Easy Way to Bleed Hydraulic Systems

Not being the most mechanical minded man on the forum I was wondering how to avoid a mess when bleeding the hydraulic systems. I wondered quite a while, about 3.5 years and 32,000 miles of wonderment to be exact.

Last April I even considered a Motion Pro Brake bleeder tool - that won't work for it has a 8mm socket built in - the FJR bleeders are 10mm.

Of course the idea was sitting in my garage the entire 3.5 years and 32,000 miles just above my used oil container. This is so easy even Fontanaman can do it so that means anybody with a wrench and a service manual is in.

Here is the mess free way to bleed your hydraulics:



Get a water bottle, hell an empty bottle of Jack would do if you like. What better way to honor Jack.

Get some vinyl hose with a 1/8 inch inside diameter. About 2 feet will do. Drill a hole in the bottle cap and fix the hose to the bottle cap with some silicone rubber adhesive. Let it sit 24 hours or so. Also drill a very small breather hole in the bottle, near the top would be ideal.

Now the bleeder valves have an 1/4 inch diameter so lube the bleeder valve with some DOT 4 then press end of the hose onto the valve. A tight fit is very important.

Follow the instructions in your service manual to bleed the hydraulics and enjoy a nearly mess free operation. I got this idea a long long time ago from where I don't know and re-discovered it today. It is helpful to have some thin plastic gloves - I don't like hydraulic fluid on my skin and invariably some clean up is necessary.

Great capture device.

Couple that to a set of speedbleeders and it is so simple that you can bleed the system every weekend if you like (assuming you crack open a freedh bottle of DOT 4 every time).

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=137835&view=findpost&p=858795

bramfrank said:

Great capture device.

Couple that to a set of speedbleeders and it is so simple that you can bleed the system every weekend if you like (assuming you crack open a freedh bottle of DOT 4 every time).

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=137835&view=findpost&p=858795

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If you have an air compressor, this tool is total money! $29.99 @ Harbor Freight. Perfect for flushing and bleeding the brakes and clutch fluid.

https://www.harborfreight.com/brake-fluid-bleeder-92924.html

No mess, and only 1 person needed.

Ed

Ride to FontanaDudes la casa.

Drink his booze.

Eat his food.

Let him have the, ahh, 'honor' of bleeding your brakes.

Ahh, great guy that RM doode, yes!

:lol:

dcarver said:

Ride to FontanaDudes la casa.

Drink his booze.

Eat his food.

Let him have the, ahh, 'honor' of bleeding your brakes.

Ahh, great guy that RM doode, yes!

:lol:

Click to expand...

Carver come on over I will have a empty break bleed bottle on my front porch.

Soes and adapter for the FJR Brake Fluid Reservoir come with this bleeder or did you just watch the level in the reservoir and refill as necessary?

DennisJ said:

Soes and adapter for the FJR Brake Fluid Reservoir come with this bleeder or did you just watch the level in the reservoir and refill as necessary?

Click to expand...

I just refilled the reservoir as needed. Be sure to use an unopened pint of DOT 4 as brake fluid attracts water the same way ethanol does.

/ Rant

I hate ethanol - our engines were designed to run on gas dammit not corn sh!t - and now, due to drought in the mid west the price of gas will go up even more, despite government subsidy. Grrrrrrr........

/ End Rant

Neat little home-made job, but since I bought the brake bleeding kit from Speedbleeder I'll never go back. It makes things SO much easier.

Speedbleeder doesn't seem to sell it anymore, but here it is at another place: Clicky.

Best $6 I've ever spent. The tubing is flexible like surgical tubing, and the bag can be sitting anywhere. No tip-overs, no spills, no hassle. I am in :wub: !!!

Hopefully, with your inventive new tool you won't wait 3 1/2 years for the next bleed job. I lost rear brake last month braking for a curve, zinging down a bendy mountain road...spooky. Brake inspection revealed corrosion on the back end of the bleed nipple indicating water in the system. From now on I'll replace brake/clutch fluid annually instead of every other year per manual.

Mitey-Vac is a very easy tool to use and works well.

leedavis said:

I lost rear brake last month braking for a curve, zinging down a bendy mountain road...spooky.

