changing the brake fluid

[Guest whitegloss]

How easy is this job to do. Theres nowt wrong with them but the fluid has possibly not changed since new. I havent got a bleeder, do i really need one. Ive bled brakes before and I have the manual, but it seems a bit complicated with the brakes being linked

[fast_eddy 712]

Just use a bit of tube and a glass jar... two bits of tube and you can do both nipples at once! (Ooerr missus).

Just don't let those reservoirs run dry!

[Guest standish honda]

If you have done the job previously you are versed in the general requirements, not letting the fluid resevoir run dry is the biggy, if poss i always try to rope AN Other in to keep an eye on fluids (someone to blame). Bleeding seems to be one of those jobs that you can spend a fortune on kit or 50p and still get the same result. As Eddy said iam a firm believer in the Jam jar, danger with some of those vacum things is that the collector is too big and before you know it you have a dry resevoir causing a big headache. Oh and a cable tie of length of wire to hold the brake lever back to the handlebar overnight, brick and wire usually does the back pedal.

[Guest raeman]

Never changed mine on the x as it's still clean. Last time i did that job was when i fitted braided lines to my cbr1000. I bought one of those motrax "Mini Bleeders" and it was ok. Still used the jam jar method with it though.

Just be patient and don't rush it and it should be straightforward.

[Guest whitegloss]

do you guys open the bleed screw and then squeeze the lever-then hold the lever in and tighten the bleed screw-then release the lever and repeat this a dozen or so times?:confused:

[Guest fe5ta]

Yes thats how I do it even though i have a non return valve type bleeder, its only used just incase and because my mrs got it for me... she`s usually the one pulling the lever and topping up the fluid. dont fortget to pump on the brake plunger thats attached to your fork leg too.

[Guest sevenfifty]

Hi guys,

Last month i changed all of my break pads on both wheels whit new Armstrong pads, because the old one were comletely worn out.But recently I find my break lever a bit soft and not enought stopping power at all and finally this week i decided to change my brake fluid.

I`ve got 500ml Motul DOT4 break fluid from our local shop- cost me about 6GBP .Friend of mine have one of those vacuum pumps so we started the procedure like it`s describe in the manual.Let me to show you what we have found in the bottom when we remove the break reservoir cap

The reservoir was full of muddy fluid,but in the bottom It was full of s#$t !!! :eek:

Probably noone changed the fluid before me on this bike, so I`m pretty sure this is the original fluid - about 9 years old maybe...:confused:

After we cleaned it well we suck out all of the old break fluid and after that replaced it whit the new one.

In conclusion the change of the fluid had i great impact of the stopping power .The break lever and pedal are quite hard, so now i have the feel of hard stopping and i`m much confident in the breaks

Cheers,

Svillen

[Mick 162]

Wow! that's scary, just nipping out to check mine. Think you should check the oil too, bikes obviously been neglected.

Regards,

Mick.

[Guest raeman]

Blimey Svillen, no wonder your brakes felt soggy!:o

Bet you feel more confident on her now eh?

[Guest JamesCates]

Makes me want to NOT look at mine in case they're the same. Have a major work-on-it-tune-it-up weekend coming soon, so will do it then. YIKES!

[Guest standish honda]

That sludge in Svillans brake resevoir looks like the result of mixing DOT 4 and 5 fluids, even in small amounts they will 'gel' because 4 is glycol based and 5 is silicone based. question is do you need DOT 5? in most cases no you don't, if you do trackdays it is beneficial but it has to be changed more frequently, and doesnt give a colour throw as it absorbs moisture and starts to deteriorate like 4 does. Another disadvantage to using 5 is it doesnt lubricate as well as 4 so it is not beneficial to use it in ABS systems.