Need help on bleeding brakes!

[blackhillsbiker]

My 06 has 16,000 miles on it so figured I'd change out the brake fluid in clutch and brakes. Clutch no problem. THen to brakes. I was using a mity-vac for the first time and wife helping with keeping enough brake fluid in master cylinder(s). THe fluid drained so fast wife didn't keep up and sucked air into system on front brakes and also on front end bleeder line that seems to go to the back brakes (linked). Put more fluid through front and got the air out and it's working right. However, I've flushed the rear (both the front to back "linked line and the rear line) twice - put at least 3 pint bottles of brake fluid through, and still can't get the back to firm up. Have to depress the rear brake pedal twice as far as before to get anything to happen - just not as firm and immediate as it should be. Have done this all using mity-vac. I don't know/understand how all the "plumbing" is connected with the linked brakes and ABS. I did flush things in the order as prescribed in the shop manual.

Anyone have an idea of what else to try (some trick of the trade) to get my rear brake working right? Wife and I off on 1500 mile Yellowstone trip on Wednesday so will have to try to get it into dealer Monday or Tuesday if I can't figure it out myself.

Also the question of whether the whole ABS setup is working right - manual said to do some sort of check but I don't have the know-how/right equipment to do what they show??

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Toecutter]

Try tying down the brake pedal as far as possible and letting it sit that way overnight, to allow trapped air to migrate back to the reservoir.

 

[wfooshee]

Personally I think the Mighty-Vac is overrated. Since you can reach the brake lever or pedal and the bleed screw at the same time I don't see the point. Just bleed it manually, the old fashioned way. Open bleed screw, apply brake, close bleed screw, release brake, repeat ad nauseum, with the occasional peek into the reservoir to top it off.

Things like the Mighty-Vac are made for two reasons: To allow one person to bleed brakes that he can't reach both ends of, and to separate shadetree mechanics from their money because they have to have to coolest gizmo.

That said, I haven't the foggiest notion of the proper procedure to bleed the ABS system, and you may have some air in there but I don't think that would affect initial pedal action.

 

[madmike2]

Even when I use my mighty-vac to bleed my brakes I always "finish" the job the old fashioned way, pressurizing the system by depressing the brake pedal or squeezing the the brake or clutch handle.

You can do as Toecutter suggested or try tapping the hoses and slave cylinders with a plastic hammer (screw driver handle, etc., whatever) to dislodge any air bubbles trapped in a casting crevasse, etc.

Sometimes I have simply let the bike set for 1/2 day and then bled the system using the pedal/handle to pressurize and gotten the last bit of air out.

Good luck.

 

[Patriot]

You have linked brakes between the fron and the back

See Help Here

google is your friend; search "bleed brakes site:fjrforum.com"

?????? site:fjrforum.com

you might consider getting a service manual

Yammy FJR1300 Service Manual

hope this helps

let's ride safe and be careful out there,

Mike in Nawlins'

 

[dangerranger]

I had the same problem with my 06 . Had to pump the rear brakes three time to get acceptable pedal response. posting the problem on the forum i was able to figure it out. you have to bleed the rear brak caliper first than you have to bleed the anti lock inter conect on the right front caliper (using the rear foot pedal to pump and bleed with). either way it is the caliper up front that has dual bleeders. This should fix your problems.

Good luck

 

[blackhillsbiker]

I had the same problem with my 06 . Had to pump the rear brakes three time to get acceptable pedal response. posting the problem on the forum i was able to figure it out. you have to bleed the rear brak caliper first than you have to bleed the anti lock inter conect on the right front caliper (using the rear foot pedal to pump and bleed with). either way it is the caliper up front that has dual bleeders. This should fix your problems.
Good luck

When you say bleed the antilock interconnect on the right front caliper, exactly what is that? Does that have to do with the bleeder in the center of the right front caliper? Or is it someplace else?

 

[wfooshee]

I think he means the linked front brake. It's a pair of pistons all its own on the front caliper, and from your other posts you already know where it is. That's a long line, though, and I think it goes up before it comes back down, making a nice air trap unless you can get a steady flow. I don't actually know the routing of the line so I might be full of it, but if it's got a high spot, that might be the problem.

