Gravity Bleeding Brake System
The following instructions will walk you through gravity bleeding your SmithTi "Easy Bleed" brakes.
- Fill reservoir – leave cap off until finished bleeding.
- Remove one inner left front top bleed screw and loosen one rear bleeder (this will get fluid flowing slowly) - keep your eye on reservoir level, do NOT let it empty itself.
- Close rear bleeder and let left front caliper continue to bleed until no more bubbles appear in the inner hole. Put screw back in and make it snug.
- Remove other top screw in left front caliper. When all air bubbles are gone, insert screw and make it snug (it is very helpful to turn wheel to the right and left).
- Check reservoir level.
- With both front caliper screws snug, open only ONE rear bleeder and wait until all air bubbles are gone. Then close that bleeder. Open the second rear bleeder and repeat until no air is present.
- With all bleeders tight, slowly pump the pedal until no more air appears in reservoir.
- Unhook both quick disconnects (front and rear) and use hand pressure to check pedal travel. Pedal travel should be ½ inch. If it is more, you need to loosen banjo bolt and let fluid gravity bleed out of the top banjo washer OR with new banjo bleed bolt, remove screw until there is no more air. Check again, it should have only 1/2 inch of pedal travel.
- Now connect the left front brake only and re-check both top bleed screws for air bubbles.
- With the left front caliper hooked up to the disconnect, you should have 7/8 inch pedal travel. If not, see the trouble shooting section below.
- Unhook the front caliper disconnect. Then connect the rear caliper disconnect and check pedal travel. Pedal travel should be 7/8 inch. If not, see the trouble shooting section below.
Troubleshooting
- If you cannot get left front to 7/8 inch pedal travel, remove pads and push pedal slowly until pistons come out of bores 1/8 inch on each side. Next, push pistons back in (do not loosen any bleed screws). After both pistons are pushed back, load pads. Now re-bleed both top screws. You should see some air bubbles. (Note: in a hydraulic system, pistons never move at equal times, only under pressure)
- Paper towel and cold water is all you need to clean brake fluid.
- Inboard, if you cannot get pedal travel to 7/8 inch with only the rear disconnect connected, push all four pistons out a 1/4 inch then push back in with bleeders closed. Then re-bleed both bleeders and check pedal travel.
- Goal = pedal travel with hand pressure (holding tape measure at foot peg to motor plate)
Chart below shows a fully bled system, Air has been removed. Brembo 7/8 M.C.
| Pedal Travel Use hand pressure measuring from fire wall to pedal foot peg. | Brake Quick Disconnects |
| 1/4" | Both disconnects unplugged (Checking master cylinder and car line kit). |
| 5/8" | Rear disconnect unplugged (Checking front caliper). |
| 7/8" | Front disconnect unplugged (Checking rear caliper). |
| 1-1/4" - 1-3/8" | Race Ready (Both calipers connected) All air removed |
