Question about speed bleeders

[Fazer]

Getting ready to replace the hydraulic fluid in brakes and clutch and have been reading lots of posts on how this is done.  Mine is a 98 w/ 20,000 miles, and I have no idea when, if ever, the fluids have been changed--and it looks a little brown thru the site glass. 

These speed bleeders seem like a good idea, but how are they installed without introducing air into the lines?  Can the old fitting just be removed and as long as the levers or brake pedal is not engaged, they do not suck air?  Maybe?

My procedure will be:

• Level the reservoir
  Protect the paint with a drop cloth
  Remove cover
  Suck out most of the fluid
  Pour in fresh DOT 4 fluid
  Open speed bleeder
  Pump lever as fluid level decreases
  Add more fluid, repeat until clear coming out at bleeder

I am expecting this will work for brakes and clutch the same.  Anyone see something I missed?

Greg

[WintrSol]

Be prepared to scrub out the bottom of the reservoirs, if the fluid has been in there a long time. I usually add a bit of fresh fluid, and use what used to be called an 'acid brush', one of those cheap ones made with a rolled metal handle.

Yes, removing the existing bleeders and replacing them will let fluid out at the caliper; how much will depend on how quick you are, but you will have some air in the lines. Personally, I don't use the speed bleeders; I just don't like them, and on a motorcycle, the lever and calipers are close enough I can manage both ends at the same time. But, if you do install them, I recommend wrapping the threads with yellow Teflon thread sealing tape; it will help keep fluid and air from leaking past the threads.

[MarkT]

Looks good to me.  Not experienced on the speed bleeders however.  I use the pneumatic bleeder from HF.  If you want an easier method. 

http://www.harborfreight.com/brake-fluid-bleeder-92924.html

[..]

Be prepared to scrub out the bottom of the reservoirs, if the fluid has been in there a long time. I usually add a bit of fresh fluid, and use what used to be called an 'acid brush', one of those cheap ones made with a rolled metal handle.

Yes, removing the existing bleeders and replacing them will let fluid out at the caliper; how much will depend on how quick you are, but you will have some air in the lines. Personally, I don't use the speed bleeders; I just don't like them, and on a motorcycle, the lever and calipers are close enough I can manage both ends at the same time. But, if you do install them, I recommend wrapping the threads with yellow Teflon thread sealing tape; it will help keep fluid and air from leaking past the threads.

DO NOT add sealing tape. They come with a sealant already applied to the thread.

DO have some water close by to flush any drips, drops of brake fluid.

DO mop out the bottom of each reservoir with a cloth if you find brown goo. Don't try to force it thru the system with fresh fluid.

DON'T over tighten the speed bleeder.

[..]

One more thing.

DO install the speed bleeders before doing the maintenance. Isn't that what they are for? 

Some fluid will come out but just wash it away with water.

Have fun installing the clutch speed bleeder. My big paw couldn't get into the space where it's located and manipulate a wrench as well. I needed a 21 year old Thai girl with small hands to help.

[..]

Another one more thing.

DO note the placement of the little metal plate over the hole the fluid disappears down. Maybe take a photo so if it gets dislodged you can put it back correctly.

[..]

DO pull the levers slowly so that the fluid doesn't spout up like a whale blow hole.

Same applies to brake pedal.

I used a small container with brake fluid in to access the rear brake reservoir.

[hubcapsc]

I've only used the old fashioned two-person way and speed bleeders.

I like speed bleeders. Air will get in, and a small mess will come out,
when you put the speed bleeders in, but you're fixing to bleed the brakes 
don't worry about it.

Simply replacing possibly 18 year old fluid on a bike with unknown
maintenance history can't hurt, but you never know what kind of stuff
might be growing inside your calipers/lines that might not bleed out.
This is what we found inside my buddy Henry's 97 a few years ago,
he had similar milage to you:



I replaced the fluid and pads on my 97 when I got it with 24k on it back
in 2007. I just mashed the grungy pistons back into the calipers and
called it good. I missed my first Britman's Memorial Day Ride that year,
a few days before my rear brakes started hanging.

It is relatively easy to remove the calipers, change the seals, clean it
all up like new and start fresh.



Getting fluid to start going in a completely dry system after a refurb
is not as easy as cycling fresh fluid into a system that already has
fluid in it. If you used one of those pneumatic bleeders like MarkT
uses, that would work. As a speed bleeder user, I use a OEM
bleeder with a short hose connected to a syringe when my
system is all-the-way-dry, and suck some fluid into the system from
the m/c reservoir and then put back the speed bleeder and go
like normal.

-Mike

[WintrSol]

DO NOT add sealing tape. They come with a sealant already applied to the thread.

I guess that shows how long it's been since my experience with them; they didn't come with sealant when I tried them.

[wiggydotcom]

As others have mentioned, you don't want to get brake fluid on your paint. I found what works VERY well to protect your paint is to get a couple 30 gallon heavy duty garbage bags(if you have a larger 39gal size all the better) and then use scissors or a knife and cut the bag open along the two side seams. Then the bag provides a large area of plastic that can be draped over the tank, engine, crash bars, etc. I usually use electrical tape to secure the bags to the bike.

Rinse, Lather, repeat using as many bags as necessary placed on any area under the master brake and clutch cylinders that might be inline with any possible spill or drippage.
When done, just remove the bags and toss in the garbage.

[Fazer]

As others have mentioned, you don't want to get brake fluid on your paint. I found what works VERY well to protect your paint is to get a couple 30 gallon heavy duty garbage bags(if you have a larger 39gal size all the better) and then use scissors or a knife and cut the bag open along the two side seams. Then the bag provides a large area of plastic that can be draped over the tank, engine, crash bars, etc. I usually use electrical tape to secure the bags to the bike.

Rinse, Lather, repeat using as many bags as necessary placed on any area under the master brake and clutch cylinders that might be inline with any possible spill or drippage.
When done, just remove the bags and toss in the garbage.

Good advise Wiggy, thnx.

Just order a couple of the speed bleeders and plan to make a tool that I saw another VRCC member posted about in one of the many threads I reviewed.  He grinds the pointy end of the speeder flat and drills an in-line hole, careful not to get into the ball/spring assembly of the bleeder.  He then inserts that end into a short length of tubing that he attaches to the stock bleeder, making it a speed bleeder.  A longer piece of tubing leads to a reservoir.  This way the tool, using a single speed bleeder, can be used to bleed any brake on any vehicle, without actually installing speeders and disrupting what is a good seal to begin with.  He secures the tubing to both sides of the bleeder with small zip ties.  Makes sense to me. 

We expect warmer weather by the 19th here in the Cincinnati area and that's when I hope to do this.  Will post photos for anyone interested.

[fantsybikr]

I tried to add the speed bleeders to my valk, now I may have been doing something wrong, but I couldn't get the clutch to bleed out properly and scared the crap out of myself I wasn't going to get back in use..   ( I did try to do this the day before we were leaving for Inzane Lacrosse)..I put the original back in and with the help of an old goldwing rider got my clutch back to working and put the speed bleeders in a drawer.

[h13man]

I use gravity/lever pumping method while keeping the reservoir topped off at all times, quick release/close bleeds under pressure until firm again. I also use a clear plastic tubing on the end of the bleeder to monitor the fluid clarity, air bubbles, and also makes a good drain to the waste container. Never had problems with this method but a bike system is alot smaller than a 4 wheeled vehicle thus I use a pump for that application.