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Speed Bleeder confirmation

8K views 33 replies 10 participants last post by  wspollack 
#1 ·
I read every thread on here and the other site but I wanted to make sure before I order.
For my 2011 XR I will need the SB8125L for the rear and right front and the SB8125LL for the left front? Need to get these things bled, rear fluid especially has gotten to a dark brown this year.
 
#9 ·
I can say that too, but its the convenience and ease of the job that makes Speedbleeders worth their weight in gold.
As alluded to by WSPOLLACK...cover everything! Grab a plastic garbage bag and if you have to, open it up and tape it on the tank with blue painters tape. Cover that with an old sheet....you can't be too careful.

I use a plain old turkey baster to remove the old fluid from the master cylinder. Make sure you don't steal the one in the kitchen, get your own. :cool: Wipe the gunk from the inside of the master cylinder with one of those blue paper shop towels, don't have any? Get some, they are lint free and relatively cheap especially at Costco or Sam's Club in a big box.

Refill with fresh fluid(DOT 4) from an unopened can of brake fluid. Brake fluid is hydroscopic(except for DOT 5 which is silicone based and DOT 5.1 which is polyethylene glycol based) , which means it absorbs moisture from the air. Its cheap, keep the can for top offs for a couple of months and pour the contents into your oil recycle can and take to the recycler.

Bleed the system after attaching some clear plastic line to the bleeder. Order your Speedbleeders and take one into Home Depot or Lowes. Back in plumbing there are rolls of clear tubing for .25 cents a foot, find the one that fits the best as I can't remember off the top of my head. An old beer bottle to stick the tube in while bleeding and you're set.

As far as speedbleeders go I love them. Install and forget them until you need to bleed the brakes. I use a vacuum bleeder but I'm a mechanic and need to have one so I'll use that. If you don't have one speedbleeders are the way to go.

Thanks for the link...I'll save that
 
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#5 ·
I can say that too, but its the convenience and ease of the job that makes Speedbleeders worth their weight in gold.
 
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#6 ·
I have also bled brakes in cages all my life and twice in my first motorcycle (I am a newbie on 2 wheels compared to some on here, 7 years now). I have never used a speed bleeder or vacuum type bleeder, always either gravity bled or got the better half to help me do it the regular way with two people. I would just like to change the fluid on a more normal basis since it looks like I will be riding this bike till it becomes a classic!
 
#8 · (Edited)
That's correct. I put these on a couple of months ago, along with Lyndall Gold pads, front and rear. No problems (except that getting the rear pads in place involves some crawling on the floor), no caliper removals, no problems bleeding.

I also had ordered a new bag from Speed Bleeders.

If anyone's a newbie on this stuff:

1) There's a long thread here, from a year or so ago, on this topic:

http://www.victoryforums.com/34-victory-cross-country-cross-roads/88161-speed-bleeders.html

2) About a dozen years ago, I put up a DIY Speed Bleeder page for the Valkyrie community, here:

Using Speed Bleeders® to Change the Brake and Clutch Fluid on a Valkyrie

I went through the same procedure with the Vic, no change for having ABS (which the Valk didn't have), went fine. The shop manual notes that you're to bleed the left front first (and left is as sitting on the bike, i.e., the clutch side), and suggests to put the brake lever on position 1.

Don't let the fluid slop over -- cover things! -- in the reservoir, nor get below the plunger. And don't initially screw in the new bleeder too much, or you'll break it; Speed Bleeder used to give a small value -- in INCH pounds -- but now says to just have it bottom out, and so don't go crazy.

EDIT:

I just took a screen grab of my email order (last winter) confirmation; click on attached thumbnail.
 

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#14 ·
That's correct. I put these on a couple of months ago, along with Lyndall Gold pads, front and rear. No problems (except that getting the rear pads in place involves some crawling on the floor), no caliper removals, no problems bleeding.

I also had ordered a new bag from Speed Bleeders.

If anyone's a newbie on this stuff:

1) There's a long thread here, from a year or so ago, on this topic:

http://www.victoryforums.com/34-victory-cross-country-cross-roads/88161-speed-bleeders.html

2) About a dozen years ago, I put up a DIY Speed Bleeder page for the Valkyrie community, here:

Using Speed Bleeders® to Change the Brake and Clutch Fluid on a Valkyrie

I went through the same procedure with the Vic, no change for having ABS (which the Valk didn't have), went fine. The shop manual notes that you're to bleed the left front first (and left is as sitting on the bike, i.e., the clutch side), and suggests to put the brake lever on position 1.

Don't let the fluid slop over -- cover things! -- in the reservoir, nor get below the plunger. And don't initially screw in the new bleeder too much, or you'll break it; Speed Bleeder used to give a small value -- in INCH pounds -- but now says to just have it bottom out, and so don't go crazy.

Thanks WS for the information! What do you mean by not putting the speedbleeders in to tight? Do I screw them on slow and easy till I hit resistance? I have put bleed screws in other vehicles and I just use a wrench and turn till it gets snug but don't force it.
 