 

[RadioHowie]

Back in the old days, I had a couple of Fiats that required rebleeding constantly. Natural rubber seals go bad REAL fast. I simply took a REAL long bleeding tube and ran it from my bleeders back to the reservoir. Pump REAL slow to prevent bubbling and the reservoir never emptied, since it was being refilled from the bleeder.

NOT something you'd want to do with old fluid in the system, but after a flush, and the system contains nothing but clean, fresh fluid, anyone see anything wrong with this method?

 

[wfooshee]

I've been known to pour fluid from the catch bottle back into the reservoir when it's a clean system. But I don't think running the bleeder right back to the reservoir is a good idea, you can't help but pump bubbles into the reservoir.

So with you and me as the authority on this, what do you think the acceptance level will be among our "friends?"

 

[bramfrank]

I don't need help bleeding my brakes because I installed Speedbleeders the first time around.

 

[Constant Mesh]

https://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/tech/brak...n/photo_01.html

 

[Crash Cash]

I don't need help bleeding my brakes because I installed Speedbleeders the first time around.

I tried Speedbleeders again this weekend, because I got some cheap. They ended up being more hassle than they were worth. First, the nipple was too small for my line to stay on, and the line stayed on the OEM clutch & caliper. Second, even though I tried the grease around the threads bit, I couldn't get it all around the clutch bleeder and still had air bubbles.

In the end, I tossed them, and I'm doing my brakes & clutch by myself, so I hoped they'd help.

 

[dangerranger]

I had the same problem with my 06 . Had to pump the rear brakes three time to get acceptable pedal response. posting the problem on the forum i was able to figure it out. you have to bleed the rear brak caliper first than you have to bleed the anti lock inter conect on the right front caliper (using the rear foot pedal to pump and bleed with). either way it is the caliper up front that has dual bleeders. This should fix your problems.
Good luck

When you say bleed the antilock interconnect on the right front caliper, exactly what is that? Does that have to do with the bleeder in the center of the right front caliper? Or is it someplace else?

If you look on the caliper on the right front it has two seperate bleeders. the one closest to the fork tube is the actual bleeder for the front caliper . the one that is out in the open is actually conected to the front caliper, the rear braking system and the abs control module. if you pump your rear brake pedal and open this bleeder that should get rid of your traped air.

 

[RadioHowie]

I've been known to pour fluid from the catch bottle back into the reservoir when it's a clean system. But I don't think running the bleeder right back to the reservoir is a good idea, you can't help but pump bubbles into the reservoir.
So with you and me as the authority on this, what do you think the acceptance level will be among our "friends?"

I think we'd both better duck and cover!

 

[blackhillsbiker]

Well, I took a combination of advice from many of you - let it sit overnight with rear brake pedal bungied down, tapped things to dislodge air bubbles, put "tinkers dam" of grease around bleeders to stop air getting in around threads, and just pumped rear brake pedal and opened and released bleeders. In very little time I had full functioning back brake - there was some air in the line going from reservoir to rear caliper.

Thanks to all who helped me with this problem, you guys are very much appreciated. Now my wife and I are ready to head to Yellowstone and the Tetons on Wednesday!

Steve Kirsch

Rapid City, SD

06 FJR1300

 

[dangerranger]

Well, I took a combination of advice from many of you - let it sit overnight with rear brake pedal bungied down, tapped things to dislodge air bubbles, put "tinkers dam" of grease around bleeders to stop air getting in around threads, and just pumped rear brake pedal and opened and released bleeders. In very little time I had full functioning back brake - there was some air in the line going from reservoir to rear caliper.
Thanks to all who helped me with this problem, you guys are very much appreciated. Now my wife and I are ready to head to Yellowstone and the Tetons on Wednesday!

Steve Kirsch

Rapid City, SD

06 FJR1300

great to hear you worked it out. I am jealous the tetons are my favorite place in the country I am not sure it gets any better. I am hoping to take my fjr out next year. have fun

Doug