Bleeding brakes... Is this the best way?

[copthis1]

I copied this from another site.....any comments?


I flush 'em backwards. both at work, and on the bike. Go get yourself two of the big plastic syringes and about a foot of hose. you can pick 'em up at most hardware stores. I'm talking about the big plastic ones, not the ones you use to shoot your black tar heroine, get those for free from the needle exchange program at your local rehab or hospital.

Put a couple inches of hose on the end of each syringe. One will become you're "fresh clean new syringe" and one will be a dirty and infected syringe (keep this one out of your arm...).

Suck all the fluid out of the reservoir with one syringe, and put it into a disposable container.

Suck new fluid into syringe 2, and attach to the bleeder.

Crack the bleeder, and slowly but firmly push the fluid through the caliper, and you'll see the dirty, old fluid move into the reservoir.

Close the bleeder screw.

Repeat until reservoir is filled to the proper level with new, clean fluid.

[copthis1]

I'm looking for the easiest way as I'm totally crap with a spanner and all my tools come from Poundland   

[David W]

I'd add two things.
The fluid is going to fire out the top of the reservoir at a fair rate.
I'd take the pads out, clean the Pistons and then push them right back into the calipers so that they don't get any bubbles trapped behind them.

Do they need bleeding because they are spongy or do you just need clean fluid?

[copthis1]

I'd add two things.
The fluid is going to fire out the top of the reservoir at a fair rate.
I'd take the pads out, clean the Pistons and then push them right back into the calipers so that they don't get any bubbles trapped behind them.

Do they need bleeding because they are spongy or do you just need clean fluid?

Dirty fluid........think it's about 8 years old, but brakes work ok.

[David W]

In that case just pump new stuff in through the master cylinder and out the calipers.  Just make sure you keep the master cylinder topped.  Piece of piss.