I am putting bars on my 06 street glide and am having some problems getting the brakes to bleed. I have read almost all of the threads here on bleeding brakes. I am using Russell Speed Bleeders. I have used speed bleeders before on my 98 fatboy and they worked great. But not having much luck on my 06. Questions do I need the cover on the reservior for this to work? Also can I bleed both (duel front brakes) at the same time or must I do one at a time. I know these are simple questions but I gotta start somewhere. Really want to button the job up and ride!!! By the way, all new cables and lines (Barnett). Checked all the fittings and they are tight. Thanks for the help
OR.... Just install the factory bleeders and fill master, open up both bleeders and let gravity bleed for a while and see what happens..
I installed Russell speed bleeders on the two front breaks and the rear and didn't have any problems bleeding them to replace the fluid. The master covers were off. I let it sit overnight too to get any remaining bubbles to rise to the top. Good luck with it - Bob
Check out this link. Sorry I didn't have it handy the first time - Bob Brake Bleeding Tips - Harley Davidson Community
Thanks all, I have the top off at home and the lever tied off with a roll of electrical tape I will tap when I get home and pump and hopefull this will take care of it. I will let everyone know how it comes out. Isn't doing it yourself fun
I feel you pain. Its an investment though. The more you push yourself to attempt new repairs the better you will get. The price is right and nobody is more interested than you in getting it right. Then there are those unintended repairs you do while you are at it. Now I just need to print out what I just said and paste it on the refrigerator to remind myself the next time a repair isn't going the way I thought it would. Hang in there - Bob
Just did this very thing 2 days ago after installing diamond back lines on the wife 09 FXDL (so system was competely empty). Here is what worked for me. Using a 60ml syringe ( available at the local farm supply) and about 2 feet of 3/16 plastic tubing. Insert the tubing, attached to syringe, into bottle of fresh brake fliud and fill. Hold tube end up to allow air in syringe to rise then apply slight pressure to plunger just enough to fill tube with fliud. Attach tube over nipple and open bleeder valve. Slowly push fliud into brake system. Keep an eye on resevoir level so as not to overflow. When resevior is full close bleeder valve leaving tubing attached. Tap on caliper and lines working your way up to resevior. Allow to sit for 5 or 10 min then just "tickle the brake lever and see if you get any bubbles. when the bubbles stop squeeze lever fully 6 or 7 times. make sure resevior is full and go back to wheel. Pull slightly on the plunger so as to create a vaccuum and open bleeder valve. pull plunger to suck fluid back through system (this should get that peskey bubble that likes to hide in the top of the caliper). Be sure the resevior doesn't go dry or you get to start all over again. close bleeder valve, remove tube, top off resevior and you're done. It actually takes longer to explain it than it does to do it (with the exception of the little beer break). I also tied the brake lever back and left overnight, one to see if the pressure would bleed off and two to see if I could get any more air out. Couple of taps around the resevior relaese lever and the brakes are better than they have ever been. Hope this helps
Well went looking for some thread sealant last night and couldn't find any. Found some tape and used. I got the brakes to bleed most of the air out but still a little soft. I am going to find some sealant today and redo. I believe that is the solution. thanks all for the help.
Yep, a little thread sealant and that did the trick, thanks all for the help. By the way the speed bleeders are really pretty slick.
