Finally Bled My Brakes

[Herb]

I finally got around to bleeding my brakes(close to 17,000 mi). It's really nice to look at the level gage and see clear fluid rather than piss yellow.

I used an inexpensive Mityvac MV8020 which worked well. It was weird but interesting bleeding two valves on the front left caliper- one for the front lever system and one for the rear linked reservoir system. I just followed the manual order. It was a bit tricky getting to the rear valve with the muffler in the way but everything went very smoothly.

 

[Bear]

Herb,
Your Shop Manual just paid for itself again---seems to--every time you do your own maintenance

 

[karl]

Ah, you flushed the brake fluid. Did you know that most of the "dark" is little bits of seal from the system... some things I wish I didn't know...

 

[Herb]

Ah, you flushed the brake fluid. Did you know that most of the "dark" is little bits of seal from the system... some things I wish I didn't know...

No didn't know that....thanks

 

[Ed in Miami]

Don't you need to change the brake fluid at least every two years regardless of mileage?

 

[karl]

It is the law in Germany, Good sense elsewhere. Most of it is hygroscopic (attracts water) water's oxygen oxidizes the system yada yada yada. The real culprit is the lowered boiling point of the fluid. when it boils it creates a compressible gas that makes your brakes not work... not good. Who said oil was boring.

 

[Herb]

Don't you need to change the brake fluid at least every two years regardless of mileage?

Yeah, mine was over the 12,000 mi rec but inside the 2 year recommendation. Glad I got that one done after reading Karl's last post!

 

[Hopalong Honda]

Herb,

I want to do my brake bleeding, also. Just wondering what type of wrench you used to open the rear bleeder valve. As you stated, not much wiggle room back there for any movement of a wrench. I also have the miteyvac, and am glad to hear that you did not have to remove the rear wheel, or the caliper itself. Would love to hear your manual oder that you followed. Don't have a manual. Thanks.

James

 

[Herb]

Hi James,

Well, that was three months ago. At my age.... Just used the wrench that fit. Think it might have been a 10 or 8 mm, but not sure. The front bleeds are very easy access to the valve. The rear is much harder to wrench and get the mitivac p
Lactic hose attched but not impossible.

Order? I did right front first, left front(from the front reservoir) second. Then I did the left front front the rear resevoir next and then the rear last. The key of course is to make sure you keep the reservoirs filled when bleeding. Very simple but a bit scary cuz it's the brakes! Enjoy.

 

[DirtFlier]

For all these years, I've used the old fashioned method of brake bleeding although I do own a Mity-Vac. The rear brake caliper on the Deauville appeared to pose a real problem so I bought a Motion Pro Brake Bleeder, p/n 08-0143. This simple tool is essentially a one-way valve and you can buy them for less than $20 from many internet sites.

On the front calipers it was OK but on the rear caliper I found it INVALUABLE. Those of you who've done this know that there is precious little room to swing a wrench in that space plus the bleeder valve can't be easily seen from the outside.

 

[Rmcapozzi]

8mm wrench fits the bleed valve nut. For the rear caliper valve, I found attaching the hose worked best by coming from the left side of the bike, through the rim (above the hub) and onto the bleed valve. You can also access the valve from that position also.

When bleeding the front left valve for the rear pedal circuit, the manual tells you to pump the pedal 5 so time very quickly and firmly and then hold the pedal down and then open the valve. This is due to the delay valve (I think it is the delay valve) on the linked circuit for the front left caliper piston.

Just as an FYI, the bleeder valves are 8x1.25 pitch. Should anyone want to use Speedbleeders the correct bleed valve is the SB8125L. I have a mityvac but find the speedbleedders significantly simplify the process. I just recently completely purged and refilled the brake lines on my wife's 2010 NT700V (ABS). The stainless steal SB worked very well. Having an assistant still makes the process 100% easier (and cleaner).

Good luck!

Herb,

I want to do my brake bleeding, also. Just wondering what type of wrench you used to open the rear bleeder valve. As you stated, not much wiggle room back there for any movement of a wrench. I also have the miteyvac, and am glad to hear that you did not have to remove the rear wheel, or the caliper itself. Would love to hear your manual oder that you followed. Don't have a manual. Thanks.

James

 

[bicyclist]

Just as an FYI, the bleeder valves are 8x1.25 pitch. Should anyone want to use Speedbleeders the correct bleed valve is the SB8125L.

