor brakes it should make at least a few rotations. for 2 rotor brakes its normal to only get 3 ish turns before the brake pads drag and make it stop. nothing to worry about.
if its real bad make sure the calipers pistons are not hanging up and being sticky. if they arent freely retracting into the caliper they could be the problem. either clean around the pistons better or rebuild caliper seals.
also check and make sure the reservoir isnt overfilled. an overfilled reservoir can cause some pressure build up if the fluid gets too hot. that could cause some brale pad dragging issues.
also check that the discs arent badly warped. although that should be obvious as you would clearly hear the dragging noise get loud as the bent part of the rotors pass through the pads. good luck. let me know what you discover.
Good video, I will say that I find it much easier to reverse bleed brakes with a 150ml syringe, you essentially pump the fluid straight through, then you can open and close bleed screw and pump the brake to build pressure, I always found I had more luck with that method
If you were my teacher i would have stayed in class. Speechless! Very informative love the part about troubleshooting etc. saves the end of the world feeling when something is wrong! Thanks
Thanks, glad you liked it!
This is by far the best brake bleeding instructions video out there. Thanks!
One of the best straight forward videos I’ve seen. Great video.
thanks man. thats great to hear!
Easy to understand easy to complete my pending work. I was headache about this bubbles things after watching this it's really easy now thank you sir
Thanks for this video man. It really helps me a lot. I'm planning to bleed my brakes for the very first time on my 2021 Yamaha R3. It'll cost me around 400 Philippine Pesos for the service plus the tip when i get this serviced on a dealership. This helped me saved a few pesos 😁 Thanks man.
youre welcome. so glad you could get it done yourself and save some money. I hate paying another man to fix my stuff! sweet bike btw. I sometimes regret not getting the r3
Best and most straightforward video on bleeding the brakes 🤌🏽🤌🏽
Excellent, clear guidance on bleeding brakes. Particularly helpful about the hose and thread air leaks. Thanks very much.
One trick I do is put zip tie over leaver over night and the rest of the air escape and in morning you have a hard brake with no air in it
Do you do that with the reservoir cap on or off?
@@wyattvanneste6634 I would like an answer to this as well.
@@wyattvanneste6634the cap can stay on for the zip tie trick. Works better for front than back, as need straight line up from caliper to reservoir
I don’t believe this will work. The brake lines can have a U in them which willtrap an air pocket. This is why you flush the lines.
Good job on the video, especially the tempo. Oh... and ignore idiots that suggest some other channel did a better job than you. What a putz!
Thanks Jeff! Thats nice to hear. I was a little annoyed about that guys comment but I suppose its constructive criticism, disguised as a dumb comment. lol. Glad you liked the video. Thanks for watching
Best brake bleed tutorial ive seen on youtube period. Thanks for sharing!
thanks man. youre welcome👍
Excellent video! I was going to buy speed bleeders, but I think I will flush my system with this method and just use a velcro strap to keep the brake lever depressed while I tighten the bleeder. Big touring bike and I can't reach the caliper and brake lever at the same time, lol. Thanks again for the great video! 👍
Get an assistant and bribe them with beer lol. Good luck 👍
Why have they in all these years never reshaped the bleed screw to take a hose securely instead of that stupid fitting.
@Luii Laxo Yes I guess someone like you could not come up with a better idea so you just put up with the stupid thing.
That stupid thing has worked perfectly for decades.
@@DB-zk1tw true, but anything can be improved wouldn’t you agree?
@@DB-zk1twwell, actually it didn't. EVERYONE hates how badly the bleedingtube "fits/stays" on (or not)
@@caryd67 there's you're opportunity then.. bleed screws have always worked for me & it's been a successful industry std.. manufacturer quality is a different thing again though..
Cheers for the video. I've made a playlist of your videos to use as a guide to service my bike, I'm a new rider so it all makes the learning process alot smoother. Thanks alot from Australia.
Youre welcome glad it helps. Ill be making more how to videos soon. Been super busy but more time to make videos is coming soon
excellent video. i like how you explained how we can be tricked that air is in the hydralic system, when the air is actually entering through the bleeder hose. very good point to be aware...don't ask how i know. :-)
This tutorial doesn't get me bored watching.. thank you man! You deserve more subs.
thanks man! more subs will come. just gotta keep making good videos and Im sure I can get there one day. thanks for watching👍
@@nickbuchananracing See you at the top man.
