Seriously!!!

[bear]

I needed to put new pads on the back of "ole blue" so I went to the local Honda shop to get some and they wanted $36 plus tax! I told them what they could do with that!!! got them online for $15 from A&J. Now heres my issue, since I had the rears off I decided to take the whole system apart and give it a good cleaning, even took the master apart and cleaned it up! I've got it all back together but I cant get them to bleed! I was told it is almost impossible to do w/o a vacuum bleeder, is this right? or does someone have some secret way of doing this?!

[G-ray]

Easiest way I know is to get a top for a gear oil bottle, the pointy one. Screw the bleeder screw all the way out. Put the gear oil cap on the bottle of brake fluid and stick it in the bleed screw hole and squeeze it till the fluid comes up in the master cylinder. once you do that put the screw back in and bleed it normally by pushing the pedal and cracking the screw till all the air is out. shouldn't be much at all.

[tech611]

this always work for me on stuborn air pockets make sure master cylinder is full if u have a helper its alot easier put cap on loosen bleeder slightly depress pedal slowly stop about 3/4 way down tighten bleeder release pedal let sit for a few seconds then repeat till all air is clear make sure to recheck fluid level if you pump the pedal your only pushing the air pocket back and fourth

[SLESTAK75]

You could just the Flintstone method of braking. Just make sure to give yourself a tad bit of extra room. Those are some good tips guys.

[bear]

Thanks for the tips guys, I actually found a buddy of mine who has the vacuum pump for bleeding them! I'm going to pick it up in the morning, he said it makes the job a piece of cake, so I cant wait to try it!!!

[xlint89]

Another good method is to use a syringe and inject brake fluid into the bleeder screw until it pushes up into the master cylinder.

That way any air bubbles inside the lines goes up (the way air normally wants to travel) . With the vacuum bleeder, you're trying to pull the air bubbles down.

Just another option for you to consider.

[Masteryota]

I have to agree with xlint and g-ray, almost anything giving me trouble bleeding, I force fluid through the caliper via the bleeder, it does tend to make a mess though.

I have had issues with vacuum bleeders actually pulling air into a system with a full master cylinder, and thats why I don't own one.

[jpman]

find tubing that fits over the end of the bleeder, put the other end in a container of brake fluid, slowly pump the pedal. It will push fluid and the air into the container which since submersed wont let air back into the system.

[bear]

Well as only my luck will run, I got the vacuum bleeder kit from my buddy today, and set to bleeding my brakes. I got the back brakes working great(started with furthest away) and went to work on the two front and I cannot get either on of them to bleed, and I've tried everything you guys have suggested so far too! I checked to make sure all is lined up right(which it is) I can even hear it sucking air when I use the vacuum system but I cannot get any fluid to run thru the caliper from the master resavior, I'm frustrated and stumped for the day! I'll try something else tomarrow, any thoughts?!

[G-ray]

Do you have a dual master cylinder? Separate front and rear. If so you might need to back off on the pushrod for the front. If it's too far in the piston can cover the hole to the reservoir and you won't be able to bleed it.

[bear]

I didn't change any setting on it when I took it apart, just cleaned it up and put it back together, and they worked before. I've abviuosly put something together out of whack though, so I'll tackle it some more, and tear it down again if need be, luckily its almost as fun working on these as it is riding them (sometimes)!!! lol

[SYCARMS]

Rule, on a single master start with the furthest, with a dual piston master start with closest to master. The reason is with the dual piston if bleeding the back first by the time you get to the front the rear push rod will keep the rod for the front brakes from pushing the piston. In this case take the adjustment out for the rear and you will be able to adjust the front.

[bear]

Thanks for the advice Tom, I've got brakes all around now, but the front still seem weak, although I'm stopping good it feels mostly like the rears doing most of the gripping is that normal?

[SYCARMS]

How it normally works depends on what master cyl. you have. If the single piston master the cylinder is metered as such, the rear will apply first, the front will lag behind so as not to cause nose dive. If brakes are applied progressively at a point the rear will be the first to lock up with the front to follow. On a dual piston master the piston rods are individually adjustable so you will have control of when the brakes apply through adjustment of the individual rods.

TOM

[bear]

Ok that makes sense to me, I've got the old single piston mastercylinder, so they are working as they should. I guess I just did'nt notice the process before I got to working on them! thanks for the info Tom!

[SYCARMS]

My pleasure.