Excellent! Thanks for posting that, it saves me from having to dig up the info. I use speedbleeders on the car and want a set for the bike because the bleeding procedure is more complicated than for my other bikes.

 

[Hopalong Honda]

Herb, Dirt Flier, & Rob....

Thanks so much for responding to my reply. I went out yesterday and was able to get the plastic hose (miteyvac) to fit on the rear nipple. There really isn't much room to move a wrench around, but as you said, it does seem dooable. By doing it in the order that you described, Herb, it does seem that all lines, front to back, would get purged, and have fresh fluid throughout. I wasn't sure about leaving both master cylinders open at the same time. I thought maybe that way, any line that was taking the braking format could take from whichever reservoir it deemed necessary, if that makes any sense? As you said, just keep the air out of the system, and it should be OK. Thanks again, everyone....

James

 

[Rmcapozzi]

So glad you got it done. Just for future information. The front and rear circuits are completely independent from each other. The fluids from each system never mix. The center piston in the front left caliper (fed by the rear brake circuit) is sealed and independent from the two outside pistons (fed by the front brake circuit). Leaving the caps off the reservoirs is standard procedure when bleeding the system. You just need to be careful not to move the handlebars with the front cap off as that could cause the fluid to leak from the reservoirs. And brake fluid is VERY bad for paint.

Herb, Dirt Flier, & Rob....

Thanks so much for responding to my reply. I went out yesterday and was able to get the plastic hose (miteyvac) to fit on the rear nipple. There really isn't much room to move a wrench around, but as you said, it does seem dooable. By doing it in the order that you described, Herb, it does seem that all lines, front to back, would get purged, and have fresh fluid throughout. I wasn't sure about leaving both master cylinders open at the same time. I thought maybe that way, any line that was taking the braking format could take from whichever reservoir it deemed necessary, if that makes any sense? As you said, just keep the air out of the system, and it should be OK. Thanks again, everyone....

James

 

[Rmcapozzi]

You bet! They worked just fine on the NT when I installed them a few weeks back.

I started using them initially on the Wing. With 7 bleed ports for the brakes, the speedbleeders make the process MUCH easier.

Excellent! Thanks for posting that, it saves me from having to dig up the info. I use speedbleeders on the car and want a set for the bike because the bleeding procedure is more complicated than for my other bikes.

 

[Phil Tarman]

Several years ago, on the COG List, there was talk of the Speedbleeders leaking air back into the system. Sounds like that's no longer a problem.

 

[Rmcapozzi]

The valves can fail I suppose. I haven't had any issues myself but that isn't to say they wont fail. Some folks may open the valves to far also. They only need to just be cracked open. And should the sealant on the threads become worn/damaged, they could allow air through that way. An easy fix with a bit of grease. The failure would only be an issue when you open them up and not when tightened down.

Several years ago, on the COG List, there was talk of the Speedbleeders leaking air back into the system. Sounds like that's no longer a problem.

 

[dnktng]

so I bought a Motion Pro Brake Bleeder, p/n 08-0143.

Me too, thanks for the tip. That should brake bleeding an easy, and possibly enjoyable, one man job. No more "ok, pump......stop.....pump.....what are you doing now?.....stop......pump......no, the other lever...." And I can always use it on future motorcycles.

 

[dnktng]

Bleeding the brakes wasn't as enjoyable as first thought. All four bleed valves leaked no matter how slightly they were cracked off their seat. I ended up removing each bleed valve & putting 1 wrap of teflon tape on the threads to stop the leaks. The shop manual hints that the bleed valves may leak,,,True. The bleed valves won't leak the next time I bleed them.

Other than the leaking bleed valves everything went normally. The Motion Pro Brake Bleeder does help if working alone.

Knowing what I know now, if I was to perform the first brake bleed on another NT and be working alone, I would buy an extra bleed valve ($4 at Honda) and have it wrapped in teflon tape, ready to install if any bleed valve leaked and needed to be removed. Just swap out the bleed valves as you go from one bleed valve to the next. This would help keep the mess smaller.

On a happier note, the Kawasaki W650 bleed valves did not leak, and only one paper towel was needed to clean up that job.

 

[Turbo DV8]

If it is suggested to access the rear bleed valve from the left, through the wheel, but the brake pedal must be depressed, how does one person do this? Crack the valve from the left, and press the right pedal simultaneously?