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I've read the thread below (and several others on the net) to understand what I'm doing. Embarrassingly, I have never bled brakes before!
http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/shimano-xt-m785-bleeding
I bought the proper Shimano kit and mineral oil. The kit only has the funnel in it. The mineral oil box had the oil and the tube.
Do I [i]need[/i] a syringe? If so, why doesn't it come in the kit? I didn't get the black bit that looks a little like a tyre lever either. Did I get half a kit? Is there a new way of bleeding that doesn't require these bits?
What is 'one way bleeding'?
Thanks
One way is where for example you have the bar/lever bit at the top, the bleed nipple at the bottom and you use the open/pressure/close technique.
2 way is where you use 2 syringes and use a push/pull method to get all the air out.
If your lever has a reservoir integrated you should be able to bleed it fairly well just from the bottom at the caliper.
It is much easier with a syringe to be honest. Without it you can do the one way method which is the second half of the 'official' method. First attach the funnel, half fill with fluid and let gravity be your friend with the tube attached to the bleed nipple. Open the nipple about 1/8 - 1/4 turn and the fluid should run out bringing the bubbles with it. Just make sure the reservoir is well topped up with the fluid.
it is just not as likely to give a good bleed as the full reverse bleed THEN drain method Shimano ask for.
Syringes can be found in chemists, vets etc. or ebay
I didn't have to reverse bleed mine. Pretty much the same approach as jimw- best advice I had off here was to remove the rear caliper and let it hang. My rear brake hose had a bit of a dip in it so the fluid wasn't coming through with gravity.
Thanks all.
I thought it was strange how all the guides use the syringe but it doesn't come in the 'kit'. It made me doubt myself. I've got a carrier bag full of syringes (from when our wee one was sick) so just need to get to it.
I changed the seals on my forks yesterday without thinking twice about it. I keep glancing nervously at the brakes though 🙂 I've had two beers - the perfect amount before bike fettling - and, as Jeremy would say, [i]how hard can it be[/i]?
Great tip Alex. Thanks. Doing the front brake this time but I'll remember it for the future.
Well, as with so many things in life, thinking about it was worse than doing it.
It was all very undramatic (in-dramatic / non-dramatic?) and now my brake works!
I'd hate to know how much money I've wasted in the LBS with having them bleed my brakes!