bleeding the brakes

zoo-mon · Apr 30th, 2009, 09:23 PM

I got a vacuum pump. Checked all the fittings, made sure they were all tight. Can't seem to get any success, in bleeding out the lines. I am useing dot 5 fluid. the master cylinder is by legends.

Anyone got any ideas on bleeding the brakes.

glider · Apr 30th, 2009, 09:26 PM

Have you checked out the different tips in the self help forum on this?

Click the blue header when you open a page to go to the post itself.

Brakes, Tires and Wheels - Archive - Harley Davidson Community

zoo-mon · Apr 30th, 2009, 10:43 PM

nothing in the tips section seems to be of any help. i will have to keep trying.

TQuentin1 · Apr 30th, 2009, 11:28 PM

Check this out. This is the way I do the fronts:

Bleeding Brakes - Harley Davidson Community

TQ

NEWHD74FAN · May 1st, 2009, 12:13 AM

I do a combination of TQ's gravity drain out the bleeder screws, but also use vacumn pump from Harbor Freight $19 (all metal hardware similar to MityVac $45 version) to provide suction. Use an old turkey baster to take out almost all the old fluid in master cylinder. Fill with fresh fluid. Fill clear tube with fluid and attach to nipple, other end to vacumn pump, apply modest vacumn and open bleeder valve, watching bubble down hose to vacumn pump.

Check M/Cylinder for fluid visible in window and add as needed. Eventually the old stuff will be fresh purple (if DOT5) my sporty uses. It will be clear gold if fresh, not brown or amber (if DOT4)...don't know (DOT5.1 looks like but it is likely the same as DOT4). I have dual disc brakes, so I do the farthest side from M/C Left 1st, then bleed the right side 2nd. I do the rear last and your good to go for another 2-3 years depending on how much wet or humid weather you go through.

ironmark · May 1st, 2009, 01:26 AM

My bleeder kit has a hose that goes into a plastic bottle & you must have some brake fluid in the bottle to prevent air from going back into the system . Here are some pics of mine ,yours may be different . Also I take the top off of the master cylinder and just draw out the fluid making sure that the master cylinder does not run out of fluid , if you are doing this by yourself you should close the bleeder fitting if you need to stop & add fluid to the master cylinder or if you need to take some fluid out of the plastic bottle by the vacume pump .

zoo-mon · May 1st, 2009, 06:06 AM

Thanks guy's, I think that some fluid in bottle might be it, maybe air got in the line that way.

I'll have to try that and see how that goes. I have seen the shop air vacuum kits. they want big $'s for those. I don't think i will get or need much more vacuum than the pump i have.

fin_676 · May 1st, 2009, 06:16 PM

I find the easiest way to get fluid into the front brake is to reverse bleed by pushing the fluid in the calliper the air goes up the brake pipe and out through the master cylinder
i use a large syringe with some plastic tubing on the end fill the syringe fit the end of the tubing over the bleed nipple open the nipple and push the plunger of the syringe and the fluid goes in and pushes the air up the brake hose and out the top
using this method cover should be loosely fitted to the master cylinder to prevent splash

zoo-mon · May 2nd, 2009, 09:09 AM

Finally I got brakes. Thanks for all your input! I found that the master cylinder from legends foward controlls. Had something going on with the plunger. anyway i got brakes now. I may look into a different master cylinder. It shoud not be as hard as it was to bleed the system.

NEWHD74FAN · May 2nd, 2009, 01:57 PM

Roy, do you have pictures of that master cylinder? Might help other readers to sort theirs if they have a similar situation...

Apr 30th, 2009, 09:23 PM	#1
zoo-mon Warming The Wheels Ride: 2009 Custom Join Date: Apr 12th, 2009 Location: Cincinnati Ohio Posts: 80 My Mood:	bleeding the brakes I got a vacuum pump. Checked all the fittings, made sure they were all tight. Can't seem to get any success, in bleeding out the lines. I am useing dot 5 fluid. the master cylinder is by legends. Anyone got any ideas on bleeding the brakes. Last edited by zoo-mon; Apr 30th, 2009 at 09:32 PM. Reason: question

Apr 30th, 2009, 09:26 PM	#2
glider Community Liaison Ride: 07 Road King Classic Join Date: Jun 21st, 2007 Posts: 20,467 My Mood:	Re: bleeding the brakes Have you checked out the different tips in the self help forum on this? Click the blue header when you open a page to go to the post itself. Brakes, Tires and Wheels - Archive - Harley Davidson Community __________________ Psssst! Please stop by the "self help section" for maintenance tips, diagnostic codes and much more. click me!>>Self Help Information and Tips<< click me!

Apr 30th, 2009, 10:43 PM	#3
zoo-mon Warming The Wheels Ride: 2009 Custom Join Date: Apr 12th, 2009 Location: Cincinnati Ohio Posts: 80 My Mood:	Re: bleeding the brakes nothing in the tips section seems to be of any help. i will have to keep trying.

