Brake Bleeding Without Spillage?

[Castaway]

Has anyone got tips for old-school brake bleeding (speedbleeder, hose, wrench, hand) without spilling fluid when pulling the hoses off of the calipers? I tried crimping the hose but the fluid still poured out.

I think part of my problem today was the way I routed the bleeding hoses. It was in such a way that I couldn't immediately raise the hose end up - I won't do that again.

In any case, if you've got a great technique down for minimal/no spillage, I'd appreciate hearing about it.

Thanks!

[Sport-Touring]

[M.Brane]

 You're always gonna have at least a little spillage. Just keep a bottle of Windex handy to soak the area down so the fluid won't attack the paint or soak into the pads.

[Roaddog]

Brake hoses won't crimp, even the cheesy factory rubber-covered ones. If you take the hoses off the calipers or M/C, you're gonna get some leakage. I usually wrap the fittings in rags to keep from making too big a mess, but the crap still gets on the hands.

[Ack535]

As far as I am concerned, spped bleeders are the only way to go. Well worth the investment!

Pete

[kevin_stevens]

Has anyone got tips for old-school brake bleeding (speedbleeder, hose, wrench, hand) without spilling fluid when pulling the hoses off of the calipers? I tried crimping the hose but the fluid still poured out.

I think part of my problem today was the way I routed the bleeding hoses. It was in such a way that I couldn't immediately raise the hose end up - I won't do that again.

In any case, if you've got a great technique down for minimal/no spillage, I'd appreciate hearing about it.

Thanks!

I guess I don't understand the problem.  Clear tubing on the bleed screw, making a natural slight arch and curving down into the 20oz Diet Coke bottle.  Finish the last bleed stroke, tighten the bleed screw.  All but a few ccs of the fluid in the tube has already passed the arch and drained down into the bottle.  Pinch the tubing immediately above/at the bleed screw, pull it off and  elevate it a couple of inches so that any remaining drops drain into the bottle.  Wipe off any residue on the screw, it shouldn't even be a whole drop.  

If you're done, hold the end  of the hose up and flick it with your finger a couple of times as you pull it out of the bottle, wipe it and stash in in a baggie. Cap the Diet Coke bottle and you're done.

If you're not done, stick the screw end of the tube into the bottle so it doesn't drip, and move on to your next screw.

What am I missing?  

KeS

[photomd]

Mityvac Brake Bleeding Kit. I've had mine since '94, and it works great although I think I only paid $35.

[Metal Cutter]

I guess I don't understand the problem.  Clear tubing on the bleed screw, making a natural slight arch and curving down into the 20oz Diet Coke bottle.  Finish the last bleed stroke, tighten the bleed screw.  All but a few ccs of the fluid in the tube has already passed the arch and drained down into the bottle.  Pinch the tubing immediately above/at the bleed screw, pull it off and  elevate it a couple of inches so that any remaining drops drain into the bottle.  Wipe off any residue on the screw, it shouldn't even be a whole drop.  

If you're done, hold the end  of the hose up and flick it with your finger a couple of times as you pull it out of the bottle, wipe it and stash in in a baggie. Cap the Diet Coke bottle and you're done.

If you're not done, stick the screw end of the tube into the bottle so it doesn't drip, and move on to your next screw.

What am I missing?  

KeS

I do the same except I make a complete loop of clear hose. This method gives the best results IMO.

YMMV

[Bjorn Toulouse]

What am I missing?  

I don't think you're missing anything. Brake/clutch bleeding is a pretty simple process.
However, there are people who should not be messing with things mechanical.


Rex

[Roaddog]

I guess I don't understand the problem.

What am I missing?  

KeS

You're missing the part of the original post that mentions removing the brake hoses from the calipers.

[HipGnosis]

Putting some old nuts. bolts or pennies in the collection bottle will make it less prone to tipping over.
Don't forget to dispose of the old fluid properly. I CLEARLY mark a 1 liter bottle and save it up.

[rgbeard]

Putting some old nuts. bolts or pennies in the collection bottle will make it less prone to tipping over.
Don't forget to dispose of the old fluid properly. I CLEARLY mark a 1 liter bottle "Iced Tea" and save it for my friends.

