Hope brakes bleeding tips and tricks

[gippyz]

Hello folks,

I've been diligently following the video on how to bleed hope brakes:

.

I recently have had to bleed 2 sets of Hope brakes, and for both sets, it took me hours (literally 6-8 hours) to get the rear brake (of each set) to have any decent power on them. They are both on internal wiring system. Thus it's impossible to take them out to bleed them.

Now, I'll need to bleed one set again very soon, and i would love to spend a fraction of the time it previously took me. Do you have any tricks up your sleeve that you can recommend? I have the easy bleed kit and have syringes around. Thus fire away!

 

[kip01]

Where you located

 

[gippyz]

Sydney

 

[kip01]

Dam you could borrow my hope pro bleed kit but I'm in Melbs. Best way I found is reverse bleed with syringe if you haven't got the tool

 

[Oddjob]

First check that the fittings are tightened up to spec.

Get a bleed kit with two syringes, like the Jagwire elite one https://www.pushys.com.au/jagwire-e...tkbdEJ_91u9N1R1hCwhoCfeYQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds.

Fill one syringe with brake fluid. Push fresh brake fluid into system and suck the old fluid out into the other syringe. Purge old fluid from syringe and part fill with fresh fluid, reattach syringe. Then push fluid from one syringe to the other making sure that bubbles can rise up to the plungers. Do this back and forth a few times and tap the lever, lines and caliper. Close caliper bleed valve, pull lever to pressurise the brake, remove syringe and top up reservoir. Close reservoir.

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[creaky]

First check that the fittings are tightened up to spec.

Get a bleed kit with two syringes, like the Jagwire elite one https://www.pushys.com.au/jagwire-e...tkbdEJ_91u9N1R1hCwhoCfeYQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds.

Fill one syringe with brake fluid. Push fresh brake fluid into system and suck the old fluid out into the other syringe. Purge old fluid from syringe and part fill with fresh fluid, reattach syringe. Then push fluid from one syringe to the other making sure that bubbles can rise up to the plungers. Do this back and forth a few times and tap the lever, lines and caliper. Close caliper bleed valve, pull lever to pressurise the brake, remove syringe and top up reservoir. Close reservoir.

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How does that kit connect into the hope lever?

 

[Ultra Lord]

How does that kit connect into the hope lever?

It’s a reservoir you fill up. Just make sure it’s level (doesn’t have to be mounted on the bar to do a bleed).

 

[teK--]

https://www.rotorburn.com/forums/index.php?threads/hope-tech3-lever-throw-bleeding.312629/page-2#post-3304496

 

[gippyz]

I've tried pushing the fluid from caliper to lever using syringe. That helped when the hose is empty as it fills the system up, but it didn't help if the system is already filled.

from my last bleed, the trick that returns the power to the brake was the constant pumping of the lever while tilting it on different angle. The shimano brakes bleed technique. When i did this, a massive bubble pop up on the funnel. I found this strange, but if it works, well it works.

https://www.rotorburn.com/forums/index.php?threads/hope-tech3-lever-throw-bleeding.312629/page-2#post-3304496

Yeah i tried this trick as well using various home made blocks to stop non-sticking pistons from moving. It made the sticky pistons not sticky, but afterwards the brake is still not firm enough. Still massive lever throw after.

 

[kip01]

I've owned plenty of hopes never had this much trouble bleeding them there fairly simple like Shimano.

 

[ozzybmx]

I had 5-6 sets over the years, still own 4 sets but they are not used very often these days.

Not sure what the more modern models have for bleeding the lever but I found that putting a LOT of rags/cloths around the lever, slightly loosening the lever cover and pushing a lot of fluid through the caliper... which leaks out the loose cover while squeezing/releasing the lever, seems to bleed the lever quite well.
DOT5.1 is nasty stuff, wear gloves and have lots of oil soaker cloth wrapped around the lever and do it over a bin or container... or take it off the bike completely.

Rotate the lever while pushing through from the caliper to remove all air... its messy but can save a bit of time.

Rolling the rubber gasket on is messy too, great brakes, just a messy design.

