Recommend me a brake bleeder tool

[willie.macleod]

Sealey must have sold an awful lot of these, I also have one and like it. Gunson eezibleed was fine as well as long as you used the correct pressure and not just hooked it up to any spare wheel lying around!

 

[AVI_8]

Sealey must have sold an awful lot of these, I also have one and like it. Gunson eezibleed was fine as well as long as you used the correct pressure and not just hooked it up to any spare wheel lying around!

Yeh that was my previous, much cheaper, and it worked but with limitations.

 

[Kram]

Ordered this one for £33, to arrive tomorrow. It shows a 43mm brake fluid cap but also comes with a universal type.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B36D5YS4

A quick search shows many people had sealing issues with pressure bleeders. Some have had the fluid reservoir split open or leak from a low fluid sensor, claiming at low 7psi pressures.
Hopefully I wont have those issues!

 

[Hood]

Too late now but I bought one of the cheap Amazon vacuum bleeders for the bike and it was a breeze to use.

 

[Kram]

Too late now but I bought one of the cheap Amazon vacuum bleeders for the bike and it was a breeze to use.

View attachment 483253

I dont trust that as brake nipples seal at the tapered seat, they generally leak quite badly at the threads when the nipples open. For reverse filling you can get around it by using ptfe tape to stop it pee'ing out but its a pain to do each time.

 

[Hood]

I dont trust that as brake nipples seal at the tapered seat, they generally leak quite badly at the threads when the nipples open. For reverse filling you can get around it by using ptfe tape to stop it pee'ing out but its a pain to do each time.

Doesn't matter, you get some tiny bubbles in the tube but that's it. You shouldn't get any fluid coming out the thread as the vacuum is pulling air in rather than letting fluid out. Once you are finished you close the nipple and release the vacuum and no chance of air getting into the system. But everyone to their own.

 

[JOEPRO]

Doesn't matter, you get some tiny bubbles in the tube but that's it. You shouldn't get any fluid coming out the thread as the vacuum is pulling air in rather than letting fluid out. Once you are finished you close the nipple and release the vacuum and no chance of air getting into the system. But everyone to their own.

Vacuum bleeding is very hit and miss.

Mostly miss for me it is not a good method pulling from a bleeder screw. Better to apply pressure from the reservoir or pump the pedal.

 

[Hood]

Vacuum bleeding is very hit and miss.

Mostly miss for me it is not a good method pulling from a bleeder screw. Better to apply pressure from the reservoir or pump the pedal.

Everyone to their own, took me probably 15 mins to totally replace the fluid in my bike, two front callipers and one rear.

 

[JOEPRO]

Everyone to their own, took me probably 15 mins to totally replace the fluid in my bike, two front callipers and one rear.

Yes not doubting it worked on your bike like you said it did and that's good.

I can tell you with 100% certainty it would not successfully bleed one of my cars. Been there done that, none of them like vacuum bleeding hence pressure bleeding is my only viable method.

Also some cars with ABS or other stability systems require special bleeding procedures and almost always using pressure.

 

[Kram]

On a bike I like to fill from callipers, forces the air up the lines and out the top. A couple of lever pulls will get any remaining air out. I previously refitted a dry front brake system, filled and bled in 15 minutes before leaving for work on the cbr600. That was simple, no ABS nonsence to worry about.

That might work on a car but does t seem to be recommended.

 

[Hood]

I have seen people using the syringe method on bikes but you have to be careful to not put too much in or it can overflow the reservoir. I have also seen them use the syringe to pull a vacuum. Normal bleeding is a PITA on the bike as my arms are too short to reach gotta keep the bars straight for the reservoir and reaching the bleed nipple and lever at the same time is not easy, especially on the left side.
Pressure bleeding would require some custom made caps and then you would have the issue of getting the fluid out of the reservoir before unbolting the cap or making sure the tank and fairing were very well covered for the inevitable spillage.
My bike has front and rear ABS and vacuum seems fine with that but other systems may have issues.

 

[Turbo]

I did make my own pressure bleeder years ago but it wasn't easy to use as you had to remove it to refill the reservoir.

 

[Kram]

you have to be careful to not put too much in or it can overflow the reservoir.

On bike brakes the master cyl is never much more than arms length from the calipers, or you have extrmely short arms! One syringe to fill and a second to suck any excess dirty fluid at the same time. While you keep a constant pressure on the syringe theres no need to operate the bleed nipple. 100ml size syringes help, and short length of tubing on each.

Most syringes contain a coating of silicone oil, best to clean them before use as you dont want that in brakes.

 

[prepman]

I used a small rubber pipe fit to the nipple, the other end closed with a screw and then make a slot with razor blade (non-return valve.)
Open up master reservoir, open up new container and invertor it bottle in reservior, just automatically tops in up. Someting to stops it fall over (tape). Rubber into a jar. They commercal sold these in '60, Then pump brake. Did on Kuga few years back.

 

[Turbo]

I used a small rubber pipe fit to the nipple, the other end closed with a screw and then make a slot with razor blade (non-return valve.)
Open up master reservoir, open up new container and invertor it bottle in reservior, just automatically tops in up. Someting to stops it fall over (tape). Rubber into a jar. They commercal sold these in '60, Then pump brake. Did on Kuga few years back.

Silicone tubing is even better for this. That's what I used before getting the pressure bleeder.
Problem is that it can suck air back past the threads on the bleed nipple on the pedal up stroke.
It happened to me and it took ages to work out what was happening. A good slather of copper grease on the threads or ptfe tape stops it happening.

 

[Hood]

On bike brakes the master cyl is never much more than arms length from the calipers, or you have extrmely short arms! ...

On a CBR yes, on a long travel suspension bike with a fairing and wide handle bars like the Africa Twin then not so close
And my short arm comment was with regards normal bleeding where you need to be able to pump the lever at the same time as being able to open/close the bleed nipple.

 

[GRW]

You can buy push/pull syringe kits for bleeding MTB hydraulic brakes. Even with those there are varying techniques/ methods / procedures (& fitting types) to successfully bleed. I think I have 3 different kits (Shimano, SRAM & Magura). Some are a real PITA to bleed even though simple systems.

I could be tempted by one of those Sealey ones though. Bleeding vehicle brakes is one of those jobs can can be a breeze or a very unpleasant, protracted nuisance where you end up clambering up & down on your own filthy gym session.

 

[addjunkie]

Too late now but I bought one of the cheap Amazon vacuum bleeders for the bike and it was a breeze to use.

View attachment 483253

I have a white plastic version of this, far more successful than the trusty old vet syringe.

 

[8ob]

If using a vac bleeder an auto top up bottle is a handy tool, especially if you dont have a mucker to keep an eye on fluid levels.

Bob

 

[Trevorleach]

I use a pressure bleeder, works well so long as you limit pressure to 15psi max.
Also excellent at back bleeding hgv clutches, makes a pita job literally 2 minutes of trigger holding.

Like this one.

Pardon our interruption...