You’re a life saver. I’ve done a lot of bleeding, not so much priming. I guess I’ve always just been a bit lucky up until this new build. You’re the man 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻
I just hate to admit it... but yes ,,even as I am over 60 and been riding since I was 13 years old ,I have been that man bleeding brakes all day ,,lol now I know ,,thanks a mill Delboy,,never to late to learn.
Can I just add my little extra tip. Don't rush. I mean, after you've bled, and are sure there are no micro-bubbles, go out on the bike if you have to, but take it steady. Then 24 hours or more later (if you have a remote reservoir) remove the reservoir cap, carefully squeeze the rubber connecting tube, or agitate the lever careful not to spill any fluid if it's an integral reservoir, and I can almost guarantee you will see a nice little bubble rise from the hole at the bottom. Let physics bring any remaining air to the highest point of the system (master cylinder). I changed my GSX-R 750K2 front brake master cylinder on Tuesday, it had a firm lever, and on Wednesday ran some more fluid through to be sure the calipers were bled after settling, then today (Friday morning), I popped the reservoir top off, and squeezed the pipe, and there it was, the final bubble.
What a useful guide, thank you. Just about to fit new stainless lines, after a calliper rebuild on my old Kawasaki Gt 550. This video has probably saved me a lot of head scratching during the bleed process. 👍
I just bought the biggest syringe I could find, a piece of 6mm fuel hose and just applied vacuum to the last bleed valve on the system :) worked like a charm, just remember to top off the fluid to not to suck air from the other side ;)
You are a born teacher with excellent communication habits. But your real brilliance is here: You speak to just one person--me--instead of "hello all you guys out there." This is a profound difference. It's as if you are in my shop, chatting with me, instead of standing on a stage and performing. The result? Your information is better received. I feel a connection with you. I will subscribe. There are ten billion YT people who do not understand this simple concept. You are the best YT presenter I have ever come across. Stand tall. And thanks for the help with my pirated Yamaha caliper on my cycle kart.
Your videos are so clean and professional that you are giving your community and the world a gift. I do almost all services on my bikes but if i lived in Usa and closer to your shop, i would be glad to make you my mechanic of choice because your work and your teaching must be valued!
Wow, thank you so much for your kind words of support. Im not in the USA though, we're located in England, so maybe closer than you think.. Thank you again and have a great weekend.
I'm a frequent watcher of your videos and love the work you do. I was recently replacing brake fluid and accidentally left the bleeder screw open and sucked air into the master cylinder. As hard as I tried, I couldn't get any pressure at the lever; I watched this video, disconnected the line and let it gravity bleed. I had to re-bleed the caliper, but with line pressure it was done in short order. Thank you for all the information and entertainment you provide.
This helped me a lot. I was just trying to bleed my front brake after I cleaned my caliper and replaced some o-rings and wasn’t getting anywhere and I found your video on priming the dry system and fixed me right up! Thanks for the video.
Thanks so much . I couldn’t bleed my Bonniville brakes . Did what you said on one of your videos, let the fluid gravity feed down , then took of rear callipers and pushed the pistons all the way in , instantly had brakes 🤯 weeks of struggling and endless TH-cam videos. Thanks 💜🍻🙏
What a video! Well explained, was scratching my head at other peoples videos and this has given me confidence to get out and bleed my freshly rebuilt calipers 👌
@@Moonfleet41 No luck, dont seem to have any pressure at all as the pistons are compressed still, letting it sit for a bit and then im going to bleed it again and hope for the best.
@@jzawadzki2000 Time is never really a remedy to trapped air.. letting it sit for a bit won't make much difference. Try reverse purging it from the bleed valve upwards with a syringe.. literally forcing the fluid into the caliper and upwards.. that will work !
Good tips I worked for many years in a pneudraulic workshop on military aircraft components. Some of the first rules I was taught are that air always wants to up the way…sometimes tapping with a soft faced hammer can help dislodge air bubbles and sometimes you need to take the component off so you can prime it properly by hand. Messy business but works. Failing all that plumb it into a system than delivers flow of 100ltrs per minute at 4000 psi…that’ll sort out any air bubbles 😛 However I do like a syringe from the bottom on my bikes as air likes to go up the way 👍 Got a subscriber now
Mate... you literally save my life... I have been struggling for the past few days to figure that out.... First video on youtube regarding this problem. Thanks a lot
Thanks for making this video, mate. It really helped me. I thought I'd let you and others know that it took about an hour of tiny brake lever action until no more bubbles were showing up. Then I just when to the callipers and started bleeding them, and presto I have working brakes! You almost certainly saved me a trip to a mechanic or buying something new I didn't need, so thank you :-)
Delboy, You certainly showed this old "motorcycling brother" what a Plonker, brothers can be! I am a Brit, who's been living in the USA for 30+ years and my common sense got diluted by pure time and geography. You straightened me out. I've been hours trying to bleed the front disc after fitting a speed bleeder and a new caliper on my old Harley. I'd forgotten that gravity is not just a cool idea, but simply the 'kin law! Thankyou Sir. It took less than 2 minutes; remove the banjo joint, draining the pipe, refit it and pumping the new stopping juice through the Speed Bleeder! Speed Bleeder: 3/8" x 24 thread. Goodrich or Russell on Amazon. $15-ish a pair. I had a cold one in your honor Del! Thanyou.
Thanks mate, I appreciate the credit, simple task my ol' man taught me when working on cars, gravity bleeding works every time! Great to hear you're enjoying the good life and living the dream, whereabouts in the States are you brother?
@@Moonfleet41 Here's the story: I retired from being a military contractor, (only child, no family) to never travelling anymore for work...(🙆♂️). Now renting a place in the sticks on a 2000 acre Brahma cattle farm, in East Texas, with pastures all around. Me, a old 190k mile V8 Dodge pickup, a Husky mix, a Belgian Malinois....AND A BIG GARAGE!!! We have seasons here too! I was previously based in Ft. Lauderdale, South Florida, for geographical reasons. (A never ending sticky sauna, with too many Neeyoo Yawkers with; no off switch, no volume control, no filter and no manners). I had to behave and bit my lip for too long. Now I live around polite folk. Many quiet deserted twisties here too, but at my age, (I started riding onroad in 1970), my 1000 ricers, crazies and Buells are behind me. A 2006 Rat Softail (Bitsa bike) with solid mechanicals, rather scruffy, and with very little chrome, is this lads steed. Two new Pirelli Night Dragons are being fitted this week. I just rebuilt the cam chest and entire fuel system from a new tank, (new to me anyway, good used from Ebay), ALL tank interlals; pump, reg, filter, pipes, to efi unit over the past cooler months. Never having fitted a completely new, dry, clean brake system before, your video info proved invaluable. Normal bleeding is easy, initial priming? Wotta bitch! Thanks. Next ride? - likely to Monterrey, California to see an old military "brother" and wife. Having subscribed, I'm sure I'll pick up many more usefull tips!
