[ScottRNelson]

My Monster is sitting at home with the whole front end removed while the forks are getting revalved. As I looked at the calipers hanging there, I noticed that the pistons in the calipers could be squeezed back about 1/4 inch before they would be fully retracted.

If I were to switch to steel braded brake lines or something, where I would have to get air back out of the lines, would it work to get most of the air out, then pry the caliper piston back to push the bubbles back out into the brake fluid reservoir rather than trying to pump them down the lines and out the brake caliper bleeder?

Would this also make it quicker when I want to replace the brake fluid, to get as much out of the caliper area as possible first, then suck out whatever I can from the reservoir before adding new fluid and pumping it down and out the caliper bleeder?

What problems am I creating by doing something like this?


[I'm not going to be doing any brake or clutch line bleeding right away, since I just had it done a couple of months ago at the last service.]

 

[mw916]

Scott,

Check this tool out:
http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/TTW404.html

 

[MarkV]

i bought the mighty vac from chris kelley... makes life so much easier, bleeding brakes and clutches are a snap.

 

[test-reg]

i prefer opening the bleeders. not opening the bleeders can allow dirty into the master.

 

[ScottRNelson]

I guess you're all missing my point.

I'm not asking how to bleed brakes, and I know about the mightyvac. I was just wondering if prying the caliper piston in would move enough fluid to get the bubbles out at the top, that's all.

 

[Herb]

I don't know. 4 pot calipers do hold alot of fluid, but I've never tried it. You know you'd bleed the brakes just to be safe anyway, so what's the point.

 

[Herb]

Oh, by the way, Who's revalving your forks?

 

[mw916]

I pushed the pistons in on my 6 pot calipers and a big bubble came out of the reservoir. It improved the lever feel with any additional bleeding. There must have been some air trapped behind the piston.

On slave cylinders, I push the slave cylinder piston in to get the air out from behind the piston. it works well.

 

[MarkV]

I guess you're all missing my point.

I'm not asking how to bleed brakes, and I know about the mightyvac.