The easiest way to bleed the front brakes is to remove the master cylinder and lever from the front bars, open the bleeder screw, hole the master cylinder up to where the lever is pointed to the ceiling and gravity bleed the system. There is a pocket within the master cylinder which will trap an air bubble, you can pump the handle all you want and never get anywhere. It took me only 5 minutes to bleed my brakes.

 

I think I spent $3.50 on my bleeder.

1 - Jello shooter at MB bike week 2008 $3.00
2' rubber hose - $.50 at local auto parts dealer.

 

Longhair...you are a genius. I spent several hours including two runs to the parts house to get my brakes bled yesterday. I searched the forum and found this thread. Saw your post and immediately went to wallys for a syringe and hose. Brakes were bled in 5 minutes.

 

Glad my slightly alcoholic tendencies were of service to you That syringe was compliments of MB Bike Week 2008..before they went and got all crazy on us.

 

I do mine the reverse method and it takes me about 1/2 hour thats because I don't rush it

 

Roofer...dare I ask what the 'reverse' method is? I can't help but think that involves giving oral pleasures to the bleeding nipple.

Step 1: Place mouth firmly on nipple.
Step 2: Loosen nipple
Step 3: Blow.

 

When my husband did his bars we had the worst time bleeding the brakes. We tried the regular way, the syringe, a speed bleeder....worked on it for 2 days with no luck. The tech at the dealership told us to wrap a little plumbers tape around the valve. That did the trick and we were done in 10 minutes. Good luck!

 

Heather...if you were next to me wearing what you are in your sig...I'd have a pretty hard time concentrating on anything mechanical.

 

I tried to bleed the front by hand, but had no luck getting it done. I ended up having to use a Mityvac hand pump. My buddy has one, but they can be bought for about $50. Worked like a champ!




Mike

 

There is a thread on here discribing how to do it, basicly you just make a I.V. bottle out of a soda bottle and hang it up high and connect the hose to the nipple then loosen the nipple and then take the cover off the resevior and let gravity bleed them it works great