Multistrada Rear Brake Bleed
If like me, you've had an enormous amount of trouble trying to remove the spongyness out of the rear brake following some sort of overhaul that introduces air into the hose (I periodically switch my footrests with rearsets, and I have to undo the master cylinder banjo), this article shows you how it must be done - there are no two ways to do this job! It can't be done in situ - I've tried my own vacuum bleeder and had dealers with industrial vacuum bleeders unable to bleed it this way!
This technique is outlined in the workshop manual (Section D4 p.20).
The job is 2 hours duration - though only requires 15 minutes work at the start and 15 minutes at the end.
Remove the rear wheel
Remove the two 8mm caliper mounting screws (6mm Allen key)
Take the caliper off the disc.
Place a spacer between the pads - easiest if it's at least as thick as the disc.
Raise the caliper as high as you can - I tie it to the rear lug of the frame - Make sure the bleed nipple is at the top.
Place a protective sheet of plastic under the caliper and another one under the reservoir - hold in place with masking tape.
*** Very important *** Leave like this for 90 minutes.
Place a ring spanner over the end of your bleed hose
Connect the bleed hose to the nipple.
Slacken (i.e. screw into the pivot) the master cylinder adjuster rod. This is important as it ensures the master cylinder piston returns to the point where it can suck in fresh fluid.
Repeat: {top up reservoir fluid level if required, undo bleed nipple, slowly depress brake lever, tighten nipple, release brake pedal} until no air comes out of bleed tube. Note that the correct torque for the nipple is only 10 N m - so don't swing on it!
Re-assembly torques
Nipple = 10 N m
Caliper mounting screws = 25 N m (molybdenum disulphide grease)
Rear wheel right nut = 177 N m (molybdenum disulphide grease)
Written by BRG @ multistrada.net
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