ABS vs non-ABS front master cylinder

r550s · Post by **r550s** » Mon Aug 13, 2012 9:49 pm

A much more knowledgeable chap than me (he makes racing brake calipers) is fairly scornful of pumping and bleeding.
He advocates rigging the caliper so's the bleed nipple is the high point, running clear plastic tubes from the bleed nipples up to the level of the master cylinder and then just opening the nipples, topping up the master cylinder reservoir and letting gravity take its course.

Dai wiskers · Post by **Dai wiskers** » Mon Aug 13, 2012 10:21 pm

It sounds like a bubble has formed in one of the calliper's as has been sugested turn the calliper's till the nipple is at the highest point fit tube loosen the nipple and let it drain the more you pump it will cause the bubble to break up into many small bubbles so pump as little as posible as the little bubbles just move back and fore

another method that has been sugested is the syringe i had to do this with a kawasaki Gpz 550 fit a tube to the syringe fit other end of tube to nipple remove top of master cylinder fill to brim draw fluid down to the syringe when cylinder is almost empty empty the syringe discard the fluid fill syringe with new fluid and pump it up from the bleed nipple very slowly or the pipe will pop off when the cylinder is full tighten nipple then start over on the other side when done you should have a good lever after a couple of pumps to settle the pads

i can't think of any other tricks with two people it's often easier to take out the nipple completly and one person holds his/her thumb over the nipple apature but i would have to demonstrate this it's not easy to describe

RiceBurner · Post by **RiceBurner** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 6:22 am

how do you get the calliper so that "the nipple is at the highest point" ?? the nipple is at the highest point of the calliper when the thing is bolted to the bike! Or are you suggesting lifting the calliper above the height of the m/c??

Daveg2812 · Post by **Daveg2812** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 6:51 am

I recently fitted braided hoses to the front, so had to bleed the lines. I bought a couple of large syringes after reading of that method on here and other places, and set about pumping the fluid up from the caliper to the master cylinder. Try as I might, I just couldn't get it to work. I ended up using a method more or less as Chris (r550s) mentioned, which I arrived at by looking at it and thinking 'would this work'. It did.
My calipers were not fastened to the bike at the time, so I just positioned them so the nipples were at the top. Non abs btw.

Dai wiskers · Post by **Dai wiskers** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 9:08 am

The calliper's can be turned enough by removing the bottom mounting bolt and losening the top mount i have the Brembo callipers on mine so am not familiar with the BMW marked ones but all work in the same way i'm off to have a search for some pics to see the differences Nick put up a thread about replacing the bolts with stainless and i am sure there are some good pics there
I have also read that you should do the left calliper first
In the mealwhile have a look here

http://www.ibmwr.org/r-tech/oilheads/brakes.shtml
Your not alone so don't fret over it
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/show ... hp?t=12968

http://www.bmbikes.org.uk/Forum/viewtop ... =14&t=9392

Motoworks do a bleed nipple that will screw into the calliper to peplace the daft thing BMW fit to the right hand calliper i will have a look and get back later

Give them a call and ask about these http://www.motorworks.co.uk/vlive/Shop/ ... 5_30_HA_36

el-nicko · Post by **el-nicko** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 11:32 am

A general piece of advice for all you bleeders

:-Reduce your anxiety level

by removing the side/tank panels and placeing them a safe distance from the bike.

So, for instance, if you're performing this operation in your lounge/living room, place them on an armchair or setee. That way you won't trip over (or drip fluid on) them.

Dai wiskers · Post by **Dai wiskers** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 1:25 pm

el-nicko wrote:A general piece of advice for all you bleeders :-Reduce your anxiety level by removing the side/tank panels and placeing them a safe distance from the bike. So, for instance, if you're performing this operation in your lounge/living room, place them on an armchair or setee. That way you won't trip over (or drip fluid on) them.

The Gpz 550 was bought to me after a dealer tipped brake fluid over the screen and paint on the bike [and still hadn't managed to bleed it ] i always keep a watering can full of water with a splash of washing up liquid on standby for rinsing off after

TOP TIP slowly slowly is the way to go

one fast pump or fast release of the lever will result in one bubble being turned into a hundred bubbles of air the same when you do it with a syringe go slowly

RiceBurner · Post by **RiceBurner** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 4:03 pm

Daveg2812 wrote: I ended up using a method more or less as Chris (r550s) mentioned, which I arrived at by looking at it and thinking 'would this work'. It did.

R550s has put up two posts - you wouldn't mind quoting the method you're talking about would you?

Dai wiskers · Post by **Dai wiskers** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 5:42 pm

Missed the new master cylinder bit i must appologise for that

Try filling the two hoses before tightening the top union then go back to the left side and fill the master cylinder tighten nipple, then round to the right side almost empty the master through the bleed nipple discard fluid from syringe, almost fill syringe with new fluid making sure you have no air either in the tube or syringe [easier said than done] top master cylinder up a bit suck some fluid through the bleed nipple to clear any air from the nipple get this bubble to the syringe hold syringe with plunger to the top and slowly fill the master cylinder through the syringe, tighten nipple the job should be done
what you must not do ever is open both bleed nipples at once or release the lever with anything undone

SOMEONE LOCAL TO GUILFORD PLEASE GO HELP WITH THIS

viewtopic.php?t=241

Dai wiskers · Post by **Dai wiskers** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 5:58 pm

Is this the same bike?

viewtopic.php?t=718

If so it's been one hell of a problem

Oh it's a different bike
viewtopic.php?p=5207&highlight=#5207

You realy don't get on with hydralics do you

viewtopic.php?p=12057&highlight=#12057

Daveg2812 · Post by **Daveg2812** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 8:19 pm

RiceBurner wrote:
Daveg2812 wrote: I ended up using a method more or less as Chris (r550s) mentioned, which I arrived at by looking at it and thinking 'would this work'. It did.
R550s has put up two posts - you wouldn't mind quoting the method you're talking about would you?

Sorry, the one at the top of this page.

r550s · Post by **r550s** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 9:18 pm

el-nicko wrote: So, for instance, if you're performing this operation in your lounge/living room, place them on an armchair or setee.

How can you fit a settee in your living room?
We shifted ours to make way for the lathe...

el-nicko · Post by **el-nicko** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 10:09 pm

r550s wrote:
el-nicko wrote: So, for instance, if you're performing this operation in your lounge/living room, place them on an armchair or setee.
How can you fit a settee in your living room?
We shifted ours to make way for the lathe...

Dai wiskers · Post by **Dai wiskers** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 11:00 pm

r550s wrote:
el-nicko wrote: So, for instance, if you're performing this operation in your lounge/living room, place them on an armchair or setee.
How can you fit a settee in your living room?
We shifted ours to make way for the lathe...

They have big houses in Kington you could get both in their living rooms

See you sat Nick

RiceBurner · Post by **RiceBurner** » Wed Aug 15, 2012 6:18 am

Dai wiskers wrote:Is this the same bike?

viewtopic.php?t=718

If so it's been one hell of a problem

Oh it's a different bike
viewtopic.php?p=5207&highlight=#5207

You realy don't get on with hydralics do you

viewtopic.php?p=12057&highlight=#12057

errrr - different bike (I think!), this is my 3rd Rockster.

I'm normally pretty good with brakes, as said in those threads I've had the Rockster setup with brakes good enough for 2-finger stoppies before now. That's why this current issue is so aggravating.