[sirbikesalot]

Ok, I've had it with DOT fluid. I don't care what kind of brake system it is, that crap gets all over, and it's toxic. Just today I tried to bleed a rear Hayes caliper that was stuck and I ended up pressurizing it and then DOT fluid sprayed all over. I mean all over. It was everywhere. This sucks! If I have to deal with the soul-crushing experience of bleeding brakes and getting fluid all over it's going to be mineral oil because at least that's not harmful of make my hands itch when I get it on me like DOT.

So...what do you folks recommend: Shimano, or Magura, or some other brand that I don't know about that uses mineral oil?

 

[dogonfr]

:lol: Dont try working on a car or many motos, stick to the shop. :cornut:

 

[ver-T]

I'm curious if it was the hose comming off the caliper that caused the fluid leak. The regular hayes bleed kit is kind of a joke. I had an issue with the hose from the fluid bottle comming off the fitting on the caliper. In their bleed video they recommend using a compression bushing over the hose and fitting but do not include one in the kit. I saw the other day they sell a "pro" bleed kit that looks like what the bleed kit should have been all along. Anyway, if you like the Hayes brakes (bleeding headaches aside) I don't think it's worth changing them out for something else over some issues on a bleed. Sh1t happens and at the risk of sounding like a dick if that constitutes a "soul-crushing experience" for you then you need to HTFU . I'd recommend at least wearing some gloves (nitrile or other) while bleeding and having a rag or 2 with isopropyl alcohol handy to wipe off any fluid.

 

[Brewtality]

Like most things in life, bleeding brakes gets easier with experience. It used to take me all day to bleed brake systems. Now I can do both brakes in about 15 minutes, with very few messes (Just did some Hayes Nines two nights ago.)
One trick I figured out was to pick up a 'One Person Bleed Kit' from an auto parts store. I use it along with the Hayes bleed kit. The automotive bleed kit bottle is attached to the hose at the brake lever and zip-tied to the handlebar. The Hayes bleed bottle is used at the caliper the push the brake fluid through the system. I keep a large bottle of isopropyl alcohol open on the work bench. I just simply flush away any spills by pouring the alcohol over the drips.
Another trick is to keep some old brake pads around and install them during the bleeding process. That prevents contaminating your new pads. I have some cheapo aftermarket pads that have never been used for anything but bleeding.

 

[qkenuf4u]

hmmm guess i know why i like my 755's so much..... bleeder nipples on the calipers so hook up my mity-vac, pull cover off master, suck thru with mity-vac and keep resy full..... 2 minutes and done.... no mess.......
oh and DOT fluid is water soluable so ya just wash it all off with soap/water... wear gloves if youre allergic to it...

 

[006_007]

If I have to deal with the soul-crushing experience of bleeding brakes and getting fluid all over it's going to be mineral oil because at least that's not harmful of make my hands itch when I get it on me like DOT.

So...what do you folks recommend: Shimano, or Magura, or some other brand that I don't know about that uses mineral oil?

I would suggest wearing nitrile gloves when working on the brakes. cost about $12 for a box of 100 and helps prevent itch. Plus your skins natural oils will not contaminate the rotor either.

 

[Tzvia]

The first time I tried to bleed my Strokers with that crappy standard Hayes bleed kit, I discovered rather quickly that the bottle/hose would pop off the bleed nipple :madman: and DOT would fling out the hose in a lovely arch as it fell. Having a bike rolling around too is bad news when trying to do this sort of thing 'one person' so used this as my last straw and went and bought a Park repair stand (best tool I ever bought for a bike.)

I didn't have a compression bushing, but found a plastic washer that fit, and duct taped a re-usable zip tie to the bottle, to hang it from the tire that I had prevented from rotating with another tie. I put another zip tie on the bottle on the lever for a 'look Ma, no hands' setup; with the bike on my Park repair stand.