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You use your rear brake?

bramfrank said:

leedavis said:

I lost rear brake last month braking for a curve, zinging down a bendy mountain road...spooky.

Click to expand...

You use your rear brake?

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Yes, when the rear faded I was 2/3 of the way down the mountain setting up a hairpin working both front and rear brakes (04 = no linked brakes). Though the front brake was doing most of the work, losing the rear caused a moment of WTF. Adding to the problem I was shooting video of a fast rider so doing more than usual braking and acceleration to stay a constant distance behind him.

Motion Pro also makes a 10mm "Mini Bleeder" for our Gen II+ FJR's. In case you're not familiar with this little gem, it is a one-way check valve incorporated into a socket. You can open it once, pump your system until it's free of air/contaminated fluid (refilling the master cylinder reservoir as needed during the procedure) close it. Done.

Yes, the thing is probably too expensive but it sure works well. I think it's a good idea to safety wire the vinyl hose to the device so it can't leak.

Oh, does anyone know the best way to dispose of used brake fluid? It's nasty, toxic stuff. I've been pouring it into some silty dirt and tossing that into a bag and into the trash. Does ANYTHING neutralize brake fluid?

20valves said:

Motion Pro also makes a 10mm "Mini Bleeder" for our Gen II+ FJR's. In case you're not familiar with this little gem, it is a one-way check valve incorporated into a socket. You can open it once, pump your system until it's free of air/contaminated fluid (refilling the master cylinder reservoir as needed during the procedure) close it. Done.
Yes, the thing is probably too expensive but it sure works well. I think it's a good idea to safety wire the vinyl hose to the device so it can't leak.

Oh, does anyone know the best way to dispose of used brake fluid? It's nasty, toxic stuff. I've been pouring it into some silty dirt and tossing that into a bag and into the trash. Does ANYTHING neutralize brake fluid?

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At least in my town you can dispose of hazardous waste stuff like this (used motor oil, unused paint, etc.) at our DPW monthly.

Sorry Jim.. Seems the consensus indicates (as always) you must spend large amounts of cash to be a cool kid..

Then again drool cups on the short bus are free

Bustanut joker said:

Sorry Jim.. Seems the consensus indicates (as always) you must spend large amounts of cash to be a cool kid..Then again drool cups on the short bus are free

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:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

See??? You can be (somewhat) on topic and a phunny phucker at the same time! Now if we could just work on that FUGLY mug of yours.........

SkooterG said:

Bustanut joker said:

Sorry Jim.. Seems the consensus indicates (as always) you must spend large amounts of cash to be a cool kid..Then again drool cups on the short bus are free

Click to expand...

See??? You can be (somewhat) on topic and a phunny phucker at the same time! Now if we could just work on that FUGLY mug of yours.........

Click to expand...

Shut it squidface..

900gc said:

20valves said:

Motion Pro also makes a 10mm "Mini Bleeder" for our Gen II+ FJR's. In case you're not familiar with this little gem, it is a one-way check valve incorporated into a socket. You can open it once, pump your system until it's free of air/contaminated fluid (refilling the master cylinder reservoir as needed during the procedure) close it. Done.
Yes, the thing is probably too expensive but it sure works well. I think it's a good idea to safety wire the vinyl hose to the device so it can't leak.

Oh, does anyone know the best way to dispose of used brake fluid? It's nasty, toxic stuff. I've been pouring it into some silty dirt and tossing that into a bag and into the trash. Does ANYTHING neutralize brake fluid?

Click to expand...

At least in my town you can dispose of hazardous waste stuff like this (used motor oil, unused paint, etc.) at our DPW monthly.

Click to expand...

Same here. Our Department of Environmental Quality has collection sites in many convenient places. They'll take up to 5 gallons at a time -- what they call "household quantities."

I love ingenious DIY tools, especially if they work well. :thumbsup:

Has anyone ever made a good reverse flow, pressure bleeder (i.e. push the fluid up into the reservoir from the bottom bleeder)?
That would be the cat's ass, IMO, especially for doing clutch slaves. It's always a bit tough to get all of the air out from the bottom bleeders since the tubing is near vertical in some places. Going backwards the bubbles' natural buoyancy would aid in the bleeding.

The toughest part would be designing a tight enough seal at the bleed nipple so you don't introduce any air there.