How to Bleed Shimano Brakes: Complete Guide

This video is a step-by-step guide to bleeding Shimano road and mountain bike brakes. The full process uses the syringe method and gravity method, but I discuss which steps can be skipped in the process.
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[@whichwayiszigzag]

Clint! What an amazing guide - this is perfect!

[@mancello]

Nice instructional video as usual Clint. Calvin at Park Tools is getting concerned.😉

[@thomaskuhn6541]

Great video, good to have both methods together in one. Also useful to see it done with road levers as I just got my first gravel bike. Thanks

[@tinshield]

Before pushing the pistons back do yourself a favor and take the screw off the master cylinder at the lever to give the fluid a place to go. If you don't, you run a risk of popping the little seal at the end of the barrel which is not available separately. It's a rubber diaphragm that can and will rip with excessive pressure. Also, you can use a syringe but I find the gravity method much easier with the Shimano bleed funnel. Fill the funnel and pump the lever and the oil flows right out the bleed port like you showed.

[@nickkent7164]

Great video, thank you. Far easier to follow than thdvone from Park Tools

[@tomacheteful]

Most helpful video ive watched on this process. Im gonna give it a go this afternoon.

[@markmayfield5382]

All your instruction videos are great. Thanks!

[@newttella1043]

Maybe I'm over thinkng it, but I rather have all the old fluid exit from the caliper end. I find that is where the really dirty fluid is and I don't like pushing all of it through the entire system then through the lever and reservoir. My brain seems to believe the contaminated fluid sits below the mineral oil...like oil floating over water and grit.

[@ClintGibbs]

I guess someone needs to do an experiment to see if contaminated fluid rises or sinks in clean fluid!

[@yamyam60]

I would never again use a bleed block that doesn't cover the whole area of the calliper pistons. I have destroyed two 4 pot callipers until I found out why. I was having trouble getting a firm brake and applying full lever pressure caused the ceramic pistons to push the bleed block at an angle as part of their surface area was unsupported. I have since 3d printed my own bleed blocks but If you are confident that you have all the air expelled then I would suggest you only apply full lever pressure after installing the brake pads.

[@mattkavanaugh5623]

Good video! I've watched lots of brake bleeding videos and yours is terrific. I wondered about a couple of things while watching. Could you tilt the bike in the stand instead of loosening the handlebars or lever in order to get the funnel at the correct angle? I think I have done that and it seemed to work. Also, when putting the funnel in place for the syringe bleed, is it a good idea to have some mineral oil in the funnel to avoid air getting into the reservoir?

[@ClintGibbs]

No need to add mineral to the funnel before pushing it up through the syringe. Gravity will keep air from getting into the system. As far as tilting the bike, you’d have to tilt it pretty far each direction so that would be a bit of a hassle and possibly get some air in to the system with all the movement. I guess you could try it but in my opinion it would be easier just to loosen the handlebars or the brake lever.

[@aarons1073]

How would you bleed the caliper on a caliper that has a bleed screw instead of a bleed nipple, since you can't open and close the system with the hose attached (it's always open if the screw is off)?

[@cycling.cheers2326]

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[@thim8009]

I have all code r brakes on all 3 bikes. When they start to wear, I'm going to get trp evo downhill's. Pretty much same concept as shimano brakes.

[@litresios2158]

if i just do the syringe method does the lever become stiff after the oil is transferred into the system or do I need to squeeze it a few times for it to stiffen up

[@plumbgray]

Excellent explanation and tutorial thank you 👍

[@willyturing1803]

Hi Clint, from what i have gathered, a complete bleeding process includes 3 steps: 1.Gravity method/Syringe method for injecting the fluids into the system; and gravity method or syringe method are basically two different ways achieving the same goal. 2.bleed the caliper. 3.bleed the shifter. Am i missing anything? My question is when you bleed the caliper why do you need to press the lever while open and close the bleed screw, what is the mechanism of this method?

[@ClintGibbs]

It’s a step that Shimano recommends. From my understanding it forces bubbles out, a bit more forcefully than just letting gravity do its job.

[@bunny-hu]

Thanks, it is useful. It maybe a nice to see the same method with the rear break, just make sure. Anyway, what kind of mirror you using in the tape plug? I found only much smaller ones.

[@ClintGibbs]

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[@markhail793]

Awesome content as usual, thanks Clint!

[@ashevillescarborough]

Very thorough! I do prefer Shimano brakes over Sram because they seem much less fussy to bleed properly..

[@adriancabrera3014]

everything in shimano's catalog its easier to fix

[@lawor8]

Hi Clint what are the indications/reasons for bleeding the brakes? And how often should the brakes be bled?

[@ClintGibbs]

When the levers feel spongy or the lever goes too far to the bar. If it’s been more than a year, especially if you ride in more extreme conditions, I would bleed them. Once you get it down it is a 10 minute process.

[@jayf2487]

would it be the same process with tektro hd-m745 brakes?

[@ClintGibbs]

Do they use mineral oil or DOT fluid?

[@jayf2487]

@@ClintGibbs on my levers it says mineral oil

[@ClintGibbs]

@@jayf2487 Then this procedure should work fine

[@jayf2487]

@@ClintGibbs thanks Clint👍🏻

[@michaelsteven1090]

So either method does the same thing it seems. Even for changing to new fluid. Why even bother with the syringe. 🤔😑

[@ClintGibbs]

Syringe works really well on the rear brake because you don’t have to worry about making sure the caliper is the lowest part of the system. In other words, you don’t have to rotate your bike at a weird angle.

[@johncarrington8612]

The syringe seems to also work better at making sure bubbles are removed from the system in the rear brakes.

[@MichaelE.Douroux]

Well done!

[@robfromga2]

Dude put on safety gear to bleed brakes. 🤦‍♂️

[@ClintGibbs]

As shown at 4:13 I put on gloves and safety glasses when I start working with the oil.