Bleedin' Avid Elixir R

[stewyh]

Got a strange little issue with the Elixir Rs on my Djer. Brakes work nicely for the most part but after crashing, real heavy impacts or turning the bike upside down the brakes go spongy as a rotten cheesecake.

There must be something wrong with the way I'm bleeding them (which is frequently). I'd guess that air is hanging out in the top of either the calipers or levers and works its way into the lines when the bike is "agitated".

Have Elixir 3s on another bike with no such issues, bled em once and no need to since.

Any clues?

In b4 "Shimano" :biggrin1:

 

[link1896]

Your elixir R has a contact point adjustment barrel, which moves the hose relative to the lever. Otherwise they are the same as these transparent demo levers.


How are you bleeding?

 

[stewyh]

How are you bleeding?




View attachment 330421

Just following the manual that came with the bleed kit. Flush the line, bleed caliper, bleed lever... however I think you may have just solved it. Mine have a fixed bleed screw and a roller near the lever like in the picture, which I thought was the reach adjust. They have no rotating barrel at the hose connection.

 

[link1896]

Just following the manual that came with the bleed kit. Flush the line, bleed caliper, bleed lever... however I think you may have just solved it. Mine have a fixed bleed screw and a roller near the lever like in the picture, which I thought was the reach adjust. They have no rotating barrel at the hose connection.

View attachment 330422

Nope, I had it ass backwards. The adjuster you have is reach adjustment, not contact point adjustment. Hence the R in the name.

 

[pink poodle]

Got a strange little issue with the Elixir Rs on my Djer. Brakes work nicely for the most part but after crashing, real heavy impacts or turning the bike upside down the brakes go spongy as a rotten cheesecake.

There must be something wrong with the way I'm bleeding them (which is frequently). I'd guess that air is hanging out in the top of either the calipers or levers and works its way into the lines when the bike is "agitated".

Have Elixir 3s on another bike with no such issues, bled em once and no need to since.

Any clues?

In b4 "Shimano" :biggrin1:

A few secrets I used when I ran Avid brakes...
- Flick the brake line a few times while working the needles.
- Lean the bike side to side while working the needles.
- Work the lever while working the needles.
- The vacuum...mmmm the vacuum.

 

[c3024446]

With the bleed block in, is the lever super solid? What happens if you turn it upside down just after bleeding and with the bleed block still in? Maybe you are pulling air through the lever, or a oring has failed, or something else!

The elixirs 5's ive bleed before - I had a very hard time getting a good bleed. You cannot take shortcuts at all, and after bleeding them, had to pull the lever to the bars with no rotor between to bring the pads closer together, then separate them to just clear the rotor. Otherwise they would just pull to the bars after what i thought was a good bleed......

 

[The Duckmeister]

Got a strange little issue with the Elixir Rs on my Djer. Brakes work nicely for the most part but after crashing, real heavy impacts or turning the bike upside down the brakes go spongy as a rotten cheesecake.

There must be something wrong with the way I'm bleeding them (which is frequently). I'd guess that air is hanging out in the top of either the calipers or levers and works its way into the lines when the bike is "agitated".

Any clues?

Sounds completely normal. For Elixirs.

 

[Timberwilly]

Elixrs really don't seem to cope with the bike being upside down or traveling by air in my experience.

The taperbore design has a reputation for not dealing well with air bubbles.

Tapping the caliper with a screwdriver handle or something similar repeatedly on all sides and moving the caliper about so any bubbles stuck in corners can rise upwards while you work the fluid through helps get a better bleed.

 

[stewyh]

A few secrets I used when I ran Avid brakes...
- Flick the brake line a few times while working the needles.
- Lean the bike side to side while working the needles.
- Work the lever while working the needles.
- The vacuum...mmmm the vacuum.

Sounds logical, shall give it a go over the weekend, cheers.

With the bleed block in, is the lever super solid? What happens if you turn it upside down just after bleeding and with the bleed block still in? Maybe you are pulling air through the lever, or a oring has failed, or something else!

The elixirs 5's ive bleed before - I had a very hard time getting a good bleed. You cannot take shortcuts at all, and after bleeding them, had to pull the lever to the bars with no rotor between to bring the pads closer together, then separate them to just clear the rotor. Otherwise they would just pull to the bars after what i thought was a good bleed......

Levers solid with bleed block in. Brakes feel great straight after bleeding which is why I never really thought much of it. I rode it on the weekend and the brakes went to shite after a few spills, bike has sat still for two days and brakes feel normal again.
I think Poodle's onto something, just need to rock n roll it during syringe time... hopefully.

 

[davehirst]

Best trick I found (what I do with track m/bike)
Is after bleeding the brakes, tie lever tight to bar, tilt bike so lever is at the highest point, give the banjo points a few taps to loosen bubbles,then leave over night. This forces all the air to the top.
Next day I give it just a top bleed, I always get more air.
After that your good to go.

 

[stewyh]

Best trick I found (what I do with track m/bike)
Is after bleeding the brakes, tie lever tight to bar, tilt bike so lever is at the highest point, give the banjo points a few taps to loosen bubbles,then leave over night. This forces all the air to the top.
Next day I give it just a top bleed, I always get more air.
After that your good to go.

Sounds like a plan