Funnel for Bleeding Shimano Disc Brakes

[Eldron]

 

 

 

TX Eldron. Sounds simple enough. So if I do the opposite as per numerous YouTube videos (Press oil via syringe through caliper bleed port to lever reservoir) (basically bottom to top), will I damage my brakes?

 

Depends on the brake - "new" slimline style Shimano brakes bleed top to bottom and you will damage the seal if you add too much pressure from the bottom.

 

Older square reservoir brakes bleed bottom to top. Check the Shimano datasheets online using the model number stamped on lever/caliper.

 

I love the new top down bleed style but the change has caused many many blown seals from old school mechanics who don't refer to manuals :-)

[Morwa]

TX for the comments Eldron.

[Pipsqueak]

Fit funnel, fill funnel with mineral oil, fit waste tube to caliper, loosen bleed nipple and let the oil run until clear. Bleeding done :-)

So it drives the air down into and out the calliper?

[Pipsqueak]

http://www.epicbleedsolutions.com/blog/how-to-bleed-new-shimano-brakes/

[Rata Del Spruit]

TX for the comments Eldron.

 

If you're ever in Joburg I can lend you my Shimano bleed funnel. Simple but little piece of kit.

[fanievb]

Fit funnel, fill funnel with mineral oil, fit waste tube to caliper, loosen bleed nipple and let the oil run until clear. Bleeding done :-)

 

Okay so I followed the shimano instructions, without injecting oil through the caliper as per your posts above.

 

Steps I followed;

 

1. fit funnel, fill with oil.

2. drain pipe to bleed nipple

3. open nipple and let run clear and close again.

4. pull lever, open and close nipple. Release lever (repeated x3)

5. lever is stiff as per the manual.

6. Pump lever a few times in difference angles to remove air in tube and lever.

7. remove funnel close and clean up.

8. Replace pads and fit wheel

 

Once I remove the yellow stopper, refit the pads and wheel, the lever goes all soft.

 

Any idea/advice or am I doing something wrong?

[David Marshall]

Pads and / or disc worn?

[fanievb]

Pads and / or disc worn?

 

Nope about 700km.

 

Hoses was shortened by LBS and I didn't like the feel of the brakes after they came back, as both front and back was soft

 

Was able to sort out the front without any issues, but can't get it right.

 

Brake is however working but still soft.

[Stretched@Birth]

My brakes disappear completely on downhills, or if I lift the front wheel, i.e. If the trail isn't level, I have no brakes. They were 100%, changed nothing, but suddenly this started happening. Need to bleed them. Suppose I need to go and buy some syringes.

[ACM]

 

 

Okay so I followed the shimano instructions, without injecting oil through the caliper as per your posts above.

 

Steps I followed;

 

1. fit funnel, fill with oil.

2. drain pipe to bleed nipple

3. open nipple and let run clear and close again.

4. pull lever, open and close nipple. Release lever (repeated x3)

5. lever is stiff as per the manual.

6. Pump lever a few times in difference angles to remove air in tube and lever.

7. remove funnel close and clean up.

8. Replace pads and fit wheel

 

Once I remove the yellow stopper, refit the pads and wheel, the lever goes all soft.

 

Any idea/advice or am I doing something wrong?

 

After fitting the pads, open reservoir, drop a couple of drops with syringe into reservoir to fill it to the top. Close and check. If still problem, remove wheel and press brake lever a little to close gap between pads, add few more drops to reservoir. Refit wheel and check. This should get your pads closer to the rotor and give brakes a 'harder' / more resistance feel. I found that with resin pads the do wear quicker and every know and then I have to add a couple of drops to have sam feel on brake lever. My xtr (race version) do not have a free stroke setting.

 

This seam to work for me ;-)

[ACM]

 

 

Depends on the brake - "new" slimline style Shimano brakes bleed top to bottom and you will damage the seal if you add too much pressure from the bottom.

 

Older square reservoir brakes bleed bottom to top. Check the Shimano datasheets online using the model number stamped on lever/caliper.

 

I love the new top down bleed style but the change has caused many many blown seals from old school mechanics who don't refer to manuals :-)

 

Eldron

 

If the seal does blow, whats the symptoms on the brakes? No brakes at all or inconsistant braking??

 

Tx

 

Ns: asking because I have bled my new xtr once from bottom to top and they seem fine (maybe I was just lucky)!!

[fanievb]

After fitting the pads, open reservoir, drop a couple of drops with syringe into reservoir to fill it to the top. Close and check. If still problem, remove wheel and press brake lever a little to close gap between pads, add few more drops to reservoir. Refit wheel and check. This should get your pads closer to the rotor and give brakes a 'harder' / more resistance feel. I found that with resin pads the do wear quicker and every know and then I have to add a couple of drops to have sam feel on brake lever. My xtr (race version) do not have a free stroke setting.

 

This seam to work for me ;-)

 

thanks I'll try this

[Meezo]

 

Eldron

 

If the seal does blow, whats the symptoms on the brakes? No brakes at all or inconsistant braking??

 

Tx

 

Ns: asking because I have bled my new xtr once from bottom to top and they seem fine (maybe I was just lucky)!!

 

I did the same, and I'll be honest I've never read the manual. So wonder now if my seals are fine

[dirtrider]

I did the same, and I'll be honest I've never read the manual. So wonder now if my seals are fine

 

Unless you try and force the oil through your system by not opening all the bleeding screws and removing tops you will not blow the seal . Doing it slow (way you suppose to do it anyway) will also prevent this . Top to bottom is the preferred way of doing it for me , it's got something to do with gravity , and this goes for old and new models .

[ACM]

Unless you try and force the oil through your system by not opening all the bleeding screws and removing tops you will not blow the seal . Doing it slow (way you suppose to do it anyway) will also prevent this . Top to bottom is the preferred way of doing it for me , it's got something to do with gravity , and this goes for old and new models .

 

Not questioning your logic.... but I would think that bubbles goes up... so pushing from bottom to top has better chance of getting bubbles to go up and out (leaving reservoir cap open) vs. working against gravity and pushing bubbles out the bottom. But I guess the other argument is that gravity just let the fluid flow down without pushing and bubbles just follow the flow.

 

In my case I left the reservoir cap open at the top - so maybe that saved my seals