Brake fluid

[chief]

i've had several, have two now... they always worked very well for me.

[CDNRatMan]

Fill it with gas and tag it with an incendiary round.

Don't tempt me

oh my side is so sore from laughing because I have never seen 49 shoot and so I am just poking the big bad bear here, I have heard sometimes it is safer to stand in front of the target when some people shot because they never hit the target.....lol.....ok rabbit trails again......Chief going to get mad at us....

[49Reo]

Don't tempt me.....

[DC]

. . . . . . I decided to buy the nice "might-vac" from Harbor Freight last year, what a piece. Think I am going to set it out at about 250 yards and take a poke at it with something with a large bore.....

Fill it with gas and tag it with an incendiary round.            

[49Reo]

I have bled the brakes on vehicles by myself, putting a piece of rubber hose over the bleed screw and into a container of brake fluid; fill master cylinder, pump it through, taking care to always maintain a level in the master cylinder. I decided to buy the nice "might-vac" from Harbor Freight last year, what a piece. Think I am going to set it out at about 250 yards and take a poke at it with something with a large bore.....

[greenbarn]

I always just use the master cylinder to pump the fluid through - except for very infrequent instances when that doesn't work for some reason.  It's just a lot simpler, no extra tools to clean up, and works just as well.  Only drawback is you need a helper if you can't reach the brake pedal and the bleeder at the same time - but you can usually on a bike.  I just did the flushed the rear fluid on mine last weekend and it only took about 5 minutes.

[DC]

I will probably go back to what someone here recommended to me a while back.  Just get a syringe and some plastic tubing.

[CDNRatMan]

  good to know because I have one on order so I'll have to watch for that .......

[John Hopkins]

I agree with this, mine works fine but if you put the fluid container on facing the wrong way round you will get all of the above problems..

John.

[smokey422]

I bought one of those. . . the higher-end model made out of metal.  They have mixed reviews.  It's hit or miss with these.  I knew that going in and thought I'd take a chance on it anyway.  In my case, the one I got, just plain didn't work.

I had just finished replacing clutch master and slave cylinders on my old car.  Then it was time to bleed the clutch system.  All the fittings fit tight enough.  The unit is supposed to create a vacuum, and all it does is hiss and leak air.  It's not capable of creating a vacuum.  The needle on the gauge never moved.  I tried plugging up one of the places it was leaking air from, but it was still leaking in other places.  . . . . . . I'll just do it manually.  This piece of garbage is going back.

Read the reviews on these.  Sometimes you get a good one and sometimes you get a bad one.  Good luck.

Sorry to hear about your problems, the one I've got is a plastic one and has worked fine for years. As you say, sometimes it's in the luck of the draw.
Smokey

[49Reo]

A word of caution. Brake fluid is not friendly to paint. Be careful not to spill any on your paint job, or you will be very angry with yourself....

[DC]

I bought one of those. . . the higher-end model made out of metal.  They have mixed reviews.  It's hit or miss with these.  I knew that going in and thought I'd take a chance on it anyway.  In my case, the one I got, just plain didn't work.

I had just finished replacing clutch master and slave cylinders on my old car.  Then it was time to bleed the clutch system.  All the fittings fit tight enough.  The unit is supposed to create a vacuum, and all it does is hiss and leak air.  It's not capable of creating a vacuum.  The needle on the gauge never moved.  I tried plugging up one of the places it was leaking air from, but it was still leaking in other places.  . . . . . . I'll just do it manually.  This piece of garbage is going back.

Read the reviews on these.  Sometimes you get a good one and sometimes you get a bad one.  Good luck.

[smokey422]

I didn't mention it in my original post but a Mity-Vac is worth its' weight in gold when bleeding clutches and brakes. And if you change fluids yearly you will find you have far less problems with rebuilds and dragging brakes.
Smokey

[chief]

Click on the AMAZON STORE link on the home page and you can find and order Mity Vac and other stuff from our Amazon Store. We get a commission which is put back into supporting the site.

[CDNRatMan]

Harbour Freight and look for a Mity Vac.......

[John Hopkins]

Bleeding brakes and clutch can be very easy or hard..

This is the best way and also the easiest..

Buy a hand held vacuum pump and bleeder kit ( if you don't know what it is just google WPI TECHNIC item # 5202..and buy something that looks like it) they cost about $30 and come with full instructions..

It will take about fifteen minutes to bleed your bike properly..follow the assembly instructions carefully the first time you use it and clean it and put it away until next time.

John.

[smokey422]

I second Troll's suggestion. I usually just go to the auto parts store and they usually have DOT 4 in stock there.
Smokey

[Troll]

D.O.T. 4 from a sealed container. I would buy 2 12 oz containers and keep one closed. Depending on how good you are at bleeding, one should be enough...but if you run out, you have a spare.......

[Anti-hero]

Anybody know a recommendable brake fluid and how much I would need? Looking to change my brake fluid first time doing it as well thought I save a few bucks doing it myself and gain some experience thanks guys...