Bike sat for 3 years without a master, or brake pads. purchased Brembo MC from a 2007 R6 (allegedly) on eBay. i have brake pressure, but not as immediately or as firm as i would like it. Lever does not contact the bar, but it’s much closer than i would like it to be... i presently have the lever zip-tied in the braking position, after pumping the lever several times. Hoping that forces some fluid into the calipers, but worried i have air pockets in the calipers themselves. next thought is to remove the calipers, shim the pads apart to simulate a rotor, and (this was suggested in a forum) tap/strike the exterior of the calipers with a rubber mallet to ‘loosen’ trapped air. i do not have access to a vacuum bleeder... suggestions?
(Remove calipers from the rotors, not from The brake lines) would bleeding the calipers while elevated assist in getting air up and through the calipers bleed nozzles?
Wiggle the brake lines, tap on the calibers and junction bolts to help get the air out. Then as you bleed the system crack each junction bolt to give the air to some place to go. Keep the reservoir full and continue bleeding, then you'll be there
I swear, one of these days, I'm just gonna wipe the inside of a blast cabinet clean, put a clean tub full of fresh brake fluid in it and reassemble the spotlessly clean brake system while it's submerged.
Take the whole front circuit off and bench bleed everything. That's how the bikes are assembled at the factory.
More wiggling and bleed each junction bolt and the master cyl one also, then I'll bet all of a sudden your lever will be perfect. You can't rush hand bleeding!
I have a MityVac you can borrow, but I don't think that's going to solve the issue. Shoot a PM if you really need help. I'm local. Shouldn't need to take anything off. As long as the bleeder is facing up and the MC is tilted up the air should work its way out. Did you try tying the brake lever back to the bars and leaving it like that overnight? Sometimes that helps squeeze the bubbles out.
Take the calipers off the forks, take out the pads. Put a wrench or something in the caliper to simulate a rotor (and prevent the pistons from popping out from what's next). Extend all the pistons by pumping the lever, don't let them pop out obviously. Tap on everything to get the bubbles to "unstick" and start moving upwards. Leave the whole thing sitting for an hour or so. Then, push the caliper pistons all the way back into the calipers. If it works, it'll flush trapped air backwards out the reservoir.
presently zip tied back as far as it will pull. Doesn’t contact the bar. I’m going to try bleeding at the banjo bolts tonight or tomorrow. If i have to remove the calipers and pads, they’re not wired yet, because i just puts the wheels back on. tempted to take a brake break and get the rear alignment right tonight, then get a fresh look at the brakes Thursday when the kids are gone, and i have a shop Assistant.
I just installed new lines and had to fill the entiresystem. Was having issues getting the master to pressurize and what I wound up doing was adjusting the lever as far away from the bar as possible (longest stroke length) which helped purge the air trapped inside the master cylinder bore. Not sure if that will work for you just figured I would pass it along.
I've had good luck with pushing the pistons around manually to free any stuck bubbles. And I usually do one quick bleed after the first ride to get rid of that last bubble.
When I have a completely empty system or master, I fill the reservoir to the top, then I use my fingers to keep squeezing the air out of the tube between the reservoir and master. By the time no more bubbles come out out of the tube there is enough fluid in the master to build pressure and bleed normally. Works everytime.
I picked up one of these from Harbor Freight for $35. It works great when you have a completely dry system or when just flushing. It works by forcing the fluid through the system very quickly. It's best to have someone continually filling fluid into the reservoir when you start from scratch.
its an SV, but with a 2003 GSXR fork and caliper setup, and a 2007 R6 brembo MC. i think the bleed is good, but the caliper and master sizing aren’t jiving. Thus why the lever feels good in the second half of travel, but shitty through the first half.
