Gimme a Break

[huey]

OK Lads tis is for anyone out there who has ever had a problem bleeding the brakes on their bike. Now you would think with such a short brake line this cant happen. Wrong! . Anyway if you cant get the air out here is the answer. I swear this will work. Take your old shop vac and by any means available jury rig a crevace cleaning tool by inserting the proper size clear hose that matches your bleeder screws. Plug up the rest of the opening with tape or whatever. Fill the master cylinder, connect the hose to the bleeder, crack it open and start pumping. No need to close the bleeder everytime you let up on the pedal or lever cause you will be drawing with the vac and it wont suck air back into the system. This method has saved me arse several times when nothing else ( even a vacuum brake bleeder ) would work.

[duecedog]

Good idea! Might be a bit difficult to clean the shop vac afterwards, but at least the bike would stop.

I just recently put a new front caliper on my bike and was having a helluva time bleeding the line and caliper. Just couldn't get it totally bled. I ended up going to a medical supply store and buying a large syringe (60cc). I filled it with brake fluid and pushed the fluid thru the bleeder, up thru the line, into the master cylinder. Worked like a charm.

Next time I'll try your tip. Thanks

[Blackdog 15]

I went down to Sears and bought a vacuum bleeder, same idea, pump it up to 15 inches of vacuum with the clear hose on down at the caliper, then crack open the caliper and suck the fluid down pushing the air with it,..I captures all the fluid in a bottle, so no mess on your paint..just make sure you keep fluid in the master cylinder reservior...I man operation...close the bleeder when you need to add more fluid...

[MrMarty51]

I like the vacuum cleaner bleeder,It is very original in thought.
I will have to do that one on the next brake rebuild.

[GearheadDrew]

The vaccum idea is basicly the same tool they use in the auto shops to "perform a brake fluid exchange" it pumps new fluid in the resivoir and with shop air sucks out the old fluid at the bleeder. They do make handheld pumps of this nature but I think they may be a bit pricey. The shop vac is quite creative! props!

[Blackdog 15]

shop vac sounds cool but seems like it would suck the fluid aweful fast...and with the size of the resevior ??? My vacuum bleeder cost about $30....I used it the other day on my buddy's Suzuki Velusia to open the vacuum operated fuel valve so that we could drain his tank...as long as we had vacuum to the valve it drained right out...

[Blackdog 15]

and...my concerns on the power of the shop vac ......my vac could suck a golf ball thru a garden hose.........

[huey]

When I told you guys about the vac cleaner bleeder, I was just trying to suggest an alternative when nothing else works. I have a real good store bought bleeder unit but for some reason it would not work. It would most likely work on the front unit because you are lower than the master cylinder whreas the rear is not. If you use this in a pinch just try to regulate the suction on the hose with the way you seal the crevace tool. It really wont suck the fluid that fast and drain your master. This Rube Goldberg setup has saved the day more than once. Remember " A good doctor can cure the sick, but a good mechanic can raise the dead".

[tramus0]

Guys, it sounds like all good ideas. I did use the syringe method to pump fluid back up to the master cylinder.that seamed to work ok. I recently rebuilt the calipers on my 2000 RKC, this time I just let gravity do its job. Just get the correct size clear hose to fit over the bleed screw, crack it open and keep the master cylinder filled with fluid. It's a lot slower but works just as good.

[huey]

Plastic syringe,vac bleeder, hose on the bleeder screw, shop vac whatever works in one situation may not work always so we have a variety of choices. The gravity system works good for front brakes
but not the rear where the caliper is higher than the master. At least it is on my 95 .