FTFY

[ajf]

Mityvac Brake Bleeding Kit. I've had mine since '94, and it works great although I think I only paid $35.

I just bought one and tried to use it.  I could use some help!

I applied vacuum, then cracked the bleeder screw.  Immediately the vacuum sucked air past the bleeder screw into the caliper.  The instructions say this doesn't matter, but it seems to me to be creating the exact problem I'm trying to solve.  If I crack the bleeder screw only a tiny fraction of a turn (also as suggested by the instructions), the bubbles stop but the brake fluid comes out so slowly that there can't be much suction applied to the system.  The final suggestion in the instructions is to remove all the bleeder screws and wrap them with teflon tape so you can crack them a bit without leaking air into the caliper.  That's way more work than it's worth, so I went back to the manual method (which has always worked OK for me) and I'm planning to throw out the Mityvac.  Anyone got any suggestions that would make it useful?

Finally, the instructions say nothing about whether the brake should be on or off.  I tried it both ways and saw no difference (since the system wasn't working for me anyways), but surely both ways can't be right.

[kevin_stevens]

I just bought one and tried to use it.  I could use some help!

I applied vacuum, then cracked the bleeder screw.  Immediately the vacuum sucked air past the bleeder screw into the caliper.  The instructions say this doesn't matter, but it seems to me to be creating the exact problem I'm trying to solve.  If I crack the bleeder screw only a tiny fraction of a turn (also as suggested by the instructions), the bubbles stop but the brake fluid comes out so slowly that there can't be much suction applied to the system.  The final suggestion in the instructions is to remove all the bleeder screws and wrap them with teflon tape so you can crack them a bit without leaking air into the caliper.  That's way more work than it's worth, so I went back to the manual method (which has always worked OK for me) and I'm planning to throw out the Mityvac.  Anyone got any suggestions that would make it useful?

Finally, the instructions say nothing about whether the brake should be on or off.  I tried it both ways and saw no difference (since the system wasn't working for me anyways), but surely both ways can't be right.

That's one of the main reasons I don't normally screw around with MityVacs.  As long as the bubbles are sucking past the bleeder screw threads, they actually aren't going *into* the system, so as they say it *shouldn't* be a problem - but how can you tell when you have all the system bubbles out?  I use them on recalcitrant automotive systems, but almost never on a motorcycle.

The brake should be "off", in that mode the connection to the reservoir is open.  When you squeeze the brake lever/pedal, the master cylinder piston blocks that connection off.

KeS

[M.Brane]

 Put a little grease around the bleeder threads to seal 'em up for bleeding.

[photomd]

1. Find the fitting that fits the bleed screw the tightest. I find the ones that fit IN the opening do better than the ones that fit OVER the opening.

2. pull all the old fluid outta the caliper and refill with new

3. put a vacuum on the hose to the bleed screw. I usually pump it to 10-20 psi. It should hold that reading, if not, readjust so it is a tight fit.

4. loosen the bleed screw. I put the wrench on before I connect the hose so I can tighten and loosen with everything connected. I'll crack it open as much as I can: usually about 3/4 of a turn. You'll get airbubbles, but you have to keep a vacuum on it as the air is usually entering from around the threads on the bleed screw. Watch you're level in the master cylinder. Watch the gauge and don't let the vacuum drop near 0.

[ajf]

 Put a little grease around the bleeder threads to seal 'em up for bleeding.

Hey, that just might work!  The instructions also mentioned using grease instead of teflon tape to seal the threads - also too much work - but what I think you're saying is to goop some grease around the screw before bleeding, then clean it off when done.  Damn, I should have thought of this myself!

A Mityvac would solve the OP's problem too.  When done bleeding, close the screw and apply vacuum, then pull off the hose - the vacuum sucks the fluid into the hose with minimal slopping.

[M.Brane]

 Any grease that does get into the threads will also help keep the bleeders from freezing up too.

[Andrew]

Grease o the bleeder screws??