#16 ·
Thanks WP. I ordered a set last night along with the bag and tube as well as another set of 8125L for my buddies Honda 1100 Sabre. I don't know why the folks at speedbleeder do not do a better job of updating their application chart. I had to email them for my friends Shadow because they only listed the 2002 model even though I was sure Honda didn't change anything on the Sabre's during their production run.
 
#17 ·
Got the speed bleeders on today with no installation problems. Bled front brakes fairly quickly and then moved on to the rear. The only real issue I have is that dozens of very small bubbles come out of the rear caliper so I just kept on bleeding them till I nearly ran out of extra brake fluid. Could never get the bubbles to go away but the brake is firm as it can be. Haven't took the bike out because of this lovely rain but the brakes seem fine. Any idea why the rear caliper puts out so many bubbles and are they really even coming out of brake lines or forming after the fluid comes out of the bleeder?
 
#18 ·
TNXR, check all hose connections, one may be sucking in air. When you were bleeding the rear, were you careful to maintain a good level in the reservoir never allowing the fluid to bottom out?
 
#20 ·
Ric's right, the hose was leaking around the speedbleeder. That's why you were getting the little bubbles. No big deal, as your hose stretches from being on the speedbleeder a little air gets by, happens all the time. I'd bet you a beer you could describe the bubbles as "foamy" bubbles right? Well, there you go, I see those bubbles all the time using a vacuum bleeder, someday I'll replace the hose :eek:

Sounds to me like you did a great job, hope the rain stops soon and you can ride.
 
#19 ·
Ricz, yes I was very careful to not let the fluid in the rear reservoir to get too low. I cracked each speed bleeder only 1/4 a turn, including the rear so I don't think any air was getting past the threads. The rear brake is as firm if not more firm then it has ever been but I have not done a road test. I live on top of a steep hill so I will find out fast if I have rear brakes or not. I did go out in my garage several times during the day yesterday and hopped on my bike and put it in N and kept testing the brakes.
 
#21 ·
Thanks Ricz and Jamming, and yes I would describe it as kind of "foamy". The rear was the last brake I bled so I guess the hose could have stretched a little. I hope to get it out one evening this week and give it a good test. My brake fluid was almost 5 years old so it was well past time to do this.
 
#22 ·
My brake fluid was almost 5 years old so it was well past time to do this.
Holy Crap! Five years you kept that witches brew in your brake system? Considering where you live, what you were bleeding out was more than HALF WATER! Now that you have Speedbleeders in and you know how easy it is, bleed those brakes every 2 years or sooner.
 
#23 ·
Yes, I should have done better. I have kind of neglected my XR this past year, not put much over 1500 miles on it in the last 12 months. I will be changing it every year now (when I change my oil), especially since the bleeders make it so easy. I am about to hit 10k miles on my XR and the owners manual says I am due for an air filter. I am now in a dilemma whether to buy another stock filter or go all out and get a lloydz filter and throw in a fuel controller while I am at it. I still have 2 years left on my powertrain warranty so that is what is holding me back.
 
#24 ·
Naughty naughty!!! These motorcycles are made to be run hard. Since you're not riding her much, be sure to toss in a couple OZ's(read the bottle) of Seafoam which is a fuel stabilizer on the last tank before you park it. Make sure you have run it a bit to get the treated fuel throughout the throttle bodies. You'll thank me later when it prevents the fuel from going bad and costing you boocoo bucks in repair costs. No more than you're riding it..an OZ or so every tank wouldn't hurt.

As far as a controller and filter affecting your warranty, won't happen. Just do it...you won't be sorry. Toss in the Lloyds timing wheel as well :devil
 
#25 ·
Yes, I have been bad! Even though I have not put a lot of mileage on my bike this year I still ride it at least once a week or so and put fresh gas in at half a tank. I ride it once a week no matter the time of year so that helps some what. I have also only actually owned my bike for 3 years even though I bought it new. My bike has a build date of Jan 2011 but I bought it new in Sept of 2012. I sort of let that slip my mind when it came to my brake fluid actually being nearly 5 years old instead of 3 years old.
 
#26 ·
The sun finally came out in East TN today so I took off work early and took a little ride over the hills to NC and back. Gave the brakes a good testing in a church parking lot and all is good, back brake locks up as easily as it always has. I give the bleeders 2 thumbs up!
 
#27 ·
Because of that locking up, I have EBC-HH pads in the front and cheapies in the rear so they aren't so grabby and more forgiving.
 
#29 ·
Victory OEM pads cost an arm and a leg over here and theres much better choices for less than half the price.
I could say your rear brake is important but Ive been riding without one for quite some time.
 
#30 ·
Mortuarys and Funeral directors love rear brakes. They increase their business.
 
#34 ·
That's too bad, re the clutch. I don't have the hydraulic clutch on my XCT, but I used a Speed Bleeder on the clutch on my 2000 Valkyrie (as I note in that write-up I posted, early in this thread). I didn't realize the Vic option used a really smaller bleeder.
 
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