A genuinely good tutorial. One more thing I was advised - if possible after bleeding, pull your lever tight and hold it secure with a zip tie overnight.
Why is this?
@@jokurandomi93 I was told that any micro bubbles will then filter up into the reservoir and improve the effectiveness of the bleed.
Don't know if this is the case but I was told this by a true blue biker???
You don't need to close the Bleed Nipple (Screw) between Pumps of the Lever.
Simply open it just enough to allow Fluid to flow, and keep pumping the Lever, slowly and smoothly.
Keeping at least 200mm of Tubing above the Bleed Nipple helps, but it's not entirely necessary.
I think that doing it in reverse is better, with NO air bubbles to deal with. Syringe pressure from the bottom, open the reservoir and suck it out
Pro tip, suck or otherwise remove the old brake fluid from the master cylinder reservoir and clean the inside before adding new brake fluid, it will make the whole process much easier and quicker.
Turkey bastar works well!
I found putting a little grease around bottom of bleeder screw will aid in not drawing air in by the threads at the base .
good idea. it helps? no tiny bubbles?
Great Explanation!! The brake fluid bleeding process is easy to understand. Keep it up! Thanks.
youre welcome. thanks for watching! more how to videos coming soon.
Thank you for the straight to the point instructional video!
youre welcome. thanks for watching
This is the best and most simple video. Thank you very much.
Thanks buddy your video helps me today,was having same issue with my 150cc scooter,now it's more smooth
youre welcome. glad I could help
Such a concise & aptly brief tutorial. Great job
Thanks, glad you enjoyed my video!
Thank you, great explanation you did there. I just finished bleeding mine and it's working great!
The best video I never watched how to correctly bleed the brakes.
Best video ive seen, even has troubleshooting and clear explanations. Thank you so much
Youre welcome !
Such a good instructional vid... all in laymen terms and easy to follow.. please do more.
It is recommended to clean and dry the diaphragm, to remove any remains of old break fluid and moisture before placing it back.
Yes , that and the inside of the reservoir if its filthy. Forgot to mention that. Thanks
@@nickbuchananracing Of course! Just did it all yesterday, changing break fluid both front and rear. But I do it the other way. Apply pressure on the lever and then open the bleeding valve, let the lever go all the way down/in and then close.
Perfectly explained process man!! Now I need to figure out how to get a stripped screw out of my master cylinder cover
To get that screw out, if theres any bit of the head left that isnt stripped, if you can the key is to use a lot of pressure into the fastener, like all your weight. Sometimes I will put a bit of the correct size into a 1/4 socket and use a ratchet, that way i can really lean of the back of the ratchet wrench and put a lot of force and hope it will grab. If that doest work you may need to drill the head out, remove the cover, and grab whats left of the screw out with some locking pliers. Hope that helps you get the stripped screw out! Good luck👍
@@nickbuchananracing ordered a back out kit and hex head screws to replace. Going to bleed those brakes this weekend. Thanks again!
Alternatively put your finger over the end of the tube when you release the brake lever. This stops the liquid being sucked back in but allows you to pump the fluid through quickly without having to keep on closing the bleed nipple.
great vid! solid reminder............ I was pumping w the valve open/ vs close on EACH level pull.
Like my homie said super straightforward. I watched your video and was like light bulb okay and this is after watching bleeding kit videos I was like nah that shit seemed too hard. Got the thing downstairs. Appreciate the video man
great video. i am changing pads and break fluid on my honda rebel 500 this weekend. the other videos on brake pad replacement helped also. thanks for this.
I like your video thanks. When I have bled my breaks if not changing the fluid I prefer to use a longer bleed tube and loop it back to the reservoir
This is extraordinarily clear and to the point. My current problem is the piston in the master cylinder (up on the handlebar) is stuck. When I squeeze the brake lever, it pushes the piston in, but the piston doesn't push the lever back out. I can pry the piston out with a small screwdriver, but another squeeze of the lever pushes the piston back in and it's stuck again. (This is on a Chinese 250 that's been sitting for about 2 years in my garage.) Do you have any tips for this problem?
Yes, you need to rebuild or replace the master cylinder. There is a spring inside that pushes the piston forward when the lever is releases. If the spring is broken or if the rubber seals are worn or has a lot of gunk in there, it wont spring back out like it should. I would recommend just replacing it because rebuilding can be more trouble than its worth if you can get a replacement on the low.
@@nickbuchananracing -- Thanks! I wish there was a quick fix, but I can see crust and gunk around that plunger. I'll replace it.
