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Brake bleed tool

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woodsguy

woodsguy

Ride Red
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Location
Huntsville
First Name
Rob
Last Name
Vaughan
I'm trying to get an old KTM dirt bike back to live. It has no pressure on either brake. Any suggestions or tools?
 
Are you getting any movement from the caliper pistons as you use the lever? maybe stuck pistons in the calipers pull a caliper off and see
if you get any piston movement
 
Harbor Freight has a reasonable vacuum bleeder. It works as well as any of them do.

The real trick to using a vacuum bleeder is to wrap the bleed nipple with some teflon tape, or barring that wipe some grease all around it. You've got to have an airtight seal, even when that bleeder screw is loose.


I'd also suggest bleeding the master cylinders first. Make sure they are full of fluid before trying to get that fluid to the caliper.
 
Have you cleaned out all the old fluid and any build up around the valve in the bottom of the master cylinder if its been sitting it may
be all gummed up
 
I haven't touched them yet. Finishing up the gas tank and petcock. Got carb clean I hope. Change the oil next and see if it starts, then brakes. Then..... Well a lot. lol
 
I always had to reverse bleed the front brake, push brake fluid up from the caliper to the master cylinder with a syringe. I could never get all the air out the normal way.
 
Liteitup said:
I always had to reverse bleed the front brake, push brake fluid up from the caliper to the master cylinder with a syringe. I could never get all the air out the normal way.
Click to expand...
I agree I always prefer pressure to gravity or vacuum bleeding always seemed to work better for me
 
Rob a method that has worked well for me is to pull the caliper off the rotor, slowly apply the brake to move the piston out not far enough to pop it from the seals if you
leave the pads in it should not pop out keep filling the master so you don't enter additional air.

Then you can use a pair of caliper piston pliers or a simple small c-clamp or even your hand to force the piston all the way back in its bore this generally will
force all the air up and out through the caliper, I do this a few times to ensure I have all the air out. Its a method that works well for me and ensures all the air is
gone from the piston up through the caliper
 
woodsguy said:
What type syringe are we talking about?
Click to expand...

Feed store a cattle syringe and some tubing that fits tight over the bleeder Rob, use a small zip tie on the tubing on the syringe so it does not pop off

Rob I tried my above method one day when I could not find my syringe, of course I found it when I was putting up the brake fluid after I was done
but was so pleased with this method I have not gone back to the syringe method
 
I've used budzrex's method for years. I had a syringe and a vacuum bleeder and gave them away.
 
A shop did a pressure bleed on the rear brakes of my 1190 but they were still too spongy for my likely. Last weekend I did both the rear and front the old fashion way pumping and holding the handle/peddle and open/closing the bleeder screws, etc. Now they're rock solid. It was pretty easy so i'm going to do the other bikes and really don't see the necessity pressure bleeder.
 
copb8 said:
A shop did a pressure bleed on the rear brakes of my 1190 but they were still too spongy for my likely. Last weekend I did both the rear and front the old fashion way pumping and holding the handle/peddle and open/closing the bleeder screws, etc. Now they're rock solid. It was pretty easy so i'm going to do the other bikes and really don't see the necessity pressure bleeder.
Click to expand...
Will this work with abs?
 
Yes, at least for my 14 KTM 1190 ADV which has ABS. I completely flushed all 3 calipers and the master cylinder and the brakes feel great. I used the procedure given by a KTM tech.
 
copb8 said:
A shop did a pressure bleed on the rear brakes of my 1190 but they were still too spongy for my likely. Last weekend I did both the rear and front the old fashion way pumping and holding the handle/peddle and open/closing the bleeder screws, etc. Now they're rock solid. It was pretty easy so i'm going to do the other bikes and really don't see the necessity pressure bleeder.
Click to expand...
Problem is I got nothing, my experiences in the past it'll need to some help to at least get started. Maybe not, I'll see soon. Got the petcock rebuild kit and fuel line in. this might not end up being cheap or easy, lol! But I'll learn a lot and hopefully get it running, maybe.
 
Does it have a speed bleeder installed on the caliper? If it does, then rule number one is to pull that junky thing off of there. They are okay for bleeding when you have "something" in the lines but like you said, when you have nothing, there isn't enough to move those little ball bearings.

With regular bleed valves I've never had an issue with starting with nothing and bleeding the brakes the good ol' fashioned way.
 
I've alway bleed my brakes from bottom to top. Put some tubing on the bleed nipple with a zip ty and pump to the lever. Sometimes I've had to tap on the caliper and brake line and I've even let it sit overnight.
 
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