Apr 30th, 2009, 11:28 PM	#4
TQuentin1 Moderators Ride: '03 FLHTCUI (Ultra Classic) Join Date: Apr 4th, 2008 Location: Sugar Land, TX Posts: 1,936	Re: bleeding the brakes Check this out. This is the way I do the fronts: Bleeding Brakes - Harley Davidson Community TQ __________________ Please stop by the "self help section" for maintenance tips, diagnostic codes and much more. >>Self Help Information and Tips<< click me!

May 1st, 2009, 12:13 AM	#5
NEWHD74FAN Moderators Ride: 2004 Sportster XL1200RS Join Date: Aug 24th, 2008 Location: Camarillo, CA Posts: 3,716 My Mood:	Re: bleeding the brakes I do a combination of TQ's gravity drain out the bleeder screws, but also use vacumn pump from Harbor Freight $19 (all metal hardware similar to MityVac $45 version) to provide suction. Use an old turkey baster to take out almost all the old fluid in master cylinder. Fill with fresh fluid. Fill clear tube with fluid and attach to nipple, other end to vacumn pump, apply modest vacumn and open bleeder valve, watching bubble down hose to vacumn pump. Check M/Cylinder for fluid visible in window and add as needed. Eventually the old stuff will be fresh purple (if DOT5) my sporty uses. It will be clear gold if fresh, not brown or amber (if DOT4)...don't know (DOT5.1 looks like but it is likely the same as DOT4). I have dual disc brakes, so I do the farthest side from M/C Left 1st, then bleed the right side 2nd. I do the rear last and your good to go for another 2-3 years depending on how much wet or humid weather you go through. __________________ Please stop by the "Self Help section" for maintenance tips, diagnostic codes and much more. >>Self Help Information and Tips<< Last edited by NEWHD74FAN; May 1st, 2009 at 02:05 AM. Reason: Spelling errors

May 1st, 2009, 01:26 AM	#6
ironmark Play The Throttle Ride: 2008 Road Glide Join Date: Sep 14th, 2008 Location: Jackson , MI Posts: 319 My Mood:	Re: bleeding the brakes My bleeder kit has a hose that goes into a plastic bottle & you must have some brake fluid in the bottle to prevent air from going back into the system . Here are some pics of mine ,yours may be different . Also I take the top off of the master cylinder and just draw out the fluid making sure that the master cylinder does not run out of fluid , if you are doing this by yourself you should close the bleeder fitting if you need to stop & add fluid to the master cylinder or if you need to take some fluid out of the plastic bottle by the vacume pump . Attached Thumbnails __________________ 08 Candy Red Sunglo RG, painted inner fairing ,103" stage2, V&H true duels, K&N air filter,custom FI mapp, Progressive Suspension Touring Link,12"smoked Windvest , Illumabezel, Heritage style bars,sirius satillite radio, GPS,compensator upgraded

May 1st, 2009, 06:06 AM	#7
zoo-mon Warming The Wheels Ride: 2009 Custom Join Date: Apr 12th, 2009 Location: Cincinnati Ohio Posts: 80 My Mood:	Re: bleeding the brakes Thanks guy's, I think that some fluid in bottle might be it, maybe air got in the line that way. I'll have to try that and see how that goes. I have seen the shop air vacuum kits. they want big $'s for those. I don't think i will get or need much more vacuum than the pump i have.

May 1st, 2009, 06:16 PM	#8
fin_676 Moderators Ride: 1992 Softail Custom Join Date: Dec 21st, 2008 Location: Banffshire,Scotland Posts: 452 My Mood:	Re: bleeding the brakes I find the easiest way to get fluid into the front brake is to reverse bleed by pushing the fluid in the calliper the air goes up the brake pipe and out through the master cylinder i use a large syringe with some plastic tubing on the end fill the syringe fit the end of the tubing over the bleed nipple open the nipple and push the plunger of the syringe and the fluid goes in and pushes the air up the brake hose and out the top using this method cover should be loosely fitted to the master cylinder to prevent splash

May 2nd, 2009, 09:09 AM	#9
zoo-mon Warming The Wheels Ride: 2009 Custom Join Date: Apr 12th, 2009 Location: Cincinnati Ohio Posts: 80 My Mood:	Re: bleeding the brakes Finally I got brakes. Thanks for all your input! I found that the master cylinder from legends foward controlls. Had something going on with the plunger. anyway i got brakes now. I may look into a different master cylinder. It shoud not be as hard as it was to bleed the system. __________________ Build it Ride it Roy"Zoo-mon"Gregory

May 2nd, 2009, 01:57 PM	#10
NEWHD74FAN Moderators Ride: 2004 Sportster XL1200RS Join Date: Aug 24th, 2008 Location: Camarillo, CA Posts: 3,716 My Mood:	Re: bleeding the brakes Roy, do you have pictures of that master cylinder? Might help other readers to sort theirs if they have a similar situation... __________________ Please stop by the "Self Help section" for maintenance tips, diagnostic codes and much more. >>Self Help Information and Tips<<

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bleeding the brakes

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