oh my bleading Hayes Mag

[Joe Dick]

I've got a four year old set of what are now Hayes Mag's and I've blead them plenty of times with a proper kit. long story but my blead kit is 1000km from where I am now, so I tried to blead them with a blead kit I made using a syringe and small diamiter hose but I could not get the fluid to push through. at first I though it was my hokey bleead kit so I picked up a "hayes" kit. same thing, not happening. I tried every thing I can thing of with out taking the master cylinder/lever unit apart including redoing the crimp washer thing where the hose joins the lever unit. no luck.

has this happened to any one else. fluid will go in and it seems like it passes through to a point and then stops? little rubber caps were on so it should not be dirt blockage. theres not much too these thing so like WTF???

[switch]

Did you try really opening up the caliper bleed screw? Usually it only takes about a quarter to half a turn, but I had a caliper where I'd have to unscrew it a couple full turns before I could get oil through.

You could also take the screw right out and make sure there's nothing clogging it.

[synchro]

take the bleed screw right out and clean out the hole with a safety pin. if there is brake fluid left in the top part of the bleed screw from the last time you did the bleed it can dry out and harden, blocking the hole in the caliper end of the bleed screw. even with the rubber cap on the bleed screw this can sometimes happen.

[switch]

Originally posted by synchro
take the bleed screw right out and clean out the hole with a safety pin. if there is brake fluid left in the top part of the bleed screw from the last time you did the bleed it can dry out and harden, blocking the hole in the caliper end of the bleed screw. even with the rubber cap on the bleed screw this can sometimes happen.
That's what I said, except I did it in one sentence. :P

But do follow Mark's directions - the problem is somewhat common.

[synchro]

Originally posted by switch
That's what I said, except I did it in one sentence. :P

pfft

[Zedbra]

I've seen a few of the bleed screws where the bleed hole was crushed in from someone over tightening it after a bleed. Cheap fix if so

[synchro]

good point zed

[switch]

Originally posted by Zedbra
I've seen a few of the bleed screws where the bleed hole was crushed in from someone over tightening it after a bleed. Cheap fix if so

That's what I said, except I did it in one sentence. :P

[Bryce]

sometimes the internals get gunked up too if you've left fluid in there for a year or two. Some shops will tell you that you need a new master cyclinder but other will just clean out the old one for $15.

[Joe Dick]

yeah I tried all that before I posted. took it all apart and cleaned it. I've got fluid comming right up to the master cycinder, and the master cyinder will push air/fluid out. it's just not comming out the top where you put in the catch basin hose. I blead them a couple months ago, and it worked then.

it's kind of a moot point as there should be a new set of lever pods/master cyinder units in the mail... or thats what I'm told. I just got tired of waiting, tired of riding the XC bike and thought I'd see if I could squeeze a couple more rides out of the old units. the old ones have been giving me head akes all summer, as well used four year old parts will.

one more night hammering out the Ti hardtail, oh well.