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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Brake pads and fluid change. Which order?
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Message started by Tocsik on 03/21/22 at 13:30:16

Title: Brake pads and fluid change. Which order?
Post by Tocsik on 03/21/22 at 13:30:16

Going to change the brake fluid and put new pads in. Better to do the pads first since I'll be pushing the pistons back and that could push more fluid out of the caliper body? Or doesn't matter?
I've done the pads a bunch but this will be the first fluid change. No judgement please.

Title: Re: Brake pads and fluid change. Which order?
Post by verslagen1 on 03/21/22 at 14:46:57

I would do pads 1st.
but you might want to check fluid level 1st so it doesn't overflow.

Title: Re: Brake pads and fluid change. Which order?
Post by Dave on 03/21/22 at 15:12:03

I kind of do it combined.

I remove the metal and rubber caps and get them all cleaned up and dry.

Then I suck the fluid out of the reservoir first with a syringe, then remove the pads and push the pistons all the way in. With the pistons pushed in there is less volume in the system and it is easiest to flush. With the pistons in I once again use a syringe to remove as much of the old fluid as I can from the reservoir.

Then I pour new fluid in and start the fluid change. I use a hand vacuum to pull the new fluid through the system. Once the new fluid starts coming into the bottle in the vacuum pump I continue for a bit more........topping up the reservoir repeatedly (and I pump the hand lever every now and then.

Once the flushing is done I install the new pads and slowly cycle the hand lever to get the pads pushed out....then fill the reservoir to the level mark on the window (difficult to do on the buckhorn bars as the reservoir is at a steep angle). Then put on the reservoir cap.

https://www.harborfreight.com/brake-bleeder-and-vacuum-pump-kit-63391.html

If you don't have a vacuum bleed pump.....you need to leave the pads in while you squeeze the lever to move the fluid.

Title: Re: Brake pads and fluid change. Which order?
Post by Tocsik on 03/24/22 at 12:29:58

Well, that was easy. Hardest part was arranging the right props to get the master cylinder level. I picked up a couple feet of tubing at Ace for less than a buck and already had a big syringe in the garage.

Put the new pads in and pressed the piston all the way in. Drew out a bunch of the old (dark beer colored) fluid with the syringe and a short piece of tubing. Moved the syringe to the rest of the tubing on the bleed valve and drew back to get things moving. Syringe off and tubing in a glass. Close bleeder, refilled MC. Opened the bleed valve again to continue. Repeat.

Biggest problem was the tubing coming out of my glass, and then I also knocked the glass over. Both spilling brake fluid on the garage floor >:(.

Did a couple rounds of bleeding until the lever was super firm.
Easy peasy.

I still don't fully understand what retracts the pads off the disc when the lever is released. I know the piston moves back in, but I don't get what actually pulls the pads off the rotor.

Title: Re: Brake pads and fluid change. Which order?
Post by verslagen1 on 03/24/22 at 12:38:59

It's the master cylinder, when it retracts to refill it pulls it back a little.
It's almost not noticeable with our big piston, but really works well with the smaller dual pistons.

Title: Re: Brake pads and fluid change. Which order?
Post by Tocsik on 03/24/22 at 13:28:10

Yeah, but the pads aren't attached to the piston. So what mechanism pulls the pads back?

Title: Re: Brake pads and fluid change. Which order?
Post by verslagen1 on 03/24/22 at 14:32:27

526965756F6D060 wrote:

Yeah, but the pads aren't attached to the piston. So what mechanism pulls the pads back?

They are hydraulically attached.