@@Dodger2879 Thank you for sharing the glorious story of your wonderful life.. i love the part about Neeyoo Yawkers... i think we have our version of those here too, pretty world side stereotype i guess..! Have a great ride to Monterrey and go safely out there brother..
Great video and excellent tip! Just replaced a master cylinder and after two hrs of fighting with it, went in the house and looked up your channel. Problem solved.
Thank you! Just what I needed, and you're the only place I have found it. A lot of other videos: "Oh, this will be a waste of my time." A Delboy video: "This guy knows what he's talking about, I'm sure the right information will be in here and easy to understand." You're the man.
Thanks so much, new master and dryish system and couldn't figure this out having little brake experience. Your video was super clear and was complete and braking strong in 10 minutes. Cheers!
Thanks for posting this one. I just had to redo front brakes on an old Virago from sitting. Took some time working on it and with your good video (not rushing through it), was able to tackle the entire rebuild, prime and bleeding to get them back in shape. Thanks very much
Perfect timing. Just purchased new hoses for my tiger to remove the up and over pipes on the front. There is always a Delboy video when you need one!!! Cheers Del.
Mate can I firstly say this vid saved my insanity trying to prime a bone-dry system. I have a 1995 VN800 turned into a bobber and in the final stages of the recent rebuild which included new bars and controls all in black. The last job which was frustrating me was the front brake, it had only a new MC and braded hose but certainly the system was empty and your vid was exceptional in its delivery and explanation so bravo. As a tip from me using your method to quicken the process for an empty hose fill it using a large plastic syringe (minus the needle which you can get from a chemist/pharmacist) this removed most of the air and was easily done. Made the job a bit quicker. Again many thanks for this vid would be at the local mechanics shop by now.
I just wanted you to know, I was having big issues bleeding these calipers, I swapped them and the master cylinder from a Busa to a Triumph sprint 1050, talk about a pain in the arse to bleed. I watched your video and it worked, thank you so much, I watch all your videos, very entertaining, Mark!
Nice how to video Del. This one will help a lot of people for years to come. Penny and you have a relaxing weekend and stay warm over there mate. Cheers
Awesome video. As usual, you passed on another trick of the trade! I am about to rebuild both front and rear calipers on my "new" k2 gsx14 I got from my cousin! Rear brake isn't too bad, but the front end is a mess. Brakes are grabbing too much, so dangerous. I have cleaned them, but I suspect it is even worst. I did not make a perfect job of cleaning them, they were so dirty. 4 hours scrubing that black stuff, not all of it came out. with new pads pistons went in. Even if 5 piston work great and one is block, that is enough. And that is waht happened to me, so I decided to make a rebuilt. Thanks for sharing Del
Second time I’ve watched this one. Ironically my TH-cam home page algorithm seems to know when I’m about to do a job in the garage now. Rebuilt calipers last night (pistons aren’t necessarily perfect but nothing was leaking before) and new braided hoses arriving today. Master cylinder rebuild this weekend also. Wouldn’t have ever attempted this build without your help Del.
Hi buddy, great to hear from you, am really glad this can help you, it's great to hear you're getting stuck i and doing the jobs yourself... glad the videos help, and do let us know how you get on! Have a great weekend, stay well, D&Px
Man u hv so much patience.I gave my mechanic a brand new master cylinder with the brake hose, the guy opened the master cylinder and damaged one rubber ring then he removed the old one from the old assembly and put it on the new piston in the master cylinder still not working properly even when the lever reaches the end the wheel barely stops.
Hi mate, top top, every day's a school day.. Never stop learning. I've rebuilt calipers and bled brakes changed hoses etc, but I'm no expert I've just learnt as I've gone along, and I like learning new skills and ideas.Cheers Del as always have a top weekend and ride safe, thanks mate.. 👍👍😎
i had a problem with brake fluid won't bleed... i pushed the leaver for an hour almost... but i found easy solution : just blow in to the pipe (bottom end) so all air bubbles out from top... after that just few minutes and all good... just be careful not to taste brake fluid 😋
Thanks Andy, it's a very important issue not to mix silicone brake fluid with anything else, I'll cover a few more tips about in following videos... it's also not good for ABD systems either as it tends to foam in the module on some bikes.
Thank you for the tutorial bro !!! So logical and easy ... wasted my time watching others but still not having any results on my new master cylinder. Thanks a million ! Liked, shared, and subsribed done 👍👍👍
Dry or not, occasionally I use a vacuum tool ( Mity Vac for example ) from the top. I made a small aluminum plate to cover the master cylinder which has a bleed nipple on top, two mounting screw holes in my case, and rubber gasket on the bottom. Put the plate over the master cylinder, screw it down if you can, attached the vacuum hose, and pump several times on the vacuum pump. At the same time, active the brake lever several times. My brake levers are well and truly hard as a rock if done right.
Thank you!! Trying to get my zzr 1100 ready for its mot .. my master cylinder was broke so I replaced it with another one and couldn't get it to bleed for love nor money. . Took that pipe off the caliper.. let it drain through, put it back on & she's mint 🤙
@@Moonfleet41 When removing the lines from the cals to let fluid flow through the line what would you do with the line looping over the front mudguard going to the left caliper?
@@MrMurphc13 A piggy back system isn't standard on a Busa, more common on a Triumph.. but if that's the setup you have then you'll be better to just syringe it from the far caliper bleed valve right through the system up to the rez..!
@@Moonfleet41 I bled it today and I have a decent lever but it’s about 85% as hard a lever as I feel it should be.I pushed the the pads all the way back before I started also(new lines,new master cylinder...old pads(plenty of life in em)). It’s gonna be more than likely that the last bit of air is in the far caliper?I bled more than 3 reservoirs though each cal and the mc.
