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Crazy Front Brake Bleed Technique
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Crazy Front Brake Bleed TechniqueThis totally worked! Poor Virago hasn't been out in a while. Started with a mushy, mushy pull-to-the-grip lever. Yuck. So, bleed the brakes? no problem... Alas, master cylinder cover screws stripped. Two screw extractors, broken. Order a replacement master cylinder. :( ...
But I read about this trick. Squeeze the brake lever and zip tie it. Leave it overnight. Cut the zip tie in the morning -- holy smokes... PRESSURE. Squeeze and zip-tie again. Leave it through the day. Cut the zip tie in the evening -- holy &^%K... real pressure! Like, good-as-new pressure. Feels firm an hour later. Now, I did order a new master cylinder because I've always wanted one that sits more level than the stock MC, but... WOW. I can't believe that worked so well. __________________________
1982 XV920 Virago choppered up, then "euro-fied" with XV920R tank and and mid-set controls, 2-1 exhaust, mini flyscreen. Gone now to a good home...
Re: Crazy Front Brake Bleed TechniqueNot crazy. That is how I finish off all bleeding on bikes.
Jerry
92 xv 1100
Re: Crazy Front Brake Bleed TechniqueWell, I am still amazed at how well it worked. I'd read about doing that to get the last little bit of air out of a freshly bled system, but not resurrecting a super slack front brake without turning a single screw or cracking a single fitting. Pretty neato.
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1982 XV920 Virago choppered up, then "euro-fied" with XV920R tank and and mid-set controls, 2-1 exhaust, mini flyscreen. Gone now to a good home...
Re: Crazy Front Brake Bleed TechniqueI was impressed the first time I tried it too. I really didn't believe it would do much.
![]() Re: Crazy Front Brake Bleed TechniqueEver since i replaced my lever i have been riding around with no front breaks. i tried bleeding it a few times but nothing.
if i do want to use the front breaks i have to pump that lever a few times 10m before the stop to have a little bit of preasure. Now my question is....when i do the trick above, do i have to open the little Nipples on the caliper when the lever is tied up and leave it through the night....? 94 Virago 750 (1st Bike)
Custom Spray job (Silver with Purple Flames) (changed to matt black) Flame Grips (still have them) Flame mirrors (sold, got bar end mirrors) Straight bars (cleaned them up with Barebones diagram from TRV) Need to lower (done, front only) Need Billet Rear indicators (got them) Need new pegs (got them aswell) "Want" new forward controle (stuff it, like mid mount controls) "Want" 12" Apes...(might be on the way soon) End result, I Bobbed the sh!t out of this bike
![]() Re: Crazy Front Brake Bleed TechniqueBeen doing this for decades.
Re: Crazy Front Brake Bleed Technique
No, don't open up the bleeders at all, just pull it tight, and zip tie it near the end of the lever. I guess the theory is that it allows the system to remain open, allowing any air bubbles in the system to rise up through the lines and dissipate in the master cylinder reservoir. 1986 XV700 Virago
Single Hitachi HSC40 carb - K&N filter MAC Slash Cuts LS650 shocks
Re: Crazy Front Brake Bleed TechniqueIn my particular situation, I found that the effect was short lived. The brake would stay firm for a few hour before starting to soften up and eventually get completely mushed out again. I couldn't get the cover off of my master cylinder to bleed it properly, so I replaced the master with a generic dual disk unit from Mikes XS. Upside was a brand new MC and a level reservoir!
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1982 XV920 Virago choppered up, then "euro-fied" with XV920R tank and and mid-set controls, 2-1 exhaust, mini flyscreen. Gone now to a good home...
Re: Crazy Front Brake Bleed TechniqueThank you Darkhart i will try this tonight and leave it for two days. Another question that i just saw pop up above....i have a duel disc and caliper front setup but my
lever and MC is from a bike wil a single disc and caliper. Does that make any difference....? 94 Virago 750 (1st Bike)
Custom Spray job (Silver with Purple Flames) (changed to matt black) Flame Grips (still have them) Flame mirrors (sold, got bar end mirrors) Straight bars (cleaned them up with Barebones diagram from TRV) Need to lower (done, front only) Need Billet Rear indicators (got them) Need new pegs (got them aswell) "Want" new forward controle (stuff it, like mid mount controls) "Want" 12" Apes...(might be on the way soon) End result, I Bobbed the sh!t out of this bike
![]() Re: Crazy Front Brake Bleed TechniqueMadness takes it's toll - Please have exact change handy.
"Some say he eats Sid-chrome spanners for breakfast, and drinks brake fluid to wash them down, while others say he couldn't drive a greasy stick up a dogs date with a mallet, all we know is he's called HITCAINTGRUS (Head In The Clouds, @$$ IN The Gutter, R US) enterprises inc" (Said in your best Jeremy Clarkson voice impersonation).
Re: Crazy Front Brake Bleed TechniqueI found that bleeding into a container that has enough brake fluid to cover the end of the temporary bleeder hose works well. When I bled it into a catch container without the end of the hose covered the lever remained mushy.
Re: Crazy Front Brake Bleed TechniqueExplanation:
This is a way for smart (lazy? who cannot read manual?) people to avoid messy bleeding of master cylinder (hose to master cylinder bolt) The bolt is higher than master cylinder and it can hold air. When you pull/hold lever, you move bubble down the hose. Overnight air bubble moves up to bolt again, and when you release lever, it goes into master cylinder. Read manual how to bleed brakes! ![]() 82 VIRAGO XV920J
Re: Crazy Front Brake Bleed TechniqueWhen this thing doesn't work (at least not fast enough) I found an instant way to bleed my single disc brakes (should work just as well for twin discs, but will likely demand twice the effort) - I unbolted the caliper and forced the piston in. This rushed fluid up into the master pump, bringing with it all the air in the process. No more spongy brakes. I got the idea when I could not bleed the brakes the normal way and when the handle-to-the-grip method didn't work.
Re: Crazy Front Brake Bleed Technique
What the actual f**k???
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