How To Bleed Hope Disc Brakes

[isitafox]

This guide was written for the normal Mini style levers but I can only assume it will work the same for the Trial Zone lever as it is the same basic design and the Tech lever by simply removing the top reservoir cover

Tools required:

• 8mm ring spanner
  
• 4mm allen key for lever
  
• 2mm (I think) allen key for top cap bolts
  
• 3mm allen key
  
• Plastic tubing
  
• An old bottle
  
• Some tape
  
• DOT 5.1 fluid
  
• Copper grease
  
• A rag
  
• Dust sheet /big rag
  

Procedure:

NOTE: Use latex/rubber gloves as brake fluid can irritate the skin.

• Put the bike in a convenient place to work on it, ie bike stand or somewhere it’s not going to get knocked.
  
• Remove the wheel and pads from the calliper to prevent contamination from leaks. Push pistons ‘home’ into calliper using tyre lever or a spanner
  
• Put dust sheet / rag under the bike where your working to catch drips and also over any disc brake as fluid may slash onto it.
  
• Set up brake lever so the top of the reservoir is flat to prevent spillage.
  
• Put ring spanner over bleed nipple, followed by plastic tube. Feed tube into the old bottle, and tape the bottle to fork/frame to it doesn’t get knocked over
  
• Now, remove top cap and diaphragm from the lever.
  
• Undo the bleed nipple ¼ of a full turn (anticlockwise) and squeeze the lever slowly all the way to the bars.
  
• Close the bleed nipple.
  
• Let the lever return to normal position. – note how the fluid level decreases during this step.
  
• Repeat this open-pull-close-release procedure until all fluid is replaced. Remember to top up the reservoir periodically. If you see the reservoir empty, you will have introduced air into the system – keep going and don’t let it get that low again!
  
• Watch the tube on the bleed nipple for a colour change (showing you when the new fluid has flushed the system) and for bubbles. Keep going until no more bubbles are seen. It is worth tapping the lever and calliper periodically (sharply with a spanner or similar) to free trapped air.
  
• Once you are satisfied, close the bleed nipple and top up the fluid reservoir to the brim.
  
• Now get the rubber diaphragm (may be stuck under top cap) and roll it on from one side so as to minimise air trapped beneath it (if you just plonck it on top, there will be trapped air which may work its way into the system when bike is upside down). Keep the rag directly under the lever at this point, its can be messy with overflowing fluid.
  
• Then replace top cap, and wipe down lever.
  
• Remove bleed equipment from the calliper, make sure there is no fluid present that may contaminate pads or disk.
  
• Wash hands before reinstalling pads/disk – your fingers will be covered in fluid!
  
• Now dab copper grease on the back of the pads (helps reduce noise and seizing pistons) and reinstall them, followed by the wheel.
  
• Pump the lever to re-centre the pads.