Oh dude. Thankyou so much for this video. I changed my handlebars so I needed to change my front brake line for a longer one. So I thought you bleed like normal, and I pumped amd pumped, bled and bled but could not get any pressure in the line. I tried for days and days and even bought a new brake cylinder and still the same thing. So I gave up and said oh well I’ve got my back brakes. Then I thought I’ll see if anything on TH-cam and chose your because I seemed straight forward. And what do you know it worked after 20 min. Then bled the nipples with 2 bleeds and my grip is so firm now. Thanks buddy cheers
You are most welcome mate, im glad the video could help you out and get the job done.. Now you have another skill and can deal with this quickly in the future, take care and ride safe.. Del.
Never mind the detractors Del, this is really good advice. There is no one watching this video who hasn’t at some time had a problem bleeding their brakes. Great logical info.
Thanks, now I have a better idea why my brakes are still mush after putting in new hoses. I did reverse fill them, but still nothing. I will try the gravity feed method and if that doesn't work, will take a better look at my pistons and their position.
This may be a daft question, im having issues with my gsxr 1000. Ive put new braided lines on and am I correct that the holes in the hoses MUST align with the banjo bolt holes in order for it to flow from the banjo dowm through thr hoses. And if so, whats the best way to align the holes as you can only see them once they are seperated? As my.resevoir is not decreasing at all and im just wasting hours and believe it may be this? Thanks
No need to align the holes mate, look inside the banjo union, you'll notice it has a recess all the way round and will feed fluid in any orientation... if you can't get it primed by this method, then try back bleeding it with a large syringe from the caliper bleed valve upwards...!
Cheers from deep in the Mtns of New York, My Brother!!! Have successfully bled brakes all my life, on countless cars > until now. I mean WTF I just put new Powerstop drilled/slotted rotors on my Genesis just this past weekend and it all went superb. Working on a 1988 Suzuki Quad whos front brakes were bone dry. You just saved me a probable day. 🦾 Thank You
Very helpful video/tutorial. I do DIY work on my bike and car and I know how to bleed brakes - but I've struggled with a bleed on my Triumph Sprint with rebuilt calipers, master cylinder and braided lines. Very frustrating trying to pump fluid through a dry system - I've not tried it tbh, but I am revitalised and feel a little daft that I hadn't thought through what now seems 'obvious'
I have a question. I did this job with a vacuum brake tool and an air compressor. I just just sucked the fluid using the tools and job done. Was right?
Will give this a go when my braided lines arrive. I thought the fluid would run out fast but clearly not. For this reason I guess there’s not much mess when reconnecting the hose.
@@Moonfleet41 it’s Your videos a nightly fix for me! Learning! I’m Still not well but your video’s are carrying me through for when I’m fit enough to service my bike, thank you
@@PaulR387 Thank you so much for such kind support Paul, it's an honour that our videos are of use and that you enjoy them.. We hope you're fit and well soon, and of course, please drop us a line if we can be of any help.. D&Px
After an hour of bleeding my freshly filled brake system earlier today and getting nowhere this video has simultaneously made me feel like an idiot and given me hope that the thing'll be on the road tomorrow!
@@Moonfleet41 after lots of swearing and spilt brake fluid in the garage tonight i've still got nowhere. Even with the brake line off the caliper pulling the lever doesn't push fluid through, whereas it did before i removed and cleaned the pistons. Bleeding it like normal gets me some bubbles for a couple of pulls then nothing. Hoping there's just a very persistent air bubble somewhere in the system.
@@megasuperhyperspeed Sounds like you're having a bad day with it buddy.. it can drive you made aye.. have you tried injecting fluid up through the bleed valve with a big syringe...that works every time for sure, !!!
@@Moonfleet41 i've learnt not to try and finish a job at 9 in the evening after a shift at work! I did watch your video on using a syringe and that would have been my next attempt. Managed to get the line filled just by squeezing the lever for best part of an hour then could bleed it normally. Still got a slight rub but i'm hoping the ride to work and back will settle the pads where they should be.
@@megasuperhyperspeed Ok, if you've got a bit of pressure in there, then tape the brake lever into the grip over night and bleed it down again in the morning.. it'll be fine then buddy.!
Great information. But what is the process when bleeding a rear brake caliper two bleeder nipples, one high on the angle the other low? Given that the caliper had a complete cleaning and seal rebuild. Fluid remained in the res and the line. Thanks.
Hello , great video ! i have been using your method and just wanted to ask at what point should you start and feel the brake lever "firm up" ? .. spent all yesterday trying to bleed up a completely drained system on my mrs`s scooter and just ended up in an endless cycle of bleeding off at the bleed nipple , then refilling the reservoir with the piston barely moving more than a mm or so , i got to the point of no bubbles and the system seemed at one point to be self siphoning... i have two thoughts 1) the master cylinder is not pressurising enough and or 2) the piston (which was fully retracted with a c clamp easily enough) is seized / damaged... any help /thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.. Thanks Steve
Hi Steve.. I've been in that position so many times, it can truly drive you crazy... It sounds like you have some trapped air in the system that the fluid is bypassing, it can happen.. so try literally injecting the fluid backwards in through the bleed nipple using a large syringe so you chase the air out of the top... empty the reservoir first, and as you inject the fluid in you'll see the air bubble out of the top.. should firm up pretty much right away mate... Good luck, hope that helps.
Hey dale, I just redid my entire front brake system with new Pistons o-rings etc and a brand new master. I let them 10 times and I'm getting no pressure although the bleeding valve shows no air and plenty of fluid in it. I'm guessing the Pistons are pushed down all the way in it's an old triumph speed triple t509. Anyways I'm guessing that the Pistons are getting pushed out because the fluid isn't getting under the piston and filling up the void should I pull them off and try to pull the Piston out a little bit so fluid can run behind them. And do you think that's the problem?