@@Makermook yea that means its been leaking....good luck. Youll get it fixed in no time im sure!
@@nickbuchananracing -- Here I was thinking I'd be out big bucks to replace it...Amazon has the whole assembly for $16 🙄 Thanks for the encouragement!
If you submerge the bottle end of the tube with fluid first you can just pump the brake without drawing air back into the system.
No nonsense and straight to the point.
damn straight. thanks for watching👍
Zen. Very clean work and confident instructor. Keep up the good work.
thanks. I appreciate that.
Thank you! You saved me money, i hope the Can-Am Ryker has the same setup.
Luckily whether its cars or bikes or 3 wheelers, if it used hydraulic brakes, should be very similar to the video. Might need some long arms though to reach if thats a 3 wheeler though lol. If you cant reach, get another person to help or maybe try a speed bleeder. Ive never used a speed bleeder but i think they have a check valve so that you can do the job without manually turning the bleed screw. If you need it look it up and see if thats the case
I really like to do things in a totally idiot proof way, so I always buy new brake fluid that a different colour to the old brake fluid & just bleed away till the fluid changes colour.
If this doesn't work because sometimes air gets trapped in the caliper. Try this method. Get a big syringe attach a tube to it and fill in with brake fluid. Attach it bleed nipple and pump it in untill reservoir is full. That expels all the air and is easier than pumping the lever and lock on lock off the bleed nipple. It's a good way when your by yourself. A syringe from fork oil filling is good.
yes. thats reverse bleeding. this video was not for that though.
Lightly tapping on the caliper with a small mallet can help release air trapped in the caliper and allow it to rise towards the bleeder screw.
Done with authority and clarity. Thanks
Youre welcome
Thanks. I've done this many a time just the way you said.
The one bit I didn't know was those stupid little bubbles were likely coming from the bleeder screw threads. That might help thanks.
Yes I assume the really tiny bubbles come from the threads or possibly from the velocity of the fluid, sort of like how a boat propeller will make bubbles from speeding up the fluid. Ill have to seal the threads one time and see if it still happens and figure that out for sure.
@@nickbuchananracing Before this I had the idea I was entraining air by pouring the new fluid in too quickly though pouring it slower never seemed to stop it.
I prefer your theory. I'm overdue changing my fluid, front and back. I see an experiment coming.
Thx for the tips and clear video! Very easy to follow. Appreciate it man
Best explanation I’ve seen so far
Thanks man.
Hi Nick, thank you for the video. it helps me understand better. My scooter requires DOT 4. When it's the time to change, can I mix the manufacture fluid with another brand as long as it has the same rating?
Thanks. Yea as long as youre using the correct type like dot4 in your case, you are good.
Nope. Wrong. You don't open the bleed screw 1st.
You SLOWLY pump pressure 3-4 times, Hold the pressure at the lever, then open the bleed, shut the bleed when brake lever is all the way down, then release the lever, repeat. Important to pump slowly and deliberately. If you pump the lever too fast you will "cavitate" any air in the system (big bubbles will turn into small bubbles and be harder to get out).
If you can't get all the air out, disconnect caliper from mount, place suitable block in caliper to prevent pucks (or brakes shoes if you leave them in) from moving out, move the caliper to a level above the master cylinder (hang with suitable wire or bungee) with the bleed screw at the highest point and repeat the process. Remember air wants to move upwards. Pushing air downward is trying to fool mother nature.
Best Hack: If you have an air compressor, doesn't have to be huge, get the vacuum bleeder at Harbor freight for about $35. It is by far the easiest and most efficient way to bleeds brakes, especially for problem brakes. Works on all hydraulic brakes. Has a vacuum bottle that collects the expended brake fluid. Because this bleeder can pull a regulated and constant brake fluid flow, it can move air bubbles down hill. Use it once you'll never bleed brakes any other way.
👍
finally. a very detailed bleeding
Thanks a lot.
you're welcome. Glad it helped
nice content. I have been trying for my KLX150, took 1 hour but still my brake not working. I dont know whats wrong with it?
Although the process is easy but need to remember some details,Really cool work..much thank,👍
no problem. glad I could help give a refresher
@@nickbuchananracing pls,keep on with same way..its useful for some mind like me..😁
Caution. The process for bleeding a system with ABS is not necessarily the same. You should refer to the factory service manual. Some ABS units incorporate a bleed valve but the ABS solenoid may have to be cycled in order to bleed the normally closed side of the system.
its usually the same. but yes i suppose i should have mentioned if you drive a german spaceship that they will probably tell you to cycle the pump while bleeding the brakes.
