Hello,
The good news is I finally got a Cat. I bought a friend's 2000 300 4x4 with 530 miles. This is my first quad. Now, the bad news. I wanted to check the pads and see how they looked. The last pair I actually pulled (LF) to get a good look. Well, some how I managed to pull out the piston (cup?) and of course lost all pressure and some fluid. I have tried bleeding the brakes by starting at the rear, then RF, then LF. I've done it three times now and no pressure, the lever goes to the handlebar. I crack the bleeder valve and pump the brake until the bubbles are gone, then set the parking brake and close the valve and release the brake, pump a few times and move on to the next. I'm obviously doing something wrong, can anybody offer some advise. Would a vacum bleeder (MityVac) be of any help?

Thanks

 

Well I can tell you how we do it in Automotive. Open all bleeders at once, keep the mater cylinder full and let it gravity bleed until all calipers bleeders are dipping steady. Then close them all and bleed the breaks starting as far away from the master and working your way towards it. I think the hardest part of this job would be keeping the master full at all times. Hope this helps

 

Here's a plan I use on my trucks and my cats. Keep the master cylinder full or you will have to start over. Start at the rear, place a hose on the bleed screw and run the other end into a cup half filled with fresh brake flud and make sure the line stays submerged. This allows you to squeeze the brake lever with the bleed screw open and not have to worry about sucking air into the system when you release the lever. Get the air out and make sure the fluid looks clean. On the last squeeze close the bleed screw before you release the lever. Perform this on all three calipers. If you leave the screws open and just let them drain it is sort of like the coke bottle when you drinK from it, fluid comes out in a gulp and air goes in to replace it regardles of if you have plenty of fluid in the master cylinder. The other area you want to look at is are you getting pressure from the master cylinder? The white one where prone to going out. I had mine die on my 01 500 cat. Dealer replaced it in 20 minutes. The new metal(black) ones are said to be more sturdy and less prone to failure. I'm hoping you didn't ruin a seal on the piston of the caliper. If it is leaking you'll never be able to get good consistant pressure without air or leaks. Good luck up there.

Dakota R/T

 

Thanks for the tips DakotaRT and akita. I do have the white master cylinder, but I think that it is fine. The brakes worked fine with good pressure before I goofed them up. I also think that the seal is ok on the caliper piston, it isn't leaking at all since I put it back. I just need to get the lever firmed up.

Thanks again

 

"If you leave the screws open and just let them drain it is
sort of like the coke bottle when you drinK from it, fluid comes out in a gulp and air goes in to replace it
regardles of if you have plenty of fluid in the master cylinder." I am sorry, but you seemed to know what you where talking about up to this point. The only place air can enter in this proceedure is through the small hole in the bottom of the master cylinder. (keep the master full of fluid and air CAN'T enter) Gravity bleeding the system, prior to the "pump it up, hold it down, open the bleeder" method is used alot! I have also seen the line in the bottle method. This is also a good method, but unless you finish it with the close the bleeder and pump it up method you may no get all the air. I am speeking of this with forteen years mechanic experience. (10 of them specializing in front end and brakes alone).