Ive ALWAYS primed everything i can be it a car or a bike, ive actually just rebuilt, today the 6 pot tokico's from my TL1000r, i use a syringe to fill both calipers thru' the banjo bolt hole, finger over hole, move it about so it gets into the space, then top up, have banjos n bolts ready, pour fluid into res', wait until it starts to piss out, fit bolts n tighten pull lever in+out...let go, loadsa bubbles, few more times, job done....but...if EVER stuck...try using a large syringe and start from bleed nipple and fill it 'backwards'...they can be a bastard to bleed if your inexperienced....this is also a good tip delboy 👍
Good advice indeed mate, i use a syringe a lot these days, often to backfill all the way to the top, then a quick bleed down to firm up the lever.. You need a decent quality heavy duty syringe to apply enough force, so the usual "chemist shop off the shelf item won't do... i use one of these, works really well, :- www.spanner-monkey.co.uk/oil-and-brake-fluid-inspection-syringe-200ml-120826?search=VS404&description=true
Hi Del! Going to be fitting a longer 1st line to my Speed Four (superbike bar conversion ) Bike has the Triumph 'piggy-back' system, would you just do the same gravity feed? Or would you 'prime' the new line using the m/cyl, (holding the 'free end up in the air) then connect to the rh caliper, & bleed as usual? (system is full, & working at the minute)
Sorry you answered my question I had to Pistons pushed all the way down but for some reason I am getting no pressure at all and I have fluid at the bleeder valves on both sides with no air coming out. Could it be the o-rings in the new Pistons are so tight I'm not getting any fluid under them at all I don't know what's going on
Del when letting the fluid drip out into the catch can, do you let it run out completely from master cylinder for each line or keep topping up and when steady flow reconnect at calliper, but keeping fluid in the master at all times?
OMG if only I'd have known this a while back when I fitted braided lines to my RF 900 , it tuck me two days to do and I was going to give up . I got some extra length on my hoses as I want to put riser's on soon ,but I was convinced the extra length had made it impossible to bleed. I even tuck off the calipers and let them hang so the hoses where in a straight line . Anyway I finally got them . Cheers pal . I was thinking of putting braided hoses on my gsxs 1000 but after what iv been reading here on ABS systems I might give it a miss 😁 . Great stuff
After bleeding the system I was taught to tie down the lever over night to allow any air bubbles to reach the reservoir. I usually tie down the front brake lever to the handle bar and I'll tie down the rear brake lever to a kettlebell. It's always worked great for me on my 954 but I am just wondering what your opinion is on this method.
I found on a couple of kawasakis there was air trapped in the master cylinder and cracking that top nut helped. I find "back bleeding" quite therapeutic. Thanks for the upload. Russ
Too true buddy, in fact, Wemoto sell a double banjo bolt for the master cylinder (if you're running twin lines), and it has a bleed nipple in the end of it.. so you can crack that last little void really easily and if you're back bleeding, just open that and it's a lot easier than pushing it through the master cylinder..! Hope life is good mate, and business is brisk..! ride safe,, Del.
this entire video is actually the most important part that every other video forgets to mention about bleeding brakes
I just wanted to say thanks.
I have spent several evenings trying to bleed my dry system.
Your suggestions got it all done in two hours!
Great to hear mate, that's why we load the videos up, appreciate your feedback!
You’re a life saver. I’ve done a lot of bleeding, not so much priming. I guess I’ve always just been a bit lucky up until this new build. You’re the man 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻
I just hate to admit it... but yes ,,even as I am over 60 and been riding since I was 13 years old ,I have been that man bleeding brakes all day ,,lol now I know ,,thanks a mill Delboy,,never to late to learn.
Can I just add my little extra tip.
Don't rush.
I mean, after you've bled, and are sure there are no micro-bubbles, go out on the bike if you have to, but take it steady.
Then 24 hours or more later (if you have a remote reservoir) remove the reservoir cap, carefully squeeze the rubber connecting tube, or agitate the lever careful not to spill any fluid if it's an integral reservoir, and I can almost guarantee you will see a nice little bubble rise from the hole at the bottom.
Let physics bring any remaining air to the highest point of the system (master cylinder).
I changed my GSX-R 750K2 front brake master cylinder on Tuesday, it had a firm lever, and on Wednesday ran some more fluid through to be sure the calipers were bled after settling, then today (Friday morning), I popped the reservoir top off, and squeezed the pipe, and there it was, the final bubble.
Genius!!! One of very few and maybe the only video that gives tutorial on a new empty hydraulic disc brake system... thanks mate your awesome!!
Most welcome mate, glad it could help.
What a useful guide, thank you.
Just about to fit new stainless lines, after a calliper rebuild on my old Kawasaki Gt 550.
This video has probably saved me a lot of head scratching during the bleed process. 👍
Most welcome buddy. Glad it helped.
I just bought the biggest syringe I could find, a piece of 6mm fuel hose and just applied vacuum to the last bleed valve on the system :) worked like a charm, just remember to top off the fluid to not to suck air from the other side ;)
You are a born teacher with excellent communication habits. But your real brilliance is here: You speak to just one person--me--instead of "hello all you guys out there." This is a profound difference. It's as if you are in my shop, chatting with me, instead of standing on a stage and performing. The result? Your information is better received. I feel a connection with you. I will subscribe. There are ten billion YT people who do not understand this simple concept. You are the best YT presenter I have ever come across. Stand tall. And thanks for the help with my pirated Yamaha caliper on my cycle kart.
Your videos are so clean and professional that you are giving your community and the world a gift. I do almost all services on my bikes but if i lived in Usa and closer to your shop, i would be glad to make you my mechanic of choice because your work and your teaching must be valued!
Wow, thank you so much for your kind words of support. Im not in the USA though, we're located in England, so maybe closer than you think.. Thank you again and have a great weekend.
@@Moonfleet41 Closer to Portugal but still far! 😀
I'm a frequent watcher of your videos and love the work you do.
I was recently replacing brake fluid and accidentally left the bleeder screw open and sucked air into the master cylinder. As hard as I tried, I couldn't get any pressure at the lever; I watched this video, disconnected the line and let it gravity bleed. I had to re-bleed the caliper, but with line pressure it was done in short order.
Thank you for all the information and entertainment you provide.
Most welcome Sir, glad it worked for you, there's no denying that brake hydraulics can be a real challenge!
Always the best of the best motorcycle garage fixes tricks and how to’s. Keep crushing it man, you’re the best.
Thanks! Will do!
