clutch line bleeder

[tdisme]

I am both blind and stupid. I cannot find a bleeder line for the clutch on my 2004 V11 Sport. My Breva has a nifty little line clipped right to the battery under the seat! How nice! But I cant find the bleeder for this beast anywhere and I know it is staring me right in the face. Docc, howaboutchew?

[docc]

The bleeder is on the slave cylinder attached directly to the back of the clutch / back of the gearbox. It's probably easiest to get to with the wheel off. And, it's just far enough from the lever to require assistance on the squeezing and releasing.

[savagehenry]

It's probably easiest to get to with the wheel off. And, it's just far enough from the lever to require assistance on the squeezing and releasing.

Must be alot of midgets on this forum (Sorry Docc, couldn't pass on that, it was TOO easy!) . I can reach the lever and the bleeder, and I'm far from tall enough to be deemed a "knuckle dragger". And I do it with the wheel in place too. A little awkward, but I use a plastic syringe (from a pharmacy,for giving liquid meds) to drain the piss cup, and refill with the clean stuff, then start the squeeze/loosen/tighten drill.

A little trick I use to bleed the clutch, and brakes is this handy idea. Take about two feet or so of clear plastic hose with a 3/16 inch I.D., make a small loop so there is a 1-2 inch piece, to place over the bleeder fitting.After the first pumping, the hose loop will be filled, and now acts like a J trap in your sink drain. Even if your hand slips, or you simply have a brain fart and let the lever go before you've retightened the fitting, you will not draw any air back in to the line. When you see clean fluid in the trap, you're done. It takes me about 30 minutes+/- to do clutch, rear brake and both fronts. Sometimes a little longer, if I rest my hand and "ice" my weary paw by holding a can of something cold and beer like. Good luck, S.H.

[tdisme]

The bleeder is on the slave cylinder attached directly to the back of the clutch / back of the gearbox. It's probably easiest to get to with the wheel off. And, it's just far enough from the lever to require assistance on the squeezing and releasing.

Thanks, Docc. I needed that.

[gstallons]

Sometimes you can gravity bleed. This means to remove the reservoir cap, back off the bleeder screw one turn and allow the fluid to siphon from the reservoir. DO keep the reservoir FULL while doing this. when you are satisfied the fluid has been exchanged, tighten the bleeder screw and fill the reservoir as needed.

[tdisme]

Sometimes you can gravity bleed. This means to remove the reservoir cap, back off the bleeder screw one turn and allow the fluid to siphon from the reservoir. DO keep the reservoir FULL while doing this. when you are satisfied the fluid has been exchanged, tighten the bleeder screw and fill the reservoir as needed.

Seems to me, after rounding the flats on a frozen bleeder that could not have been any harder to access, that they could have at least pointed the damn thing down! My Breva has this gorgeous hose ending in a bleeder for the clutch and it gracefully sits there attached to the battery, big as life and twice as handsome. But the V11 requires three extra joints in your arm, good knees, good eyes, the patience of a saint, and tiny tiny fingers. It is in a ridiculous location, it is a source of bilious hatred in my soul and I have dumped motorcycles for lesser reasons. Now, unless I can figure out how to g................forget it, life's too short for the damn thing to own me. I'll pay somebody and hope for the best!

[tdisme]

It's probably easiest to get to with the wheel off. And, it's just far enough from the lever to require assistance on the squeezing and releasing.

Must be alot of midgets on this forum (Sorry Docc, couldn't pass on that, it was TOO easy!) . I can reach the lever and the bleeder, and I'm far from tall enough to be deemed a "knuckle dragger". And I do it with the wheel in place too. A little awkward, but I use a plastic syringe (from a pharmacy,for giving liquid meds) to drain the piss cup, and refill with the clean stuff, then start the squeeze/loosen/tighten drill.

A little trick I use to bleed the clutch, and brakes is this handy idea. Take about two feet or so of clear plastic hose with a 3/16 inch I.D., make a small loop so there is a 1-2 inch piece, to place over the bleeder fitting.After the first pumping, the hose loop will be filled, and now acts like a J trap in your sink drain. Even if your hand slips, or you simply have a brain fart and let the lever go before you've retightened the fitting, you will not draw any air back in to the line. When you see clean fluid in the trap, you're done. It takes me about 30 minutes+/- to do clutch, rear brake and both fronts. Sometimes a little longer, if I rest my hand and "ice" my weary paw by holding a can of something cold and beer like. Good luck, S.H.

I listened to you and your song. This bleeder is like the Guzzi G-spot, I know where it is, I can touch it, but I cant get the damn thing to work! Too far inside the motorcycle. FINALLY managed to get a wrench on the accursed little bugger, alas, only to round off the only two flats I could use. It was frozen tighter than a nuns' ....... I can't say that here either. Lots of competition level oathing, a little blood, the need for a wrench that doesn't exist, damage to a part I can barely touch, and loathing for an engineer I will never know and couldn't talk to if I did know him. And tomorrow is Friday the 13th.

[tdisme]

The bleeder is on the slave cylinder attached directly to the back of the clutch / back of the gearbox. It's probably easiest to get to with the wheel off. And, it's just far enough from the lever to require assistance on the squeezing and releasing.

Found it (frozen solid), rounded it, threw tools, watched tv.

[gstallons]

NNNOOOOO !

are you using a 6 point socket ?

You should be able to use a 1/4" drive breaker bar & 6 pt. socket to break it loose.

[docc]

This is too ominous. I'm planning on doing this tomorrow while my wheel is off. And, eek, it is Friday the thirteenth! Good thing I'm not with the Knights Templar. I'm sure my clutch bleeder would be booby-trapped . . .

 

Really, all I need to do tomorrow is put in some new brake pads, but thought it best to pull the wheel, clean up the grease splatter (hoping that my rear drive seal change is holding) and bleed the caliper (which requires flipping it upside down).

 

In the process, I think it good to follow this advice in FAQ: Maintenance Checklist while the wheels are off

[Kiwi_Roy]

Once I saw all the fun you guys were having I thought "I just have to try that", my fluid was a dark brown colour.

I found my 1/4 sockets were not deep enough to grip the bleeder but a 10 mm ring spanner did the trick.

The only way I could reach in was thread my hand up just above the crossover on the brake pedal side.

Once I got the wrench in place I was able to operate it from the opposite side while working the lever.

It sure helped that I have taken off the airbox, I can now see all sorts of hidden treasure

[mznyc]

Oh great I rounded mine right quick.Anyone have a solution getting her off,because of the tight quarters even using a special 10mm "getting a rounded head off" socket head she wouldn't budge.

Thanks!

Michael

[gstallons]

Remove the rear wheel, use a 6 point wrench or socket to break it loose. You can then bleed it easily.

 

 

[mznyc]

Remove the rear wheel, use a 6 point wrench or socket to break it loose. You can then bleed it easily.

No go on that Red Rider,She's rounded. Normal or special socket won't do it.Lookin for ole timey solution,

[richard100t]

I did mine a summer or two ago and I dont remember it being all that hard. I think if I remember right its best to remove the shock remote reservoir to access the bleeder. You can get the box end wrench in that way. Of course I have pod filters and no airbox to get in the way, so I dont know if thats an issue or not. If the bleeder is frozen and stripped I suppose you'll need to get it off with vise grips and just replace it with a new one. I dont even think I took the back wheel off when I did mine, but I would never have been able to get at it without taking off that remote reservoir.