NOW I was ready to bleed it. Slowly squeezed the bottle at the caliper end, while rotating caliper as per Hayes video. Did this a few times, watching for leaks from either end, and rags/alcohol at the ready. Finally get clear fluid- my previous fiasco had allowed much air in- another squeeze, and closed both ends. Wiped down both ends with alcohol, re-aligned brakes with feeler gauge (second best tool I have ever bought for my bike) and I am done. Not one drip of DOT.

With a few simple mods, that crappy Hayes kit can be made into a real bleed kit. The bottles I use are .99cent store picnic mustard bottles, and I also found some more hose there. You can find bushings at home-improvement stores/hardware or possibly automotive. Yes the stupid little compression bushing should come in the Hayes kit-even the basic kit IMO. But I was able to put together a nice bleed kit after stepping back and identifying all the problems and making cheap solutions (except for Park stand, which was not specific for bleed kit only, get bike held solid somehow.)

Next time your brakes need bleeding, you will either take it to the shop, or you will have to do it yourself. If you decide to do it yourself, you will have to get/make a bleed kit that works without having to fight it or it will be rather unpleasant experience, Dot or mineral oil. Maybe it's less of an issue if it's mineral oil flinging out the hose, but frankly I would rather be bleeding the brakes and not painting the walls with mineral oil.

 

[dogonfr]

Air hose from a pet store comes in 2 sizes, put the small ID piece into the larger ID, the smaller has is a nice snug fit just like the large on a moto nipple. Old DOT bottle with safety wire to hang off the handlebar for a catch tank. :thumbsup:

 

[clutch_08]

get some bb7 youll never have to deal with any fluid again

 

[Kona0197]

Let the LBS deal with bleeding.

 

[9speed]

Ok, I've had it with DOT fluid. I don't care what kind of brake system it is, that crap gets all over, and it's toxic. Just today I tried to bleed a rear Hayes caliper that was stuck and I ended up pressurizing it and then DOT fluid sprayed all over. I mean all over. It was everywhere. This sucks! If I have to deal with the soul-crushing experience of bleeding brakes and getting fluid all over it's going to be mineral oil because at least that's not harmful of make my hands itch when I get it on me like DOT.

So...what do you folks recommend: Shimano, or Magura, or some other brand that I don't know about that uses mineral oil?

lol

been there done that... sprayed dot 4 all over the telly, my floorstanding speakers, my amplifier, the rug, the frame, the wheels, me, the girlfriend, my mum, the dog....

I found it was NOT quite as corrosive as some suggest. No need for major anxiety, just a bit. As long as you mop it up quickly, no harm results. However, I have noticed that just a couple of spills took the transfer graphics off my SRAM shifters.. which ticked me off a bit...

You got to be real careful, make sure everything is on tight, and keep pushing things on tight intermittantly... helps to have 4 hands but hey, ... I found bleeding a disc brake is like performing heart surgery. There is a real art to it.

As for letting the LBS do the bleeding? No, that's a cop out. And they can't possibly get as good a bleed as a man who loves his bike, knows his brakes, and who is willing to spend the time needed to get a perfect bleed. A shop will not do this.

 

[9speed]

Air hose from a pet store comes in 2 sizes, put the small ID piece into the larger ID, the smaller has is a nice snug fit just like the large on a moto nipple. Old DOT bottle with safety wire to hang off the handlebar for a catch tank. :thumbsup:

I prefer the two syringe method, and last time I pushed fluid to and fro, up and down the system whilst tapping and twisting, before a final push uphill and got it I think perfect... feels better than the shop bleeds and stock bike brakes I have felt anyway....

 

[9speed]

The first time I tried to bleed my Strokers with that crappy standard Hayes bleed kit, I discovered rather quickly that the bottle/hose would pop off the bleed nipple :madman: and DOT would fling out the hose in a lovely arch as it fell. Having a bike rolling around too is bad news when trying to do this sort of thing 'one person' so used this as my last straw and went and bought a Park repair stand (best tool I ever bought for a bike.)