@@Moonfleet41hi mate I've followed your method and still can't get any brake pressure for the life of me. Could I need a new master cylinder??
This helped me a lot. I was just trying to bleed my front brake after I cleaned my caliper and replaced some o-rings and wasn’t getting anywhere and I found your video on priming the dry system and fixed me right up! Thanks for the video.
Most welcome buddy, glad it worked for you!
Doing a complete rebuild of the calipers with new lines; this information saves me time and frustration. Thank you.
Thank you, your channel is really a gold mine for this beginner.
You're very welcome!
I just used your video to prime my new brake system on a restoration project! Worked perfectly well!!! Thank you so much.
Most welcome mate, enjoy the project!
Nice one Del, your videos are brilliant in giving me the confidence to crack on with the maintenance of my bikes, cheers dude
No problem mate👍, thanks for your feedback.
Thanks so much . I couldn’t bleed my Bonniville brakes . Did what you said on one of your videos, let the fluid gravity feed down , then took of rear callipers and pushed the pistons all the way in , instantly had brakes 🤯 weeks of struggling and endless TH-cam videos. Thanks 💜🍻🙏
Most welcome mate. Glad it helped you out.!
Just got my calipers rebuilt. Picking them up tomorrow. Pistons pushed back in, so this video is perfect! Thanks
What a video!
Well explained, was scratching my head at other peoples videos and this has given me confidence to get out and bleed my freshly rebuilt calipers 👌
Thanks mate, glad it helped, good luck with yours!
@@Moonfleet41 No luck, dont seem to have any pressure at all as the pistons are compressed still, letting it sit for a bit and then im going to bleed it again and hope for the best.
@@jzawadzki2000 Time is never really a remedy to trapped air.. letting it sit for a bit won't make much difference. Try reverse purging it from the bleed valve upwards with a syringe.. literally forcing the fluid into the caliper and upwards.. that will work !
@Moonfleet41 rebled it and its nice and firm 👌
Good tips
I worked for many years in a pneudraulic workshop on military aircraft components. Some of the first rules I was taught are that air always wants to up the way…sometimes tapping with a soft faced hammer can help dislodge air bubbles and sometimes you need to take the component off so you can prime it properly by hand. Messy business but works.
Failing all that plumb it into a system than delivers flow of 100ltrs per minute at 4000 psi…that’ll sort out any air bubbles 😛
However I do like a syringe from the bottom on my bikes as air likes to go up the way 👍
Got a subscriber now
Mate... you literally save my life... I have been struggling for the past few days to figure that out.... First video on youtube regarding this problem. Thanks a lot
Most welcome mate, glad I could help.. priming a dry line can be tricky, but once you get it, you'll be able to do it every time.
Thanks for making this video, mate. It really helped me. I thought I'd let you and others know that it took about an hour of tiny brake lever action until no more bubbles were showing up. Then I just when to the callipers and started bleeding them, and presto I have working brakes!
You almost certainly saved me a trip to a mechanic or buying something new I didn't need, so thank you :-)
Most welcome mate.. glad the video could help you out.
Delboy,
You certainly showed this old "motorcycling brother" what a Plonker, brothers can be!
I am a Brit, who's been living in the USA for 30+ years and my common sense got diluted by pure time and geography. You straightened me out.
I've been hours trying to bleed the front disc after fitting a speed bleeder and a new caliper on my old Harley. I'd forgotten that gravity is not just a cool idea, but simply the 'kin law!
Thankyou Sir. It took less than 2 minutes; remove the banjo joint, draining the pipe, refit it and pumping the new stopping juice through the Speed Bleeder!
Speed Bleeder: 3/8" x 24 thread. Goodrich or Russell on Amazon. $15-ish a pair.
I had a cold one in your honor Del!
Thanyou.
Thanks mate, I appreciate the credit, simple task my ol' man taught me when working on cars, gravity bleeding works every time! Great to hear you're enjoying the good life and living the dream, whereabouts in the States are you brother?
@@Moonfleet41
Here's the story:
I retired from being a military contractor, (only child, no family) to never travelling anymore for work...(🙆♂️). Now renting a place in the sticks on a 2000 acre Brahma cattle farm, in East Texas, with pastures all around. Me, a old 190k mile V8 Dodge pickup, a Husky mix, a Belgian Malinois....AND A BIG GARAGE!!!
We have seasons here too! I was previously based in Ft. Lauderdale, South Florida, for geographical reasons. (A never ending sticky sauna, with too many Neeyoo Yawkers with; no off switch, no volume control, no filter and no manners). I had to behave and bit my lip for too long. Now I live around polite folk.
Many quiet deserted twisties here too, but at my age, (I started riding onroad in 1970), my 1000 ricers, crazies and Buells are behind me. A 2006 Rat Softail (Bitsa bike) with solid mechanicals, rather scruffy, and with very little chrome, is this lads steed. Two new Pirelli Night Dragons are being fitted this week.
I just rebuilt the cam chest and entire fuel system from a new tank, (new to me anyway, good used from Ebay), ALL tank interlals; pump, reg, filter, pipes, to efi unit over the past cooler months.
Never having fitted a completely new, dry, clean brake system before, your video info proved invaluable. Normal bleeding is easy, initial priming? Wotta bitch! Thanks.
Next ride? - likely to Monterrey, California to see an old military "brother" and wife.
Having subscribed, I'm sure I'll pick up many more usefull tips!
@@Dodger2879 Thank you for sharing the glorious story of your wonderful life.. i love the part about Neeyoo Yawkers... i think we have our version of those here too, pretty world side stereotype i guess..! Have a great ride to Monterrey and go safely out there brother..
Great video and excellent tip! Just replaced a master cylinder and after two hrs of fighting with it, went in the house and looked up your channel. Problem solved.
Glad it helped you my friend, have a good Sunday!
Thank you! Just what I needed, and you're the only place I have found it.
A lot of other videos: "Oh, this will be a waste of my time."
A Delboy video: "This guy knows what he's talking about, I'm sure the right information will be in here and easy to understand."
You're the man.
You are welcome, glad I could help!
you one of the greatest people worked on bikes thanks much keep up the good work
Thank you Sarmad, im glad you like the videos..
Your video just saved me from a lot of head scratching, again!!! Thanks 👍🏻
You're welcome!
