I need to bleed my Hayes Nine front brake – rode Cwm Carn with only a back brake yesterday

I brought a Hope bleed kit once and didnt use half of the gubbins inside

Can I bodge a squeezy bottle and hose attach to my bleed valve on the caliper, raise above the reservoir on the brake, and push new oil in?

Also the brake needs DOT 3.1 or 4.1 but I have a bottle of 5.1 in my garage – will it be ok cause it is still a DOT type? This will save a few quid.

yeah you should be able to do that easily enough. they’re quite simple brakes to bleed. only problem you would need to address is the collection of fluid from the res at the lever because the kit supplies a special valve. think you can buy these individually though. not sure about the oil…

Peachos, where can you buy the adapters? You can bodge them with some GT85 tubing apparently, or a football inflation adaptor cut down.

For the OP, dot 5.1 is fine, dot 5 on the other hand would not…

I did it – bodged a squeezy bottle and tube to go on calliper bleed valve, took stopper out of port on level reservoir, opened caliper bleed valve, pumped in fluid, and fluid poured out of lever, closed calliper bleed valve, put stopper back in lever reservoir, job done.

only problem now is pistons too close to fit disc with new pads – I think I will sand down with some rough sandpaper

I also have a bit of leakage from the stopper in the lever reservoir port – should I have used a fresh stopper? £1.99 on CRC

toomsby – you have too much fluid in there unless the pads are too thick – you need to open the bleed valve and press the pistons back

TJ – I was worried someone might suggest that – its bound to go wrong now.

you do mean the bleed valve on the calliper?

what do you think about getting a new stopper for the lever reservoir?

thanks for advice

The most important thing to remember when bleeding Hayes brakes in point the levers upwards so that the bleed port faces upwards. Stops over filling.

Yes get some new stoppers adn push the pistons back as TJ says, however some Hayes do drag for a few miles with new pads, you can ride them for a few miles and let the pistons free up a bit and let the pads wear a bit. Ideally you should get the psitons out clean them all up and re lube before re fitting, Hayes seem prone to general cack build up at the edge of the pistons.

all ye need is a bit of any old hose collecting bled fluid from the calliper nipple really,
Keep the reserviour horizontal and topped up… open bleed nipple+squeeze lever…close nipple while pressure still on…release lever when nipple is closed (fluid will get sucked from reservior so top up)…repeat till satisfied.
Give the hoses etc a good flicking to dislodge any air bubbles.

Have same problem with callipers not reseating properly, have to just push them back as you can but dont push on the pin that sticks out

good luck!