I didn't have a compression bushing, but found a plastic washer that fit, and duct taped a re-usable zip tie to the bottle, to hang it from the tire that I had prevented from rotating with another tie. I put another zip tie on the bottle on the lever for a 'look Ma, no hands' setup; with the bike on my Park repair stand.

NOW I was ready to bleed it. Slowly squeezed the bottle at the caliper end, while rotating caliper as per Hayes video. Did this a few times, watching for leaks from either end, and rags/alcohol at the ready. Finally get clear fluid- my previous fiasco had allowed much air in- another squeeze, and closed both ends. Wiped down both ends with alcohol, re-aligned brakes with feeler gauge (second best tool I have ever bought for my bike) and I am done. Not one drip of DOT.

With a few simple mods, that crappy Hayes kit can be made into a real bleed kit. The bottles I use are .99cent store picnic mustard bottles, and I also found some more hose there. You can find bushings at home-improvement stores/hardware or possibly automotive. Yes the stupid little compression bushing should come in the Hayes kit-even the basic kit IMO. But I was able to put together a nice bleed kit after stepping back and identifying all the problems and making cheap solutions (except for Park stand, which was not specific for bleed kit only, get bike held solid somehow.)

Next time your brakes need bleeding, you will either take it to the shop, or you will have to do it yourself. If you decide to do it yourself, you will have to get/make a bleed kit that works without having to fight it or it will be rather unpleasant experience, Dot or mineral oil. Maybe it's less of an issue if it's mineral oil flinging out the hose, but frankly I would rather be bleeding the brakes and not painting the walls with mineral oil.

I use a mop resting on the handlebars near the lever.. I attach pipecleaner to this mop to keep syringe at lever aloft.. and I use another pipecleaner hanging on a wheel spoke to keep the caliper syringe at the correct orientation....

 

[Joel.]

get some bb7 youll never have to deal with any fluid again

Yeah just brakes that are a huge downgrade then the ones he has.

 

[herbn]

little zip ties to hold the bleeding hose on the sh!ty little bleed valve;6mm is gram weenie small, and if they were a little longer too , and if they didn't get crushed either... That's about all i got that no one seems to have mentioned, they're talking about a "compression bushing" doesn't sound as secure as a tiny zip tie out of the home depot assortment, i use the black ,white and red ones for stuff on my bike that's kind of permanent and the green and yellow ones as disposable. Motorcycle brakes are easier,i think half of it is that you have a reservoir attached securely as part of the system.

 

[clutch_08]

Yeah just brakes that are a huge downgrade then the ones he has.

yeah but you dont have to mess with brake fluid. and there good brakes

 

[dogonfr]

I prefer the two syringe method, and last time I pushed fluid to and fro, up and down the system whilst tapping and twisting, before a final push uphill and got it I think perfect... feels better than the shop bleeds and stock bike brakes I have felt anyway....

I use the syringe but the Hayes caliper nipple is slightly undersized and the smaller hose fits it perfect, just another method of handling the situation pre Hayes video. :thumbsup:

 

[Joel.]

yeah but you dont have to mess with brake fluid. and there good brakes

They are good brakes, but hydros are alot better then mechanical.

 

[Kona0197]

As for letting the LBS do the bleeding? No, that's a cop out. And they can't possibly get as good a bleed as a man who loves his bike, knows his brakes, and who is willing to spend the time needed to get a perfect bleed. A shop will not do this.

I disagree. There are some really god shops around here that do a really good job. I don't want to mess with bleeding. Let them do it. And yes I love my bike just as much as you.

 

[9speed]

I disagree. There are some really god shops around here that do a really good job. I don't want to mess with bleeding. Let them do it. And yes I love my bike just as much as you.

if you learn to do it yourself you will feel more of a man and your woman will love you more for it.

other men will admire you and birds will sing every morning outside your window.