Thanks so much, new master and dryish system and couldn't figure this out having little brake experience. Your video was super clear and was complete and braking strong in 10 minutes. Cheers!
You're most welcome, am glad it helped you!
Thanks for posting this one. I just had to redo front brakes on an old Virago from sitting. Took some time working on it and with your good video (not rushing through it), was able to tackle the entire rebuild, prime and bleeding to get them back in shape. Thanks very much
Get a mytivac! Also ditch the 6 pots for a radial conversation 2 finger braking 👍
Just used this method to prime the dry front lines on my brake upgrade and it worked a treat! Many thanks for all the great tutorials 👍🏻
Most welcome buddy, it's a little car mechanic's trick I picked up from my Dad!
Perfect timing. Just purchased new hoses for my tiger to remove the up and over pipes on the front. There is always a Delboy video when you need one!!! Cheers Del.
Thanks mate, good to hear from you, good luck with the job, hope it goes well, and have a great weekend mate!
Mate can I firstly say this vid saved my insanity trying to prime a bone-dry system. I have a 1995 VN800 turned into a bobber and in the final stages of the recent rebuild which included new bars and controls all in black. The last job which was frustrating me was the front brake, it had only a new MC and braded hose but certainly the system was empty and your vid was exceptional in its delivery and explanation so bravo. As a tip from me using your method to quicken the process for an empty hose fill it using a large plastic syringe (minus the needle which you can get from a chemist/pharmacist) this removed most of the air and was easily done. Made the job a bit quicker. Again many thanks for this vid would be at the local mechanics shop by now.
Most welcome Anthony, im glad it helped you.
I just wanted you to know, I was having big issues bleeding these calipers, I swapped them and the master cylinder from a Busa to a Triumph sprint 1050, talk about a pain in the arse to bleed. I watched your video and it worked, thank you so much, I watch all your videos, very entertaining, Mark!
Awesome Mark, it's great news it worked for you... and now you have a new skill you can pass on buddy! Have a great weekend.
Nice how to video Del. This one will help a lot of people for years to come. Penny and you have a relaxing weekend and stay warm over there mate. Cheers
Thanks mate, you too, have a wonderful weekend, and thank you as ever for your support, ride safe, D&Px
Awesome video. As usual, you passed on another trick of the trade!
I am about to rebuild both front and rear calipers on my "new" k2 gsx14 I got from my cousin!
Rear brake isn't too bad, but the front end is a mess. Brakes are grabbing too much, so dangerous. I have cleaned them, but I suspect it is even worst.
I did not make a perfect job of cleaning them, they were so dirty. 4 hours scrubing that black stuff, not all of it came out. with new pads pistons went in. Even if 5 piston work great and one is block, that is enough. And that is waht happened to me, so I decided to make a rebuilt.
Thanks for sharing Del
Thaaaaaaank you sooooo much!
I've been on this B for 2 days now. 20 minutes after this video it's done 👍 you rock 👊
Glad it helped buddy, doesn't it feel good when it finally works!
Brilliant video, saved me so much time!
You're welcome!
Second time I’ve watched this one. Ironically my TH-cam home page algorithm seems to know when I’m about to do a job in the garage now. Rebuilt calipers last night (pistons aren’t necessarily perfect but nothing was leaking before) and new braided hoses arriving today. Master cylinder rebuild this weekend also. Wouldn’t have ever attempted this build without your help Del.
Hi buddy, great to hear from you, am really glad this can help you, it's great to hear you're getting stuck i and doing the jobs yourself... glad the videos help, and do let us know how you get on! Have a great weekend, stay well, D&Px
Man u hv so much patience.I gave my mechanic a brand new master cylinder with the brake hose, the guy opened the master cylinder and damaged one rubber ring then he removed the old one from the old assembly and put it on the new piston in the master cylinder still not working properly even when the lever reaches the end the wheel barely stops.
Hi mate, top top, every day's a school day.. Never stop learning. I've rebuilt calipers and bled brakes changed hoses etc, but I'm no expert I've just learnt as I've gone along, and I like learning new skills and ideas.Cheers Del as always have a top weekend and ride safe, thanks mate.. 👍👍😎
Thanks mate, I feel exactly the same way, learn as much as I can from everything I take on, have a good weekend yourself!
Best video yet on this subject,, Having probs bleeding quad brakes, think I started with the pistons half out. Try again tonight lol
You sir are a life saver. Liked and subscribed.
Thanks for the sub mate, welcome aboard!
i had a problem with brake fluid won't bleed... i pushed the leaver for an hour almost... but i found easy solution : just blow in to the pipe (bottom end) so all air bubbles out from top... after that just few minutes and all good... just be careful not to taste brake fluid 😋
Excellent video as all of yours are. Thanks for the tips makes perfect sense.
Much appreciated Mort. Thanks for watching!
Nice and easy tip, thanks for the info about dot 4 and 5, I wasn't aware of the potential problems. Have a great weekend and see you next week.
Thanks Andy, it's a very important issue not to mix silicone brake fluid with anything else, I'll cover a few more tips about in following videos... it's also not good for ABD systems either as it tends to foam in the module on some bikes.
Would have never thought of that!
Nice one!
Thank you for the tutorial bro !!! So logical and easy ... wasted my time watching others but still not having any results on my new master cylinder. Thanks a million ! Liked, shared, and subsribed done 👍👍👍
Dry or not, occasionally I use a vacuum tool ( Mity Vac for example ) from the top. I made a small aluminum plate to cover the master cylinder which has a bleed nipple on top, two mounting screw holes in my case, and rubber gasket on the bottom. Put the plate over the master cylinder, screw it down if you can, attached the vacuum hose, and pump several times on the vacuum pump. At the same time, active the brake lever several times. My brake levers are well and truly hard as a rock if done right.
Huge help, just set up my new front end and never don’t hydraulic anything before and you just solved all my problems 🤙🏻
Most welcome, glad it helped you Sir.
Brilliant an informative.....certainly saved me a Ton of money.....Thank you
Thank you!! Trying to get my zzr 1100 ready for its mot .. my master cylinder was broke so I replaced it with another one and couldn't get it to bleed for love nor money. . Took that pipe off the caliper.. let it drain through, put it back on & she's mint 🤙
Good going mate, glad it worked for you!
holding my finger on the master cylinder while pumping just solved my issue THANKS!
