Can't get no pressure in brake handle and hardly any pressure in brake calipers

[M_goerler 8]

Replaced brakes and master cylinder bleed brakes and master cylinder even tried using a vacuum pump any ideas? Did replace the master cylinder with an Amazon one that they said fit it I don't know any ideas?

[shadetree 5,914]

3 hours ago, M_goerler said:

Replaced brakes and master cylinder bleed brakes and master cylinder even tried using a vacuum pump any ideas? Did replace the master cylinder with an Amazon one that they said fit it I don't know any ideas?

first problem is you used china parts !. honda atv's do not like china parts at all. second: you got air trapped in the lines.

[retro 4,052]

China parts are all garbage, no exceptions. You'll need to replace with genuine Honda parts, then you'll be able to bleed the air out. You can buy good used OEM Honda parts from powersportsnation.com if you don't want to pay the high prices for new ones.

 

What is the year and model of your Honda? There are a few tricks that we can share that will help you get the air out, depends on what you're working on though. Get genuine Honda parts back on it, adjust the brakes, then let us know what ya got and we'll help ya bleed it.

[M_goerler 8]

It's a 2006 honda rancher 350 fe and I just ordered an oem master cylinder from honda for it so now just waiting on it

[M_goerler 8]

OK got oem master cylinder on a 2006 honda rancher 350 fe still no pressure tried old school brake pump 20 x and lossen bleeder did that for an hour no change tried a manual vacuum pump did that for 30 min each side only front brakes on this rear brakes are mechanical but still no change no leaks I can see in the lines no drips anywhere I can see could the brake cylinders be the problem . The only way I get alil pressure is pump really fast I get some pressure and I let go all bit it's gone I did that too trying to bleed the brakes as well any help or ideas?

[shadetree 5,914]

16 hours ago, M_goerler said:

OK got oem master cylinder on a 2006 honda rancher 350 fe still no pressure tried old school brake pump 20 x and lossen bleeder did that for an hour no change tried a manual vacuum pump did that for 30 min each side only front brakes on this rear brakes are mechanical but still no change no leaks I can see in the lines no drips anywhere I can see could the brake cylinders be the problem . The only way I get alil pressure is pump really fast I get some pressure and I let go all bit it's gone I did that too trying to bleed the brakes as well any help or ideas?

You need to adjust the brake drums all the way out until the drum touches the shoes, you do this buy turning the adjusters out on the wheel cylinders, i call them star wheels, one side in the front turns clockwise on the star wheels, the other side wheel cylinders turns counter clockwise to push the shoes out. you want the brake drum to have a slight drag on the shoes.

 

Once you get these set right, you can proceed to bleed the air out of the lines. keep in mind, chances are, these wheel cylinders rust up, and will be hard to turn !. also, you must have the brake drums installed onto the spindles, as in..on the atv.. remove lid from master cylinder, fill with dot 3 or dot 4 brake fluid, some newer atvs now use dot 5 i think these days ?..but it will work fine with dot 3 or dot 4 either way. have a pair of vise grips on hand. use the vise grips on the brake line about 2-3 inches away from the banjo bolt on the brake line from where the line attaches to master cylinder. you want to clamp down some what hard on the line, most times i clamp them over the sheath part of the line. you will know when you have the vise grips clamped tight enough when you proceed further.

 

Next, fill the master cylinder full of brake fluid, leave the lid off. now comes the process of bleeding the air out. you want to start with having a 8mm, or sometimes a 10mm box wrench on the bleeder valves at the wheels, just like when bleeding brakes on a car, always start with the furthest wheel from the master cylinder, in this case, it will be the front left wheel. you can do this alone ?, but its best to have a helper opening the bleeder valves, as the fenders make it kinda hard to reach the bleeder valve. if the front fender is off ?, and you got long arms ?, then its easier. if you are doing this alone ?, it may be harder...but i normally do it alone, because i have all the fenders off because i am doing it from scratch with nothing but a frame.

 

Now i pull the brake leave in, all while the vise grips are tight on the line. i will know the grips are tight, because the lever will be very hard to pull in, when the lever stops because it has pressure on it ?, while holding the lever in place, i slowly ease off the vise grips, at the same time, i continue to pull the lever in, when the lever bottoms out, i then clamp the vise grips down tight. then i let out on the lever. then i pull the brake lever back in, bottoms out, release vise grips  slowly again, continue to pull lever back in, once pressure is felt on brake lever, i ease the vise grips back off slowly, when i do it this way, i can feel the brake fluid rush past the pinch point. the brake lever bottoms out, i clamp down on the vise grips tight again. sooner or later, as i am repeating this pressure with the vise grips. i will no longer need to use the vise grips on the brake line to hold pressure on the brake lever. once this take place ?, while having pressure at the brake lever without the vise grips on the brake line, while holding the brake lever, i reach over to the front left wheel, open the bleeder valve, this is a rinse and repeat process, air will come out first, sooner or later nothing but brake fluid will spurt out, when i seen nothing but brake fluild spurt out ?, i then go to the front right side wheel. 

 

When doing this ?, DO NOT LET THE MASTER CYLINDER RUN DRY OF BRAKE FLUID !!!!!!, IF YOU DO ?, YOU WILL HAVE TO START ALL OVER, BECAUSE YOU LET AIR GET BACK IN THE LINES FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER !. i have been doing brakes on atvs this way for many, many years, and it has never failed me !. last but not least, you must have the brake shoes adjusted out at the brake drums before this will work.

[M_goerler 8]

OK will try this once I get the new brake cylinders in

[retro 4,052]

Awesome @shadetree, you went off retro-like on the keyboard, leaving no questions out of the book! Your post looks like a How to bleed front brakes sticky to me.... what say we pin it up after M_goerler is done with it?

[shadetree 5,914]

9 hours ago, retro said:

Awesome @shadetree, you went off retro-like on the keyboard, leaving no questions out of the book! Your post looks like a How to bleed front brakes sticky to me.... what say we pin it up after M_goerler is done with it?

i think i pinned it ?..lol