Hey,

After not getting on with the Hope Bleed kit, I decided to manually bleed my Tech V2s as per STW peeps advice 😀

However, is it normal to still be getting air in the fluid from the waste pipe at the caliper end after a whole bottle of the Hope DOT 5.1 fluid (250ml yellow bottle)???

I am almost at the end of the bottle and I am still getting air bubbles? Any reasons for this? Could I have a breach in the fittings, I have the Goodridge kit on, not the hope braided?

Cheers 😥

Forgot to say that I am following the Hope vid for direction

Hi, I had this trouble on my tech x2 it turned out to be a hairline crack on the caliper near the bleed nipple, contacted hope and they sent me a new one foc, brilliant customer support. Check for any cracks or loose fittings.

hambl90 – Member
Hi, I had this trouble on my tech x2 it turned out to be a hairline crack on the caliper near the bleed nipple, contacted hope and they sent me a new one foc, brilliant customer support. Check for any cracks or loose fittings.

Hi hambl90,

Don’t suppose you managed to take a pic did you?

Did you notice the problem or did Hope?

Thanks 😀

I got a crack where the lever body fitted hose – again replaced immediately. I would have thought that you would have got leaking fluid with a crack (as I did) rather than air sucked in.

Are you letting the fluid level in the master cylinder get too low so sucking in air? or releasing the lever before tightening the bleed nipple?

Hi danger mouse no pics sorry, I noticed the crack myself after I looked over the system when it failed to bleed.

TandemJeremy – Member
Are you letting the fluid level in the master cylinder get too low so sucking in air? or releasing the lever before tightening the bleed nipple?

Hi TJ,

Nope, the MC is full of oil, not letting it get too low, and I am locking off the bleed nipple before letting go of the lever. Thats whats making me think there is another problem, it should be done before a whole bottle of oil I would think?

hambl90 – Member
Hi danger mouse no pics sorry, I noticed the crack myself after I looked over the system when it failed to bleed.

No worries, thanks for the advice anyways.

If this isn’t sorted by Monday, I’ll have to call Hope and see what they say?

50 ml should be a complete fluid replacement.

Dunno then.

TandemJeremy – Member
50 ml should be a complete fluid replacement.

Dunno then.

Darn! Looks like I’ve got a problem then 😥

Whats the lever feel like?

are you sure all of the hoses are securely fastened etc etc??

TandemJeremy – Member
Whats the lever feel like?

Hard to tell exactly, but with the bleed nipple closed and something wedged between the pistons the level feels ok, not too tough to pull but the pistons hardly have any room to move, so the lever only pulls about half way back to the bars from fully open?

Jammy111 – Member
are you sure all of the hoses are securely fastened etc etc??

Just had a go at making sure they are tight, look ok, but I’m about to have another go at bleeding in a mo so I’ll see?

Just an outside chance, but has the bottle of brake fluid been shaken at all. Brake fluid will hold air bubbles for days before it disperses.

Are all the adjusters on the lever wound out? I have a vague memory of the reach adjust affecting bleeding if it’s wound right in, that might not be hopes but it’s worth a look

@ Coleman,

The current bottle was delivered to me yesterday via post, so maybe that could be it? 99% of the bubbles coming through the system are very small, so it could be that?

@ khani,

Yeah the adjusters are wound right out, they make mention of that in the Hope vid, so you are correct.

It’s possible that air is pulled into the outlet pipe from between it and the bleed nipple.

Have you stopped at any point and checked the lever feel?

Three_Fish – Member
It’s possible that air is pulled into the outlet pipe from between it and the bleed nipple.

Have you stopped at any point and checked the lever feel?

Hi Three_Fish,

Would that mean that if the air was pulled in there then my brakes could still be air free and bled ok?

I have now finished the bleed with a different bottle of fluid but air was still seen until the end of that bottle, so that tells me either the air is getting in as mentioned above after the bleed or somewhere else?