Brilliant !, Just put new hoses on, wish i saw this before i pit them on !.
Jeeez dude....I tried to bleed my Hayabusa brakes today and did both calipers and mc last.No lever atall.Thanks for this mate.
Glad it helped buddy, and now you know how to do it!
@@Moonfleet41 When removing the lines from the cals to let fluid flow through the line what would you do with the line looping over the front mudguard going to the left caliper?
@@MrMurphc13 A piggy back system isn't standard on a Busa, more common on a Triumph.. but if that's the setup you have then you'll be better to just syringe it from the far caliper bleed valve right through the system up to the rez..!
@@Moonfleet41 I bled it today and I have a decent lever but it’s about 85% as hard a lever as I feel it should be.I pushed the the pads all the way back before I started also(new lines,new master cylinder...old pads(plenty of life in em)).
It’s gonna be more than likely that the last bit of air is in the far caliper?I bled more than 3 reservoirs though each cal and the mc.
@@Moonfleet41 ok mate.Thanks for the help and the videos.
Thanks for the video I bled the master cylinder and it worked like a charm.
Thanks. Well done. This will help me as I just swapped master cylinder and caliper from parts bike to my running '78 xs750 Yamaha. Cheers!
Thank you, very clear explanation...
Oh dude. Thankyou so much for this video. I changed my handlebars so I needed to change my front brake line for a longer one. So I thought you bleed like normal, and I pumped amd pumped, bled and bled but could not get any pressure in the line. I tried for days and days and even bought a new brake cylinder and still the same thing. So I gave up and said oh well I’ve got my back brakes. Then I thought I’ll see if anything on TH-cam and chose your because I seemed straight forward. And what do you know it worked after 20 min. Then bled the nipples with 2 bleeds and my grip is so firm now. Thanks buddy cheers
You are most welcome mate, im glad the video could help you out and get the job done.. Now you have another skill and can deal with this quickly in the future, take care and ride safe.. Del.
Never mind the detractors Del, this is really good advice.
There is no one watching this video who hasn’t at some time had a problem bleeding their brakes.
Great logical info.
Worked a treat today on my ZXR750 H1 clutch. Really great instruction
Another great video, still learning at 72....
Thankyou very much for such an informative tutorial, i could not work out what was wrong, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Glad it helped!
Thanks, now I have a better idea why my brakes are still mush after putting in new hoses. I did reverse fill them, but still nothing. I will try the gravity feed method and if that doesn't work, will take a better look at my pistons and their position.
Excellent cheers can you tell me the best way to clean the dirt ring from the piston cheers.
This may be a daft question, im having issues with my gsxr 1000. Ive put new braided lines on and am I correct that the holes in the hoses MUST align with the banjo bolt holes in order for it to flow from the banjo dowm through thr hoses. And if so, whats the best way to align the holes as you can only see them once they are seperated? As my.resevoir is not decreasing at all and im just wasting hours and believe it may be this?
Thanks
No need to align the holes mate, look inside the banjo union, you'll notice it has a recess all the way round and will feed fluid in any orientation... if you can't get it primed by this method, then try back bleeding it with a large syringe from the caliper bleed valve upwards...!
@@Moonfleet41 Thanks del. I tried reverse bleeding but the hose is taking on air and fluid so struggling feeding the caliper only fluid.
Great video mate, thanks very much I learned something here before putting on new hoses.
Cheers from deep in the Mtns of New York, My Brother!!! Have successfully bled brakes all my life, on countless cars > until now. I mean WTF I just put new Powerstop drilled/slotted rotors on my Genesis just this past weekend and it all went superb. Working on a 1988 Suzuki Quad whos front brakes were bone dry. You just saved me a probable day. 🦾 Thank You
Most welcome Sir, thank you for your kind words of support, am glad we could help!
How do you know if your finished gravity bleeding the caliper? When theres no air bubbles?
excellent video brother, presented perfectly.. many thanks and 🍻 to your hard work 😎🤙
Thank you so much Michael. So nice of you to say.
Very helpful video/tutorial. I do DIY work on my bike and car and I know how to bleed brakes - but I've struggled with a bleed on my Triumph Sprint with rebuilt calipers, master cylinder and braided lines. Very frustrating trying to pump fluid through a dry system - I've not tried it tbh, but I am revitalised and feel a little daft that I hadn't thought through what now seems 'obvious'
Glad to help buddy, hope you can sort it out!
Thanks so so much for this video. Cheers from Australia
Most welcome mate, hope things are getting back to normal for you down there in Oz, what a terrible time you've had.
I have a question. I did this job with a vacuum brake tool and an air compressor. I just just sucked the fluid using the tools and job done. Was right?
Will give this a go when my braided lines arrive. I thought the fluid would run out fast but clearly not. For this reason I guess there’s not much mess when reconnecting the hose.
Great stuff Delboy, thank you..
Glad you enjoyed it mate!
@@Moonfleet41 it’s
Your videos a nightly fix for me! Learning! I’m Still not well but your video’s are carrying me through for when I’m fit enough to service my bike, thank you
@@PaulR387 Thank you so much for such kind support Paul, it's an honour that our videos are of use and that you enjoy them.. We hope you're fit and well soon, and of course, please drop us a line if we can be of any help.. D&Px
brilliant, as i´m probably about to do this, and never thought about priming first.
Every day is a learning day. Cheers Del
After an hour of bleeding my freshly filled brake system earlier today and getting nowhere this video has simultaneously made me feel like an idiot and given me hope that the thing'll be on the road tomorrow!
Good luck with it mate. !
@@Moonfleet41 after lots of swearing and spilt brake fluid in the garage tonight i've still got nowhere. Even with the brake line off the caliper pulling the lever doesn't push fluid through, whereas it did before i removed and cleaned the pistons. Bleeding it like normal gets me some bubbles for a couple of pulls then nothing. Hoping there's just a very persistent air bubble somewhere in the system.
@@megasuperhyperspeed Sounds like you're having a bad day with it buddy.. it can drive you made aye.. have you tried injecting fluid up through the bleed valve with a big syringe...that works every time for sure, !!!
