Bleeding ABS at home?

frbank6

Guest
Hello, my first post here. I ride an R1150RA, 2003. I heard on another board that a method exists to bleed the ABS system without resorting to the dealer. If anyone here has done this, or can point me in the proper direction, I would be most grateful.
 
I had a rockster with ABS (and the dreaded 'electric brakes') and tried to bleed the brakes as I had done previously on my 1100GSs - very different system. It looks to me like the newer brakes needed bleeding actually at the modulator under the fuel tank. I left it alone. Besides I think that the schedule for bleeding brakes is a bit over the top - unless of course they feel spongy. I only used to do it every three or four years.
 
It is possible to bleed all ABS brakes at home, the simplest although more expensive method is to use a vacuum pump.

Servo assisted brakes are slightly more complex than standard ABS, but can still be sorted at home. Have personally not done the job on servo assisted but a forum search will bring loads of answers to your Question from far more eminent men than me.:bow

The standard ABS can be bled all the way from reservoir to caliper in one go with a vacuum pump it takes about 1/2 hour for all brakes and clutch and uses very little fluid, and in my book is well worth doing every year.
 
It's a tank-off job.

Bleed the ABS unit under the tank first, then bleed the callipers in the normal way.

If you let air get into the master cylinder, you have to start again!

:hammer

Greg
 
tufty1909 said:
It is possible to bleed all ABS brakes at home, the simplest although more expensive method is to use a vacuum pump.

Servo assisted brakes are slightly more complex than standard ABS, but can still be sorted at home. Have personally not done the job on servo assisted but a forum search will bring loads of answers to your Question from far more eminent men than me.:bow

The standard ABS can be bled all the way from reservoir to caliper in one go with a vacuum pump it takes about 1/2 hour for all brakes and clutch and uses very little fluid, and in my book is well worth doing every year.
Click to expand...

Hi

My 2000 1150GS needs a fluid change and it looks like a vacumn pump is the way to go. I've bled ordinary brakes but not ABS. I wonder if you or some one could answer a few questions.
Where does one buy a vacumn pump and how much?
Does it come with instructions?
Is it a case of opening bleed nipples in a set order and just drawing the fluid through with the pump, and if so what order?
Any help greatly appreciated

Graham
 
My 2000 1150GS needs a fluid change and it looks like a vacumn pump is the way to go. I've bled ordinary brakes but not ABS. I wonder if you or some one could answer a few questions.
Where does one buy a vacumn pump and how much?
Does it come with instructions?
Is it a case of opening bleed nipples in a set order and just drawing the fluid through with the pump, and if so what order?
Any help greatly appreciated

Graham
Click to expand...

http://mityvacparts.com/

Cheapest here, straight from the us. Or hein-gericke here in uk.

It is easy, open reservoir and top up, attach pump build up vacuum, open bleed nipple and then maintain vacuum by pumping until fluid looks clean, being sure to keep reservoir topped up as necessary. Instructions with pump.

Tufty
 
slalom said:
Hi

My 2000 1150GS needs a fluid change and it looks like a vacumn pump is the way to go. I've bled ordinary brakes but not ABS. I wonder if you or some one could answer a few questions.
Where does one buy a vacumn pump and how much?
Does it come with instructions?
Is it a case of opening bleed nipples in a set order and just drawing the fluid through with the pump, and if so what order?
Any help greatly appreciated

Graham
Click to expand...


you don't actually need a vacuum pump to bleed your brakes, you can do it with a tube & jam jar just like ordinary brake circuits.

i do use a mityvac because i've got one. it might be a bit easier, not sure it's worth buying one specially :nenau
 
When I've tried to use a MityVac to bleed bike brakes in the past (not BMW but a selection of Japanese and Italian) it seems to draw a lot of air either around the treads of the bleed nipple or between nipple and tube.

Makes it look like there's air coming out of the caliper but it's not.

Do you guys do anything in particular to get a good seal ?
 
Thanks for all the tips guys, I'll have a go without the pump later this week, making sure I do the under tank unit first. Cheers.

Graham
 
slalom said:
Thanks for all the tips guys, I'll have a go without the pump later this week, making sure I do the under tank unit first. Cheers.

Graham
Click to expand...

on a 2000 1150GS you don't do the abs unit. bleed from the master cylinder to the caliper.
 
cookie said:
on a 2000 1150GS you don't do the abs unit. bleed from the master cylinder to the caliper.
Click to expand...

Nooooo!

The ABS unit has got two bleed nipples on it (one each for front and rear). I believe that the book says to bleed this unit before bleeding the calliper.

Greg
 
cookie said:
posts 9 and 10
Click to expand...

cookie

I'm not sure what you're saying.

On a 2000 1150GS with ABS (non-servo'd, non-linked brakes), you should bleed the ABS unit first, then the callipers.

That's what I said; what Steppers said (as per your link); and what the manual says.

:hammer

Greg
 
Greg Masters said:
cookie

I'm not sure what you're saying.

On a 2000 1150GS with ABS (non-servo'd, non-linked brakes), you should bleed the ABS unit first, then the callipers.

That's what I said; what Steppers said (as per your link); and what the manual says.

:hammer

Greg
Click to expand...

that is indeed what you said, & it may well be what the manual says, but it's not what steptoe says...

"Originally Posted by Seamaster
For non sevo braked bikes ie my 850gs do you just bleed in the usual manor, from the front caliper?

reply by steptoe
Yes. But if your replacing all the hoses, it's also best to bleed the ABS pump."


so you only need to bleed the abs pump if you replace the hoses or otherwise get air in the system. he just wanted a fluid change, didn't he?

the point is, the servo abs has 2 seperate circuits that need bleeding individually, the non servo is just one circuit.

i've done a very few of these bikes & always bled from the caliper.

i guess i should have written "on a 2000 1150GS you don't need to do the abs unit. bleed from the master cylinder to the caliper."
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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