@@nickbuchananracing hey, if you're not riding a german or much more importantly a Japanese rocket ship then clearly you dont want to do quick lap times, so what's the point. ....
How to bleed the air on abs module?
@@garedjo-edpantas4044 unless your service manual or manufacturer says otherwise, just bleed the system like normal. expect more volume of fluid to be used for an ABS system.
@@nickbuchananracing the manufacturer says the abs module need to replace because there is air coming from it when you pull the brake lever
suggestion: at end> I always start screws slightly....... and then tighten progressively. Only 2 screws in this case. But putting one screw on and fully tightening before starting the other- struck me as odd.
Just an editing thing, i also do that, but i try not to show too much boring stuff on camera or else it gets kind of boring spending too much time watching me turn screws and bolts. But yes you are correct to do that, always!
7:16 Tutorial starts here.
I'm facing another problem. I have rebuilt the brake caliper, twin piston. I took it off completely, disconnected it from the hose. The hose was lifted up and fixed to the frame of the motorbike so that the fluid would not leak out.
After installation I started bleeding, everything went well. But after 5 seconds, the pedal fails again and the brakes work from the second time, third time. After pressing the pedal, the level in the reservoir drops, but as soon as I return the pedal up, the level in the reservoir rises. The liquid rises from the caliper into the tank. I understand that I have an air cushion in the caliper, and when it is clamped, it is compressed, the liquid pours out of the tube without bubbles, but when the force is reduced, the compressed air expands and pushes the liquid back into the tank. Apparently there is this air trap in some piston. tomorrow I will take it all apart again and clean it all.
Triumph Sprint ST 1050 with ABS. 2006.
Ever found out why you had that issue? I am having the exact same problem... caliper rebuild as well
@@GeneralKing7 Unfortunately, I can't tell you what to do. The only thing I didn't do was to pump through TuneECU. I disassembled all the lines, spent 2 litres of brake fluid, pumped both with back pumping and direct pumping, disconnected all the tubes on the ABS unit. Somewhere there was air, and the system pumped itself, but it took a month. I just work a month after a month, the bike was not moving. When I got home from work, everything was already working fine).
Excellent Explanation good service
Great video, Clear and to the point. Good job 👏
Wow, very impressive direction! Well Done! Great details very methodical direction! Thank you.😀😀😀😀
Can you also do the same by triple pumping the lever and hold on the 3rd pump while loosening?
Best video ever
I am a novice biker but learnt a lot from thia video
Thanks man. Glad it helps. You can learn alot from youtube and repair manuals. I highly recommend Cyclepedia repair manuals
You can bleed by pressurizing the system before opening the valve, or you can bleed by pressing the brake after the valve is already open, like in this video. What's the difference between the two?
Great video !!! thank you for doing that so clear . Good job
Youre welcome. Glad it was helpful for you!
Excellent tutorial 👏very clear and understandable
Nice detailed instructions 👍🏽
thanks! ..hopefully it wasnt TOO detailed and boring
Crystal clear explanation
Good video and good info. But what if I've done this but I'm still getting a squish lever? Basically, I pull the lever and the front brakes engage but if I continue to hold the brake lever for a couple more seconds it slowly sinks into the handlebars. I have an old '81 Kawasaki KZ305-A CSR.
you may need to replace or rebuild the master cylinder. If the seals inside arent holding tight it might casue that issue. rebuild kits are pretty cheap and arent too hard to do for motorcycle master cylinders.
very nice and clear explanations
Excellent step by step guide!
Thanks!
Great information. Thanks
Best video on this subject 👌 many thanks 😊
thats great to hear! you are welcome. thanks for watching.
Great video. Thank you!
Which internal diameter tube would be perfect to have a tight but doable fit?
what i did was press brake lever then open the bleeder.. gonna try this one out.. to open first before press...
I like to explain it as I did because its a bit simpler to tell someone, but you can press first, and hold pressure, then open next. Once you open the screw you will feel the pressure release and bleed out as the lever or pedal goes to the end of its travel. Just make sure you close it before you release. Either way is fine.