Side note: If petroleum products get in the hydraulic system the rubber seals will expand--you place yourr bets and take your chances  

[M.Brane]

 If your brake calipers are sucking in trace amounts of grease off the bleeder threads you have bigger problems than grease in the fluid.

[Jes_VFR]

Grease o the bleeder screws??

Side note: If petroleum products get in the hydraulic system the rubber seals will expand--you place yourr bets and take your chances  

I usually just use the synthetic hi-temp disk brake grease that you are supposed to use on slider pins and can use on caliper pistons for setting seals.

Never had a problem with it on any car or bike.

[FJRmgm]

Mityvac Brake Bleeding Kit. I've had mine since '94, and it works great although I think I only paid $35.

+1 - a very handy little gadget that makes brake bleeding an easy job.

[rgbeard]

Damn you guys are all more sophisticated than I.  

I use a piece of clear hose and an empty water bottle.

Y'all are using NASA grease-n-shit.   damn.    

[Roaddog]

Has anyone got tips for old-school brake bleeding (speedbleeder, hose, wrench, hand) without spilling fluid when pulling the hoses off of the calipers? I tried crimping the hose but the fluid still poured out.

Thanks!

Does anybody read anything anymore?

[kevin_stevens]

Damn you guys are all more sophisticated than I.  

I use a piece of clear hose and an empty water bottle.

Y'all are using NASA grease-n-shit.   damn.    

True, Diet Coke *is* more sophisticated than bottled water.  The... bouquet is exquisite.

KeS

[Bjorn Toulouse]

Does anybody read anything anymore?

Maybe you're reading something that the rest of us are missing.
Care to elaborate?


Rex

[tigertom1965]

I have one of those Mityvac things and hated it. I kept gettin the bubbles through the bleeder and couldn't ever get the brake lever feel to firm up. I also found out the hard way if you crack the bleeder to much the fluid immediately evacuates your brake line (One front line for me) and then it is almost impossible to bleed it using the Mityvac. I could never get the air out of the line.

So I bled everything the old fashioned way. Pumped lever, held lever to grip, cracked bleeder, closed bleeder, pumped lever, etc.... and that worked fine. Make sure you keep the reservoir full and the cap on. Just had to wire tie the lever to the grip over night and all was well the next day.

I also accidently pulled the clutch lever when the reservoir cap was off and somehow got air in the clutch line. What a pain that was. Just wanted to replace the fluid in the reservoir for the clutch and pulled the lever thinking it would help bring up the gunk from the clutch. Well it did all right, almost all over the gas tank and fairing.

Those reverse bleeders that hook up to the reservoir look interesting. They are not vacumn operated but pressure operated. Just don't know enough about them. They are also almost the same price as the Mityvac I think.

[Roaddog]

The O.P. talks about pulling the hoses off the calipers. Perhaps he meant pulling the hoses off the bleeders as opposed to pulling the lines off the calipers. He said the fluid just kept running out. If you had a bleeder hose run into a bottle of fluid (normal procedure) how would it keep running all over and make a mess? If you loosen the lines at the calipers, all the fluid in the lines will run out. Maybe I'm just confused.

[Roaddog]

Maybe you're reading something that the rest of us are missing.
Care to elaborate?


Rex

Sry, forgot to quote.

[Castaway]

Okay, the OP is finally chiming in. Actually, I attempted to add a post early on but it apparently didn't make it.

Yes, by pulling the hoses, I meant the bleeder hoses, not the brake lines. I unfortunately bought some clear plastic hose that was too large to fit snugly onto the speed bleeders. If I had bought the correct size I could have simply let the hoses hang down from the bleeders, but since the fit wasn't snug enough I routed 'em up over the brake lines, making for complicated removal - I didn't think of that at the time.

None of these questions would have come up if I had the hoses that I've used over time, but those got thrown out in a recent move.

BTW, this was the first time that I bled the fluid up at the MC by simply loosening the bold a touch while squeezing the lever. My brakes have been a bit spongy and I think it helped, though I still would like less 'slack' at the lever.

[RodRides]

Use a hose on the bleeder valve.  Here is a how to.

https://youtu.be/m2Gu0ExObrw