Two ways I have resorted to in the past, just to save my self some headache.
1. If you are just changing the hoses, take the caliper off the swingarm/fork and pump the pistons out, but not so far that they start to come out of the caliper: 1 cm per piston is plenty. Connect the new hose, nip up the banjos by hand and then, push the pistons back in. Fluid will go up the hoses and into the master cylinder. Then just reconnect to the swing arm/fork, torque up the bolts, open the bleed nipple and start pumping out old fluid, whilst topping up with new till the stuff coming out is clear and new...
2. If you have dismantled everything and you cannot pump out the pistons with the existing fluid, get a 20cc sysringe from a pharmacy, connect some clear PVC tubing, fill the syringe with brake fluid, connect to an open bleed nipple and plunge the syringe. Go easy and you get the same result as above. Once you have 1-2 cm of fluid in the master cylinder, nip everything up to the correct torque settings and top up the reservoir.
Either way done: 20-30 mins. When brakes have been bled/rebuilt, I always bungee the lever at the bar, so that the system is under pressure overnight. Not too tight, but enough to highlight any leaks and to squeeze air bubbles from the system....
If the lever is not tight in the morning then you have a problem. Wrap cloth around the joins and seals just in case as brake fluid kills paint work
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Last edited by Warthog; 22 May 2009 at 23:47.
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