Free Friday

I rode the bike today. It was 42 degrees but sunny. I wanted to get out for at least a short ride because I replaced the brake bleeder valve with a speed bleeder and bled the brakes yesterday.

The front brakes on my bike have always been spongy and not as good as I'd like. The speed bleeder sure did make it easy, but the results are not perfect.

How in the hell are air bubbles supposed to flow down a brake system and out a valve at the bottom of the system?!? This can't be the way sane people do shit. Nobody with any common sense thinks that you pump fluid through a system and any air bubbles will come out of a valve 2+ feet below. I must be missing something.

By the way, the Russell speed bleeders came 2 to a package. I thought I was buying one. This is supposed to be a universal to Yamaha - size 8mm x 1.25mm. It worked on my xj650 and I have a spare I'll never use.

Some of you might remember that I showed a link to one of the arcade machines I owned and was restoring. One thing I like about the arcade group was that someone started a "free friday" post occasionally to give stuff away. It grew and became common among the members. Believe it or not, the original guy that began the free friday would pay for shipping.

Yeah, it sounds strange but it's true. So here's free Friday delayed....

If anyone needs the other speed bleeder, I'll send the other one to you and I'll pay shipping anywhere in the USA!

The first PM with a US address gets it.

 

Pretty please tell me I'm the first responder...
Dan Walsh
4338 Truesdale Rd
Union Springs,NY 13160

 

Hi,seedyrom. I had problems bleeding the brake on the front of my 650 Maxim after the installation of a stainless steel brakeline. I sought advice from a friend that was a mechanic at a Yamaha dealership for several years. His recommendation was to attach a piece of hose the bleeder valve,and find a suitable container to catch any expelled fluid ( I taped a 2-liter soda bottle to the hose ),make sure the master cylinder is level (usually the center stand deployed on a level surface will insure this),remove the master cylinder cap,then open the bleeder and LEAVE it open...Top off the master cylinder,and let gravity do the work,don't touch the brake lever. Keep checking the cylinder level,and add fluid as needed. I didn't think it would work, but it did. If you use this method,set the m/c cap on between top offs,to keep any crud out of the system. Be patient,it takes a while;mine took about 5 beers.
Best of luck,
Dan

 

Thanks Danno. Your speed bleeder is on the way.

 

Actually a Mighty Vac is the best way to do that by sucking out all the air but it won't work with a speed bleeder.

 

Seedyrom, your generosity is laudable. I hope it catches on in a big way. Thank you for your efforts to make the world a better place. Three cheers for the gentleman! Hip hip, horay! Hip hip, horay! Hip hip, horay! I'm inspired, expect I'll run across something I don't need (it would make my wife's day should I get rid of something willingly).

 

Forgive me ... but, I'm not on-board with the "Gravity Method"

I use a very-well maintained "One-way" valve at the end of a long, length of clear vinyl hose. I want to -> see the old fluid moving-out ... I want to
-> see the air bubbles leaving the system through the line ... and, I want to
-> see nothing but clean, clear fluid in the hose when I'd done pumping and bleeding and closing the bleed nipple.

Unless you push (or draw a vacuum) on those bubbles in the line and inside the caliper ... they just remain right there as fluid drips out of the system.

 

I have a one man brake bleeder I bought from AmPro tools and I use it every time I do a brake job and it's worked better than anything I've ever used. It's a bottle with a hose inside with a top that has a magnit attached so it does'nt have to be held and all the hoses are clear so you can see everything. When you pump the brakes you don't have to worry about sucking air back into the line.

 

Go to www.ampro-usa.com product search and theres a pic of it in brake tools.

 

Advance auto parts has the bleeder for $7.

 

Thanks so much seedyrom,although after reading RickCoMatics response,I question whether I am worthy of this generous gift.
I neglected to mention that I installed a new master cylinder in conjunction with the brakeline,so there were no issues with getting old fluid out.
Also I don't know if this method would work with a speed bleeder.
Once again,RickCoMatic raises interesting and valid points. But in my circumstance,this method worked flawlessly...a slight 2 finger squeeze on the lever confirms this! Glad I ugraded to Progressive fork springs and new brake pads,the stock units weren't good 25 years ago when they were new,and with the increased braking power,the sloppy oem springs would have made "panic stops" more dramatic than I'd like.
Sorry if I steered you wrong,that wasn't my intent.
Thanks again!!! I am impressed with your random act of kindness!