EDIT: Use rubber gloves and clean well with alcohol wipes after.
Everyone owns rubber surgical gloves and alco wipes after Covid ?

 

[creaky]

It’s a reservoir you fill up. Just make sure it’s level (doesn’t have to be mounted on the bar to do a bleed).

Yeah, I run two sets. Just don’t see how you can do a syringe push-pull bleed on the hopes?

 

[ozzybmx]

Yeah, I run two sets. Just don’t see how you can do a syringe push-pull bleed on the hopes?

You cant.

Its not as critical with Hopes as you have a decent reservoir like motorbike brakes but don't actuate the brakes when the bike is vertical or upside down, actually any position off 'wheels on ground' can push the air that may be present in the reservoir down the hoses. It does seem to come back up but can lead to a spongy ride when you need them the most.

 

[teK--]

I had 5-6 sets over the years, still own 4 sets but they are not used very often these days.

Not sure what the more modern models have for bleeding the lever but I found that putting a LOT of rags/cloths around the lever, slightly loosening the lever cover and pushing a lot of fluid through the caliper... which leaks out the loose cover while squeezing/releasing the lever, seems to bleed the lever quite well.
DOT5.1 is nasty stuff, wear gloves and have lots of oil soaker cloth wrapped around the lever and do it over a bin or container... or take it off the bike completely.

Rotate the lever while pushing through from the caliper to remove all air... its messy but can save a bit of time.

Rolling the rubber gasket on is messy too, great brakes, just a messy design.

EDIT: Use rubber gloves and clean well with alcohol wipes after.
Everyone owns rubber surgical gloves and alco wipes after Covid ?

Sounds messy!

Just fit the Pro bleeder cup and you have around 50ml of extra capacity at the reservoir which you can use to push/pull fluid in both directions for quite a thorough bleed. Couple that with rolling/tapping the lever and, unbolt the caliper and tilt/tap, extend pistons and tip/tap, and you can get almost all the air out.

 

[gippyz]

i totally agree the hope bleeding system is very very messy. At one point i was working on the deck and the dot fluid seeps through the rag and forever stain the decking wood (need to sand it to take it off). I'll try the syringe method from caliper as it seems to be the method that works.

 

[beeb]

I've found with the rear brake, it's worth elevating the front of the bike to make sure you're not trying to push any bubbles "downhill" (I hooked the front of my bike over a A-shaped step ladder the last go around). Hopes seem a little more finnicky about this than other brands I've bled for some reason.

I did have one set I'd bought used that still refused to come up firm even after trying that, plus I tried doing the piston shuffle, rotate caliper on a bunch of angles, and all the tap the lever/juggle the syringe tricks. It was still spongy as all hell. I ended up replacing the master cylinder piston seals and it bled up firm first go.

If you end up having to do that, do check which seal you're placing where - each piston has two different seals. OD looks the same, but ID is different between the two. Just don't ask me how I know! (CotFW )

PS: DOT4 fluid works fine too, and while still not as pleasant as mineral oil, it's a lot less offensive than DOT5.1!

 

[Oddjob]

How does that kit connect into the hope lever?

The jagwire elite kit has a blanking plate with a port and a gasket that bolts onto the lever reservoir. Makes the bleed much cleaner and quicker.

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[creaky]

The jagwire elite kit has a blanking plate with a port and a gasket that bolts onto the lever reservoir. Makes the bleed much cleaner and quicker.

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Cool. Does that fit both the Tech and Race levers?

 

[Oddjob]

Cool. Does that fit both the Tech and Race levers?

Actually ignore that, I'm talking out of my ass. Its the hope kit that has the blanking plate, the Jagwire kit has the 2 fancy syringes. The 2 combined (like I have in my shed) makes it very easy.

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[kbekus]

holy shit Oddjob, that's a pricey setup you have there... I'm quite the tool nerd but I'm baulking a bit at that $120 Jagwire kit.... fk me. I love my Hope brakes but if I had my time again I'd just have settled with the Shimano setup.... there's a great deal to love about using mineral oil as the hydraulic fluid, not to mention the threaded hole at the top of the reservoir that takes the $7 plastic cup.