Do It Yourself Hayes Brake Service
using the Little Leech Pro

Dax Kent
dax@bcmbg.com
August 2003

   "Bleed my brakes, I thought the only thing you had to bleed was infectious scabs and raw steaks" 

    Well as it turns out if your riding any sort of fluid powered brakes, it's an excellent idea to change the fluid more often than you wash your riding gloves.
 
 Thanks to Plush Products and their new Little Leech Pro Service kit, the task of flushing our brakes just became a very simple process that we can do ourselves. 

Our new kit came fully stocked with all the necessary containers, with the exception of some Dot 3 or Dot 4 brake fluid and a couple tools, which any self respecting mountain biker should own.  A well laid out set of instructions, caps for all of the containers, and a handy ziplock bag to keep it in when your not using it, make this an excellent investment for around 20-25 dollars.

The kits are currently being sold at John Henry bikes, Steed cycles, Edmond cycles and NSMB.com. You can check out their web site @  www.plushproducts.net.

Below is our 9 step program to dealing with your fluid deficiencies, and at the same time making great use of our new brake kit.

Step1: Know the parts of your brakes.

Step 2: The tools and supplies you'll need.

  • Little Leech Bleed Kit
  • Small Phillips Screwdriver
  • Rags
  • 8mm Wrench (I keep mine on a tether so it's easy to keep track of)
  • Dot 3 or Dot 4 Brake Fluid
  • Eye protection
  • Gloves
  • Isopropyl Alcohol
 

Step 3: Some Tips and Some Safety

Brake Fluid will damage paint.  In case of spillage, clean extensively with Isopropyl Alcohol.

If you get brake fluid in your eyes, flush them with water for 15 minutes and call your doctor.

If you eat some brake fluid, induce vomiting and call your doctor.

If you spill brake fluid on your brake rotor, wipe extensively with Isopropyl Alcohol.

If you spill brake fluid on your brake pads, call a friend to smack you upside the head.  You should then discard your old pads, extract your wallet and proceed directly to your local bike shop to buy some new brake pads. 

Wash your hands before handling your brake pads so you don't get fluid on them. 

Do not squeeze your brake lever when your wheel is removed.  This pushes the caliper pistons out of their seeted home causing you great heartache and expense, and a large puddle of brake fluid on your  floor..

Step 4: The Setup

        Whether your working on the front or the back, you must position your bike so that the brake lever bleed screw is the highest and the caliper bleed screw is lowest and parallel to the floor.  If you have to loosen the handle bar snugs on your brake lever so you can rotate the whole master cylinder to point the bleeder screw upwards. 

        Remove your wheel and brake pads.

        The goal of the brake bleed is to push all of the old fluid, any air, and chunks of schmeg that may be floating through our brake system.  We will be pushing fluid in through the bleed screw in the Caliper, through the system, and out through the bleed hole in the Master Cylinder.

Step 5: Attach the Drainage container.

         Remove the bleeder screw from the Master Cylinder, but be sure to have some rags ready to catch some fluid that may flow out when you remove the screw.  Put the screw somewhere you will not loose it.

         Now hang your Little Leech Pro Drainage container to your handle bars using the supplied velcro strap.  Push one end of the hose into the hole in the bleed hole of the master cylinder, and the other end into the drainage container.

 

Step 6: Fill your Syringe

Compress your syringe completely, stick the hose into the brake fluid and expand the syringe to draw fluid into the syringe reservoir.  If you get some air, simply turn the syringe so the needle is pointed upwards and force the air out.

I usually try to put as much fluid as possible in the syringe without of course pulling the plunger all the way out.
 

Step 7:  And Push

     Remove the small rubber bleeder cap from the caliper and place somewhere you won't loose it.  No attach your syringe to the caliper bleed screw nipple.   Slowly loosen the caliper bleed screw 1/4 to 1/2 a turn and apply a small amount of pressure on the syringe.  You will have to loosen the screw enough until you see fluid flowing through the tube coming out of the master cylinder and going into the drainage container. 

DANGER - Do not apply to much pressure on the syringe.  This will cause the hose to burst off of the bleeder screw nipple and shoot brake fluid all over your eyes, bike, mouth, rotors, spectators and pads.

It's recommended that you push fluid for a 5 second count, but I find I that flushing the syringe almost to the end works great to make sure your getting total fluid replacement.

As your pushing the fluid through, a great way to get all the air out is to lightly tap the caliper, hose and master cylinder with your wrench.  This loosens any air bubbles that might be stuck and not able to be pushed out the top of the brake system.

Step 8: And Stop.

        Once you've pushed enough fluid through, tighten the bleeder screw on the caliper and remove the syringe.  Use your rag to soak up any extra fluid around the bleeder screw.

        Remove the hose from the master cylinder, replace the screw until lightly snug and the rubber washer bulges. Soak up any extra fluid with your rags.

Step 9: Test

        Put your bike back together and give it a try.  If your brakes feel spongy there still might be some air in them and you will have to flush again.

        

   And that is that.  Brake servicing is something that is normally overlooked by many hydraulic riders, and to give you an example of how important it is, check out the two bottle below, one new fluid, the other out of my back brake after only two days at the ski hill.  The dirtyness is caused by overheated or burnt brake fluid that turns gummy like and could possibly plug up your brakes and eventually reduce performance until the brake is seized or you have a large facial injury from not being able to stop. 

Remember if you don't get it right the first time, just try again.

Good luck and happy riding.

 


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