Re bleeding harrison 6 pot calipers?

D

Devon

Guest
Hi Everyone, I see several people have stated bleeding their Harrison calipers for the first time is a real pain. I have just spent the evening fitting 2 new Harrison 6 pot calipers and Goodridge hoses to my 96 Electra Glide. I have a mate coming over saturday morning to help bleed them: any tips would be appreciated :) .
Thank's in anticipation, Devon.
 
Re: Re bleeding harrison 6 pot calipers?

hee hee. patience young one lol.

no seriously having had this problem many times I've learnt that the more you struggle the worse it gets,
fill the reservoir open the nipple, attatch tube into a jar, then go and have a cup of tea or two perhaps and a fag.
allowing gravity to do it for you, then you find its an absolute doddle to bleed the last bits out once you see the fluid at the nipple.
there are various aids you can use but they all cost money and you will only use them once in a blue moon.
there is a method if your impatient of bleeding up hill using an oil can and tube attatched to the nipple and pump it up hill.
but in honesty time and experience has taught me the patience method.
 
Re: Re bleeding harrison 6 pot calipers?

S.T.Chapman said:
hee hee. patience young one lol.

no seriously having had this problem many times I've learnt that the more you struggle the worse it gets,
fill the reservoir open the nipple, attatch tube into a jar, then go and have a cup of tea or two perhaps and a fag.
allowing gravity to do it for you, then you find its an absolute doddle to bleed the last bits out once you see the fluid at the nipple.
there are various aids you can use but they all cost money and you will only use them once in a blue moon.
there is a method if your impatient of bleeding up hill using an oil can and tube attatched to the nipple and pump it up hill.
but in honesty time and experience has taught me the patience method.
Click to expand...

I go with Si on that one.
I have spend hours bleeding brakes and spent a fair few quid buying 'products' to assist me.....:( .
Use gravity as Si says before your start pressuring up the system and remember to have the nipple open and the caliper free from the bike initially and in the nipple in the uppermost position possible to let all the air out; once the fluid becomes visible, close the nipple off and fit to the bike and then start using the pressure system........;)
 
Re: Re bleeding harrison 6 pot calipers?

Get a small pump oil squirty can and a piece of tubing, pump UP from the nipple pushing the air up and out.

DON'T touch the brake lever, careful, it'll squirt out like a fountain if you're not careful.

Cheap as chips and has never failed yet, except when I forgot to take the wedgy cardboard out from the lever LOLOL.

oilcanbleeder.gif
 
Re: Re bleeding harrison 6 pot calipers?

I recognise that bit of kit;):D
 
Re: Re bleeding harrison 6 pot calipers?

works a treat used it on the wifes bike

harrison calipers are a real bitch to bleed, performance machine are a lot easier
 
Re: Re bleeding harrison 6 pot calipers?

... and finally, after following ST's good advice. Tighten yer nipples:eek: and tape the lever to the bar overnight (tie-wraps even better). Tomorrow, cut the tape, tie wrap.
 
Re: Re bleeding harrison 6 pot calipers?

Recently stumbled onto a method that works great on single pot calipers, but it should do the same for multiple pots. I take the left caliper off of the bike, leave the right on, and push the pistons all of the way back in until lightly seated. I use a c-clamp to do this. If you have fluid in the system, be sure the MC doesn't overflow. If the system is new (no fluid), push the piston in, put fluid in the master cylinder, and pump the pistons out. Put a disc or piece of wood/metal between the pads to stop the piston(s) before it/they pop out. Be sure to keep fluid in the MC while pumping. Once the pads have stopped, rotate and tap on the caliper so any air trapped near the bleeder screw or elsewhere works its way to the top of the caliper where the banjo fitting should be held. Now tap lightly on all banjo fittings on the left side of the system, including the T and the MC, then with the cover still off of the MC, push the piston back in slowly while watching the air bubble up through the MC. If the MC begins to fill to overflow take some fluid out with something. I use a syringe. You could use the finger on a straw method. Once the bubbles stop (you'll have solid flow) pump the pistons out again. Now mount the left caliper properly on the bike and pump the pistons back out if you pushed them back while mounting. Next go to the right side caliper and do the same procedure as you did on the left.

The idea behind this method is to get any trapped air to work its way to the top of the caliper so it's pushed out when you push the piston in. I also like to cable tie the lever back afterwards and leave it over night.

This is a one person method. It gave me the best lever I've ever had. Hope it does the same for you. Anxious to hear your comments.
 
Re: Re bleeding harrison 6 pot calipers?

actually getting the fluid past the mastercylinder is the major hurdle once that begins then the mastercylinder becomes a hydraulic pump, :D
 
Re: Re bleeding harrison 6 pot calipers?

Many Thanks for all the advice: got the brakes finished this afternoon. It took 3hrs to get all the air out.
The bike is due an oil change so we drained the engine:
unfortunately the drain plug came out with most of the thread from the sump :eek: . $@"#! Hopefully a local engineer can helicoil the drain hole in place, or else it looks like engine out time. :( .
Ho Hum, can't be lucky all the time :rolleyes: .
 
Re: Re bleeding harrison 6 pot calipers?

What year, make & model are you running?
It may be worth while to nose around your local parts store, find a drain plug a little oversize. Drill & re-tap.
 
Re: Re bleeding harrison 6 pot calipers?

Hi Phild, my bike is a 96 evo engined Electra Glide. Hoping I can find someone to drill the drain plug and go oversize plug as you say. Promblem is access to the drain hole is a little awkward. Going to ask around today and see if its possible. The bike has has a cross member restricting access to the sump.
I was planning to take a ferry to Cherbourg and have a lazy ride up to Denmark on June 3rd: A mate got me a ticket to see the Stones in Horsens on the 8th ( hopefully Keith Richards will be over his bang on the head?). I won't be happy riding unless the new plug is 100% secure. And as I sit here writing this on a monday morning, I can look out the window and it is pouring down :( .
 
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