I have reconnected everthing and the lever feels firm but I don’t have a frame of reference as I hadn’t ridden these before I changed the hoses? but the lever only goes back about halfway at the most to the bars, I assume this is ok?

Also do Hopes make a kind of squishing sound as you pull on the lever, i.e am I hearing the oil being pushed through the MC/hoses or does it mean I have air in the pipes?

Thanks for all your input

Just also checked the lever with the wound right in, and the lever goes back to the bar, is this normal? If I wind it out, it feels firm and only reaches back halfway?

As above is the squishing sound normal when you pull the lever?

Sounds like there might be air init but I ain’t sure

Sorry – can’t think of owt else. LBS or you got a pal who is a decent mechanic to check it over?

Would that mean that if the air was pulled in there then my brakes could still be air free and bled ok?

If the bleed pipe is a looser fit that you may think, it’s possible – although rather improbable – that air enters the pipe/fluid after it’s left the nipple. One would usually expect to find brake fluid on the outside of the pipe/caliper if this was the case, though.

If the lever is firm – not rock hard like Avids tend to feel – then you could do worse than just ride them and see how they perform. You’ll sharp notice any bleed/air issues once you start using the brake(s).

You shouldn’t be able to hear fluid squishing around in the MC (or anywhere, for that matter). Impossible to determine any such subtleties over the interwebs, though; so, as TJ suggests, you might be wise to let somebody more confident take a look at it for you.

You’ve got to be gentle with brake fluid as stated above. Let the bottle settle over night and repeat the bleed.

Be gentle adding fluid to the MC and also be gentle letting the lever out (after closing the nipple off).

If, as you say, the lever feels ok then it’s probably not the sort of leak that would be delivering bubbles into the fluid.

Bleed it all off, gently, and then stick a couple of business cards (or something similar) one either side of the rotor. Stick the wheel back in and zip tie the lever back to the bar (as far back as feels firm).

That should force any remaining air out of the fluid.

If you’ve a leak it’ll also show up where it’s coming from……

p.s. (I hate Hope brakes!)

squishy sound is normal IMO. shouldn’t pull back to the bars though, regardless

and then stick a couple of business cards (or something similar) one either side of the rotor. Stick the wheel back in and zip tie the lever back to the bar (as far back as feels firm).

+1

DrRSwank

Bleed it all off, gently, and then stick a couple of business cards (or something similar) one either side of the rotor. Stick the wheel back in and zip tie the lever back to the bar (as far back as feels firm).

That should force any remaining air out of the fluid.

If you’ve a leak it’ll also show up where it’s coming from……

Sorry to sound stupid but I take it that the bleed nipple is shut at this point? Is the MC res cap off as well? How long should I leave the lever tied back? (and what does the business card trick achieve?

Thanks 😀

Ooops

YES – lock off the nipple and refit the MC cap before doing this!

The cards just provide a ‘gap’ between the rotor and pads so the system resets without being binding. I was told this by Hope years ago and still use it today when I’ve put new pads in (works on Hayes and all sorts).

Just seems to hard reset the lever position somehow and give you working brakes without any bind.

As for how far the lever should be back – not so far as it’s brute force, kind of like a good tug (ooh-err). The zip tie just holds it nicely in this position over night.

Ah, cool, I’ll give it ago overnight.

Whats your take on the sqeek/squishy sound as you pull the lever?

Earplugs?

If the brakes work, don’t fret if they sound squishy.

DrRSwank – Member
Earplugs?

If the brakes work, don’t fret if they sound squishy.

lol 😆

I only ask through paranoia as its been a bleeding (pun intended) nightmare 😕

Right, I’ve done the business card & zip tied the lever trick, now do I need to do anything else, like bleed again or open the MC cap etc to expel the air etc… or is it ‘just’ done?

Cheers 😀

if you have left it overnight with the levers tied back, any air should have riser to the mc. Undo the zip ties, take the reservoir covers off, top up fluid if required, roll the diaphragm back on, fit covers and all will hopefully be fine.