DIY Bike Tools

[RichieT]

1. Keep repeating this cycle until air bubbles have stopped coming through the tube.
   

[Hairy]

Nicely presented tutorial

[Bobbo_SA]

Don't think you could have explained that any simpler, well done RT, LBS was going to rush me R100 per side to shorten my hoses (a fair rate for the time it would take them though), think I will now give it a go myself.

[Hairy]

anyone made a good reliable Avid bleed kit that they would not mind posting pics of please.

[RichieT]

And that’s it. Your brakes are bled! Tighten bleed nipple, remove bottle, tube and spanner. The mineral oil that ends up in this bottle can either be returned to the original bottle for future use or tossed depending on how dirty or old it is.

1. Finally top up the reservoir, put some paper towel around, replace the rubber membrane, and close up the top. Make sure the level is full and whilst some will spill out as you tighten the lid, that’s why you use the paper towel and you’ll ensure that no air is trapped inside.
   

[DubbelBuys]

Thx RT.

[RichieT]

1. Loosen the brake lever screw again and put it back to it’s correct position, retighten and you’re done.
   

Works the same for the front brake.

 

Happy stopping!

 

PS. One other thing, I battled to find the right size PVC tubing and eventually got what I needed from an aquarium equipment supplier/petshop as a kit for some airpump app or other, was cheap.

 

PPS. My LBS’s are Linden Cycles 011 782 1625, Northcliff Cycles 011 476 2110, and Yellow Saddle Cycles 011 022 6509, to name a few, or www.easybike.co.za online for Genuine Shimano (Easybike are reliable, I’ve used them in the past). They all sell mineral oil, either genuine Shimano or no name brands.

Edited July 2, 2013 by RichieT

[RichieT]

and the pdf file

 

Shimano XT brake bleeding_2.pdf

Edited July 3, 2013 by RichieT

[madmarc]

DIY Chain whip = 30cm length flat bar, one bolt and an old chain (will post pic later)

 

An even better chain whip.

 

rivet an old chain to the workbench leg at the same height as your hub - more or less - place wheal at 90deg to leg wrap chain over cluster and remove cluster bolt. The you won't need to try hold a chain whip, cluster tool and driver all at once.

Works like a charm

[Big H*]

 

 

An even better chain whip.

 

rivet an old chain to the workbench leg at the same height as your hub - more or less - place wheal at 90deg to leg wrap chain over cluster and remove cluster bolt. The you won't need to try hold a chain whip, cluster tool and driver all at once.

Works like a charm

 

Just make sure it is a Shimano chain or it may snap and break your nose

[madmarc]

Just make sure it is a Shimano chain or it may snap and break your nose

 

The only chains i seen snap are Shitmano chains. Used Campy chains are hard to find so i use SRAM

[mazambaan]

My clumsy note on the bleeding - Shimano XT Deore.

 

Getting mineral oil is not that easy. A few bike shops did a puzzled Manuel on me when I asked for it ("I know nuuuthink"). I had some Shimano red oil decanted into a dodgy bottle by an LBS.

You can use a ziploc bag instead of the bottle.

Do all of the actions described very carefully. The volumes of oil involved are small and the reservoir can easily be sucked dry (more air in the system to remove) or made to overflow. I know this.

Mine was most successful pushing fluid through the system from the caliper up to the reservoir.

[fanievb]

and the pdf file

 

 

thanking you kindly Sir.

[kosmonooit]

Finally top up the reservoir, put some paper towel around, replace the rubber membrane, and close up the top. Make sure the level is full and whilst some will spill out as you tighten the lid, that’s why you use the paper towel and you’ll ensure that no air is trapped inside.

 

To add to the final step: there is a technique described in the Hope videos of "rolling" the membrane on so as to make sure no air is trapped. The reservoir must be full and there will be overflow so make sure there is some absorbent paper towel around there. Its important no air is trapped because when the bike is inverted or lying down, this air can enter the lines and you are back where you started: squishy brakes!

[Bobbo_SA]

Question regarding brake hose shortening, :-)

 

Hear me out and comment if this will work:

 

1. Attached tube and syringe to caliper

2. Place brake lever horizontal

3. Remove reservoir cover

4. Loosen bleed nipple and "suck" out the brake fluid down via the caliper syringe

5. Close bleed nipple

6. Remove brake hose and cut to length

7. Replace brake hose olive and re-attach

8. Open bleed nipple

9. Push brake fluid back up to fill reservoir

10. close bleed nipple (will be some left over due to shorter hose)

11. Roll membrane back onto reservoir and close

12. Tighten reservoir lid to 3.5nm

 

Any issues with this approach as long as the connection at the caliper is airtight (thinking tight silicone tubing with a cable tie to "seal" the connection)

[zappa]

Any tips or tools on crown race removal. Last resort seems to be 4lb "hamoer" and chisel!