Bleeding Brakes
Posted: 11:34 am Jul 01 2005
Has anybody used a speed bleeder or mighty vac on their brakes to bleed/change the fluid?
-Maurice
-Maurice
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Posted: 12:46 pm Jul 01 2005
Vince or Jerry have a pic of a thingy-ma-jig in there gallery.
Posted: 01:51 pm Jul 01 2005
I've got the mighty vac type
I bought it a Schucks, works amazing but you need to wrap the threads on your bleeders with teflon type or it will never stop sucking air bubbles
I think I did a thread on it once at the stinky site
I bought it a Schucks, works amazing but you need to wrap the threads on your bleeders with teflon type or it will never stop sucking air bubbles
I think I did a thread on it once at the stinky site
Posted: 01:54 pm Jul 01 2005
Mighty-Vac!
Yep... your right Wibbens!
Yep... your right Wibbens!
Posted: 11:08 pm Jul 01 2005
Here's my version:
Attach a long piece of clear aquarium tube to your bleeder. Crack open the bleeder. Remove the top to the master cylinder. Add fluid. Suck on the end of the aquarium tube and keep adding fluid. It should be bubble free within 5 feet of tube. You can see the bubbles in the clear tube. Pinch the aquarium tube shut, close the bleeder valve and put the cap back on the master cylinder. I can bleed my brakes in about 10 minutes or less this way, and the aquarium tube only costs a couple bucks at Wal-Mart.
Attach a long piece of clear aquarium tube to your bleeder. Crack open the bleeder. Remove the top to the master cylinder. Add fluid. Suck on the end of the aquarium tube and keep adding fluid. It should be bubble free within 5 feet of tube. You can see the bubbles in the clear tube. Pinch the aquarium tube shut, close the bleeder valve and put the cap back on the master cylinder. I can bleed my brakes in about 10 minutes or less this way, and the aquarium tube only costs a couple bucks at Wal-Mart.
Posted: 10:12 am Jul 05 2005
re: Has anybody....
Yup. I do.
As you say, it's not only a good bleeding tool but works well for a fluid exchange (which should be done on a regular basis).
BTW...if you ever have a problem getting a clear system with the vacuum method, try pressure. I've found that to be true more'n once...i.e. pushing fluid up through the master cylinder as opposed to sucking it out of the slave.
Not only is the teflon tape idea usually required, but I found that none of the tubing included with my pressure bleed setup fit the KDX (metric sized?) fittings. Sucked air there, too.
Yup. I do.
As you say, it's not only a good bleeding tool but works well for a fluid exchange (which should be done on a regular basis).
BTW...if you ever have a problem getting a clear system with the vacuum method, try pressure. I've found that to be true more'n once...i.e. pushing fluid up through the master cylinder as opposed to sucking it out of the slave.
Not only is the teflon tape idea usually required, but I found that none of the tubing included with my pressure bleed setup fit the KDX (metric sized?) fittings. Sucked air there, too.
Posted: 02:28 pm Jul 05 2005
I also use a Mityvac to bleed the brakes and I use it to set the fork oil level.
Posted: 07:38 pm Jul 05 2005
I use this method. 1 Giant syringe from a Feed and Tack store + a smaller syringe + some small tubing.canyncarvr wrote: BTW...if you ever have a problem getting a clear system with the vacuum method, try pressure. I've found that to be true more'n once...i.e. pushing fluid up through the master cylinder as opposed to sucking it out of the slave.
Small syringe to suck the dirty fluid out of the resevoir. Small hose one end hooked to the bleader, other end hooked to Large syringe filled with fluid. Suck fluid out of resevoir....open bleeder and force fluid through with big syringe. Continue until clear and bubble free.
Works like a charm.
Teflon is a great idea BTW.
Later
Robb
Posted: 07:51 pm Jul 05 2005
Yeah...but that method doesn't have a pressure guage involved, no pump...AND it don't cost NEAR as much!!!!
..pretty much blows that idea out of the water...
Just kidding, of course.
I have one'a those horse-sized syringes..use it for a variety of stuff, like changing fluid in my steering damper fer instance and setting fork oil levels.
But...I've had a fit or two keeping the tubing to STAY on the syringe..there isn't much of a nipple for such a purpose. I've used a glue gun lately to hold it on, but that's less than semi-permanent.
What do you use/ how do you affix the tubing to the syringe tip?
Another BTW...the plunger tip is almost ALways stuck in the syringe. I've greased it, oiled it, siliconed it...the thing still ends up needing to be pried out'a the tube. The plunger shaft quite easily pulls out of the tip.
What'r your 'fixes' for that?
..pretty much blows that idea out of the water...
Just kidding, of course.
I have one'a those horse-sized syringes..use it for a variety of stuff, like changing fluid in my steering damper fer instance and setting fork oil levels.
But...I've had a fit or two keeping the tubing to STAY on the syringe..there isn't much of a nipple for such a purpose. I've used a glue gun lately to hold it on, but that's less than semi-permanent.
What do you use/ how do you affix the tubing to the syringe tip?
Another BTW...the plunger tip is almost ALways stuck in the syringe. I've greased it, oiled it, siliconed it...the thing still ends up needing to be pried out'a the tube. The plunger shaft quite easily pulls out of the tip.
What'r your 'fixes' for that?
Posted: 08:26 pm Jul 05 2005
Yea, I'm cheap. It's been said that I'm easy too....but we won't get into that. 
I haven't had either one of the above mentioned problems. The syringe I have has about a 2" tip and the plunger has never separated itself from the shaft. The tubing I have came from an automotive bench bleeding kit I got about 10 years ago. No idea why they put 2' of tubing in the kit, but I'm glad they did. Anyway, this stuff fits the bleader great (no teflon necessary) and the syringe.
I guess the only solution I can offer is for you to break down and spend the $5 and get a new syringe. Sorry, I couldn't be more helpful on this one. 
It's been said that I'm easy too....but we won't get into that. I haven't had either one of the above mentioned problems. The syringe I have has about a 2" tip and the plunger has never separated itself from the shaft. The tubing I have came from an automotive bench bleeding kit I got about 10 years ago. No idea why they put 2' of tubing in the kit, but I'm glad they did. Anyway, this stuff fits the bleader great (no teflon necessary) and the syringe.
I guess the only solution I can offer is for you to break down and spend the $5 and get a new syringe.
Sorry, I couldn't be more helpful on this one. Posted: 10:19 am Jul 08 2005
I cannot justify spending $5 for a syringe!!!....'cuz then how do I justify spending 10X that on my mitey-vac?
It's basically a problem of spending more to get less.
Such a quandry!
I may be looking at the wrong syringes (syringi?). The ones I have used in the past are for hypodermic use. To get natty about it, a syringe isn't necesarily (although probably is) a hypodermic syringe.
I'll look closer on my next trip to the large animal boutique/shoppe in town.
It's basically a problem of spending more to get less.
Such a quandry!
I may be looking at the wrong syringes (syringi?). The ones I have used in the past are for hypodermic use. To get natty about it, a syringe isn't necesarily (although probably is) a hypodermic syringe.
I'll look closer on my next trip to the large animal boutique/shoppe in town.