Great video, quick question, I was doing my brake pads and I popped one of my pistons out of my right caliper. I was able to get it back in there and it’s able to push out but it doesn’t retract, I already ordered a new caliper incase. But, it’s a ZX10R, with two front brembos and ABS, I noticed there is 0 brake pressure when squeezing the handle, the other caliper doesn’t even move, does it just need a bleed? The piston that I popped is moving fine and no broken seal.
if everythings back in place, yea definitely need to bleed the brakes and see. With ABS usually you can bleed like normal but if you have trouble you could use a vacuum bleeder if it comes to that. as far as it not retracting,if all is installed correctly, usually once installed the rotor scrubbing against the pad is what helps knock the pads back. Thats why even a perfectly functioning brake caliper will still have the pads slightly touching( slight dragging sound) even when lever is let go.
@@nickbuchananracing yeah it compresses the caliper and I see the pads up on the the rotor, then it just stops, no pressure at all on the handle. I tried to bleed them today but my plastic tube is too wide to fit on the bleeder, even with a zip tie. What do u recommend for a vacuum bleeder? Harbor freight?
@@nickbuchananracing the only other thing I can think is brake line, but I had no issue with brakes before I knocked out that piston
@@Undefeated.ZX10 for sure bleed the brakes and see first. I dont know how the harbor freight one is but maybe..if its cheap enough. Since some things at harbor freight seem to be single use only lol.
@@nickbuchananracing haha true, thanks for the help 🙏🏻
EDIT: Never mind what was here before, great video thanks for the help 😂
Im gonna ask this question with complete sincerity. What the heck does that have to do with my video on bleeding motorbike brakes. Are you lost? Lol.
@@nickbuchananracing literally nothing 😂 I have no idea how I accidentally did that I was watching a short about a mustang not crashing lmao. I definitely look crazy
@@nickbuchananracing Thanks for responding respectfully, and super quick so I could realize the mistake haha
@@DJR3M1XX 😂😂😂 thats funny. Im like wtf!? You do make a good point though. I used to have a foxbody and that thing really wanted to terrible mustang stuff when doing burnouts.
@@nickbuchananracing Lol I just found it hilarious the amount of people commenting about, “finally a mustang driver that can let off the gas”. I saw you had a drifting video on your main page so I think it’s safe to assume you know all about it 😂 some people are dumb enough to keep flooring it, but most of the crowd killer videos I’ve seen are from people going from wot to 0% causing the rear to whip back the other way lol
Great video brother. Way to not over complicate things!
Thanks, I tried my best to balance not too much or too little, glad it was helpful. Thanks for watching dude.
Great video mate!
thanks mate!
Thank you so much for this amazing video!
Youre welcome for sure
Nice video but I'd be changing your diaphragm as it's not sitting nicely so it won't be sealing well when you put the cover back on.
good eye. yea i have to put it on the cap first, then place the cap and diaphragm on together. the cap has a ridge on the inside so it keeps the diaphragm from folding in. but yea its getting due to be replaced soon.
@@nickbuchananracing good stuff. And thanks for the reply. 👍🏻
@@glynharper anytime👍
It is not always this easy, if you lost your pressure completely you have little or no fluid in your system, take a manual fluid pump fill it with brakefluid connect it to bleed screw with a hose and open screw, make sure there is no fluid in the reservoir, hold a firm grip on hose on bleed screw and slowly press fluid in to it fills the reservoir, close bleed screw and you should have pressure, then bleed for air as shown in video 😊
Yes thats reverse bleeding and it works, this video is just for the least amount of tools needed. If you struggle to get if flowing with empty lines you could do like you said, or what I usually do is "gravity" bleed them to get things started. Open the bleeder screw all the way and leave the fluid sit for a few minutes and pump the lever repeatedly without closing the screw each pump, usually that will get some flow. Then do like I showed.
Excellent video!
If brake fluid takes in moisture when opened why do they sell so much in the bottle sell it in smaller quantities ps i have purchased a brake fluid tester and i have tested opened bottle a year later and it's been good to go is it hipe to make you buy more answers please
I wish they did sell in smaller bottles. Because cars i guess...
Thanks mate! Very useful.
Good, understandable video, well done !
Lever however is pronounced as 'Leever' nor 'leather'
I cant english sometimes lol. Thanks
solid & detailed video
Very helpful and informative, thank you!!
Hello, what if i have cbs breaking sistem. Is it the procedure the same?
Im pretty darn sure its the same. However with more lines and fluid involved with an abs set up, if you have any trouble getting all the air out, consider using a vacuum bleeder. Not saying u need to but thats what I would do if I had any trouble getting a firm lever.
@@nickbuchananracing ok, thanks 👍