Shimano bleed kits

[Dirtbreath]

Anyone have bleed kits that they assembled from bits that can be bought at your local hardware? Pics if possible.

 

 

 

Any alternatives to Shimano Mineral Oil?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[onebynine]

Just go to Dischem and buy two large syringes, then a pet shop and get fish tank air hose that fits on the syringes, take the cap off the lever and push the fluid thru from the caliper to thelever at the same time sucking the excess fluid out of the resivoir with the other syringe.

 

There is no alternative to Shimano mineral oil, anything else will damage the rubber seals in the lever and caliper, that is why its made by Shimano - specifically to work with their product. Even the Magura mineral oil is different and it too will damage the system.

[Plentipotential]

No photo's at the moment. I went to buy one of those kits, R1200.00! Yes you read right. So I got a length of 3mm clear plastic tube at the hardware store (fish tank tube) and a clear plastic vinegar dispensing bottle at a plastic container store. Total cost R4.50. Could use any type but it has a nice spout. Drill a hole in the top of the bottle next to the spout and force the tube in to the bottom, put some mineral oil into the bottle. Attach the end of the plastic tube to the bleed valve, mine is short enough to hang the bottle from the bleed valve i.e. straight down. Clamp the bike into an upright posistion so as to eliminate any sections of the brakelines being lower than the brake cylinder and level off the reservoir on the handlebar. The mineral oil comes in an easy to dispence dropper bottle so you do not spill oil all over the place. Bleed brakes and use the spout on the bleed bottle to replenish the dropper bottle. Use mineral oil only, not too expensive from a bike shop. Not mine anyway.

 

Hope that helps. I bleed my brakes from the top down, takes a bit longer but works well enough Bleed technique from "Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance".

[Titanium Rocket]

My only addition to either of the above methods, is to tap both the reservoir and caliper with a screwdriver handle to release any obstinate bubbles that may refuse to flow out of their own accord. XTR can be particularly tricky, and if even one bubble is left behind in the system, braking will be spongy.

[Dirtbreath]

Thanks for that.

 

 

 

I believe that the mineral oil absorbs moisture. I presume a full bleed will just displace the contaminated oil with new.

[Titanium Rocket]

Can confirm with Dirtbreath; you need a full fluid replacement about every 18 months. Blobs of water can accumulate in the mineral oil reservoir, plus contaminants, tiny specs of black gunk. God knows how water and contamniants get in, given the system is totally air-sealed...perhaps it finds its way in around the piston seals?  I have found that bleeding from the caliper upwards flushes water / contaminants up into the reservoir, where you can suck them it with a syringe.