@@Moonfleet41 i've learnt not to try and finish a job at 9 in the evening after a shift at work! I did watch your video on using a syringe and that would have been my next attempt. Managed to get the line filled just by squeezing the lever for best part of an hour then could bleed it normally. Still got a slight rub but i'm hoping the ride to work and back will settle the pads where they should be.
@@megasuperhyperspeed Ok, if you've got a bit of pressure in there, then tape the brake lever into the grip over night and bleed it down again in the morning.. it'll be fine then buddy.!
Bleeding good educational video Del👌🏻
Extremely helpful thank you
Glad it helped, you're welcome!
Hi Del and Penny.
Love the educational videos as much as the build videos. Keep them coming!👍
Have a great weekend 😀
Good evening Harold, Thank you for your kind support as ever my friend, have a great weekend too.. D&Pxx
Thanks for another great video. If the bike's ABS (Honda) would there be anything additional you'd consider?
Awesome! Here we go 👌
TOP MAN EXCELLENT INFORMATION!!!!!!!!!
Excellent vid, thanks for that. Plenty of good information, good safety stuff.
Great information. But what is the process when bleeding a rear brake caliper two bleeder nipples, one high on the angle the other low? Given that the caliper had a complete cleaning and seal rebuild. Fluid remained in the res and the line. Thanks.
Just bleed one first, then push a few pumps through the other one if it's not running clear of air, not something you need to overthink mate!
Hello , great video ! i have been using your method and just wanted to ask at what point should you start and feel the brake lever "firm up" ? .. spent all yesterday trying to bleed up a completely drained system on my mrs`s scooter and just ended up in an endless cycle of bleeding off at the bleed nipple , then refilling the reservoir with the piston barely moving more than a mm or so , i got to the point of no bubbles and the system seemed at one point to be self siphoning... i have two thoughts 1) the master cylinder is not pressurising enough and or 2) the piston (which was fully retracted with a c clamp easily enough) is seized / damaged... any help /thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated..
Thanks Steve
Hi Steve.. I've been in that position so many times, it can truly drive you crazy... It sounds like you have some trapped air in the system that the fluid is bypassing, it can happen.. so try literally injecting the fluid backwards in through the bleed nipple using a large syringe so you chase the air out of the top... empty the reservoir first, and as you inject the fluid in you'll see the air bubble out of the top.. should firm up pretty much right away mate... Good luck, hope that helps.
Thanks for the reply ! i`ll give that a try ! i`ll keep you posed on the results ..cheers Steve
Hey dale, I just redid my entire front brake system with new Pistons o-rings etc and a brand new master. I let them 10 times and I'm getting no pressure although the bleeding valve shows no air and plenty of fluid in it. I'm guessing the Pistons are pushed down all the way in it's an old triumph speed triple t509. Anyways I'm guessing that the Pistons are getting pushed out because the fluid isn't getting under the piston and filling up the void should I pull them off and try to pull the Piston out a little bit so fluid can run behind them. And do you think that's the problem?
Ive ALWAYS primed everything i can be it a car or a bike, ive actually just rebuilt, today the 6 pot tokico's from my TL1000r, i use a syringe to fill both calipers thru' the banjo bolt hole, finger over hole, move it about so it gets into the space, then top up, have banjos n bolts ready, pour fluid into res', wait until it starts to piss out, fit bolts n tighten pull lever in+out...let go, loadsa bubbles, few more times, job done....but...if EVER stuck...try using a large syringe and start from bleed nipple and fill it 'backwards'...they can be a bastard to bleed if your inexperienced....this is also a good tip delboy 👍
Good advice indeed mate, i use a syringe a lot these days, often to backfill all the way to the top, then a quick bleed down to firm up the lever.. You need a decent quality heavy duty syringe to apply enough force, so the usual "chemist shop off the shelf item won't do... i use one of these, works really well, :- www.spanner-monkey.co.uk/oil-and-brake-fluid-inspection-syringe-200ml-120826?search=VS404&description=true
Hi Del! Going to be fitting a longer 1st line to my Speed Four (superbike bar conversion ) Bike has the Triumph 'piggy-back' system, would you just do the same gravity feed? Or would you 'prime' the new line using the m/cyl, (holding the 'free end up in the air) then connect to the rh caliper, & bleed as usual? (system is full, & working at the minute)
Sorry you answered my question I had to Pistons pushed all the way down but for some reason I am getting no pressure at all and I have fluid at the bleeder valves on both sides with no air coming out. Could it be the o-rings in the new Pistons are so tight I'm not getting any fluid under them at all I don't know what's going on
Thank you sir.
Great video, on my Honda there is a fitting on the caliper so that's the end of the system and I was able to bleed all the air.
Del when letting the fluid drip out into the catch can, do you let it run out completely from master cylinder for each line or keep topping up and when steady flow reconnect at calliper, but keeping fluid in the master at all times?
OMG if only I'd have known this a while back when I fitted braided lines to my RF 900 , it tuck me two days to do and I was going to give up . I got some extra length on my hoses as I want to put riser's on soon ,but I was convinced the extra length had made it impossible to bleed. I even tuck off the calipers and let them hang so the hoses where in a straight line . Anyway I finally got them . Cheers pal . I was thinking of putting braided hoses on my gsxs 1000 but after what iv been reading here on ABS systems I might give it a miss 😁 . Great stuff
After bleeding the system I was taught to tie down the lever over night to allow any air bubbles to reach the reservoir. I usually tie down the front brake lever to the handle bar and I'll tie down the rear brake lever to a kettlebell. It's always worked great for me on my 954 but I am just wondering what your opinion is on this method.
I've suggested this in many videos, it's a great practice after bleeding your system successfully to help sharpen it up a little more.
Great to know. I just bought my first car after about 10 years of nothing but motorcycles. Do you know if the same method applies to cars?
Thanks Del. Very useful tip!
Excellent Thanks!
I found on a couple of kawasakis there was air trapped in the master cylinder and cracking that top nut helped. I find "back bleeding" quite therapeutic. Thanks for the upload. Russ
Too true buddy, in fact, Wemoto sell a double banjo bolt for the master cylinder (if you're running twin lines), and it has a bleed nipple in the end of it.. so you can crack that last little void really easily and if you're back bleeding, just open that and it's a lot easier than pushing it through the master cylinder..! Hope life is good mate, and business is brisk..! ride safe,, Del.