Reverse bleeding ATV brakes

Just a quick tutorial on how to reverse bleed your brakes. Pardon the mess...it's a disaster in my garage right now, but I figured you'd find this helpful if you don't know how this works. I didn't until I read up on it and tried it out. Works GREAT for getting those little air pockets up by the master cylinder punched out.

[@fubecabr]

I saw this video, but didn't have the right hose. But it gave me the idea to take the master cyl off the handbars with the lid on, and give it some good whacks with a plastic mallet in different positions. That worked for me.
I'll have to use this method in the future. Thumbs up.

[@chrisE815]

lol whatever works

[@akfred]

Good stuff, air travels up, so pushing from the bottom makes sense. There are times where gravity bleed or pump and bleed does not work and you sill get airlocked.

[@mak2349]

simple and effective way of getting air out of brake system. thanks.

[@Tallerico500]

@Learnthethingsido Thanks, I will try this today. I haven't thought of doing that yet.

[@jeeperscreepers78]

very helpful and great simple idea, thanx bud

[@1pilotsteve]

gonna try this tonight. I rebuilt my master cylinder and I have only been able to use the brakes by pumping them up every time I go to stop. I am gonna hit a tree one of these days. I can't seem to get the brakes bled.I have a 2003 Arctic Cat 400 4X4 FIS. I will let you know what happens. Thanks for the video. Cheers; Steve

[@chrisE815]

How did it go? Dealing with a nearly identical machine now.

[@EpicTrekker]

great vid and nice fix, thanks for sharing.

[@Tallerico500]

@Learnthethingsido I'm having the exact same problem with my ATV. I've heard you have too bench bleed the master cylinder if it's new. So I'll try that if this doesn't work.

[@warriordriver350]

my dirtbike wont bleed at all it isnt pumping fluid into the lines but had recently rebuilt it. Unfortunatly i found out a container of dot 3 brake fluid that unknowingly that it wasnt i put it in and it worked but gumed everything up. I cleaned it. The cylinder seems like it should because you can feel it push air out but its not so im gonna try this and i know it will work but i dont know if it can pump in more fluid after its all set.

[@slapoutz]

thanks trying this now my breaks wouldnt even bleed the regular way at all

[@finemyu69]

Where did you get to hoses/line to fit the bleeder valve??

[@sprinkle_some_crack_on_em8279]

I replace the caliper and the master cylinder on the rear and I have not been able to bleed all the air out the traditional way been trying for two days so today I'm going to get a huge a syringe and trying to inject it through the caliper

[@diegosean9773]

I have a Polaris 400 and I can't seem to get the brakes bled and I was wondering if someone could help me

[@harmansangha2337]

My back brakes are hard and good to go but my front brakes are not building pressure. Do I have to reverse bleed the back or can I just do the front

[@01cbr929rider]

Good vid but seems like a lot of extra work to bleed brakes. If your brakes dont bleed right usually there is air in the banjo like you said so I just hold the lever and crack the banjo and its good.

[@waynepicton2425]

I'm trying to revers bleed but the break fluid will not go up into the master cylinder. Any advice would be good.

[@box1u]

That seems like a good idea but you could reverse bleed it using a large animal syringe and force the fluid/air out faster.

[@omgitschrislol]

So will this work on a chinese atv with the bleed valve facing down?

[@darven_dangerous8109]

Yes

[@Tallerico500]

@Learnthethingsido ugh. I am jealous. I've been doing this for 6 months with no luck:(

[@snusmumriken6091]

Why didnt u just bleed it the regularisering way??

[@two45triox]

So why not just let gravity pull it down & out the caliper
the traditional way? Works like a charm.

[@LifewithJames]

two45triox I’ve always heard reverse bleed is better because the air bubbles will rise anyway. This way you would be working with them and not against.

[@chrisE815]

some of these machines have spots in the lines where air gets trapped. I'm dealing with an old 400 Artic Cat now. Tried vacuum bleeding, no luck.

[@golfish8589]

​@@chrisE815i have the same machine. What worked best for bleeding the brakes

[@chrisE815]

@@golfish8589 dude still haven't gotten around to it. Vacuum bleeder that attached to the bleeder valve was working great but i kept running the reservoir empty. I need another person to help

[@christinabeske]

UNDSKYLD MEN NO I CANT SEE ANYTHING