Prefered fill and bleed method on new rebuild front brake system

I fucking hate brake fluid.

I raise the handlebar a bit (to clear the limiting lug if present) and rotate it forward and orient the master cylinder so the lever end is higher than the banjo end. Or on the side stand with bars to the left. You might still rotate the bar to get the right angle but maybe not so extreme so the fluid is more stable.

Add brake fluid. Start manipulating the lever a bit. I end up almost slapping at it with the end of my fingers. I know this sounds weird. Just make sure you are getting some movement to move the piston over the bleed hole. Pretty soon a bubble will come up and out the bleed hole under the "hood". Then more will come up. They will get bigger and more often. Once it starts, it gets very encouraging, especially when a big bubble comes up. "Oh man, that was a good one!"

I can get a firm to firm-ish lever without ever cracking a bleeder. Then I do final bleeds on each side to finish off.

It can take a while on some bikes, but on others it started happening pretty soon and I started getting lever feel fairly soon.

I alternate between the small tap/slap movements with an occasional full pull. The tap/slap helps release the air up into the bleed hole it seems. Like tapping a brake line to help air bubbles up to the master.

People will scoff and laugh. It works for me, and I'm only fucking around with brake fluid at the calipers and wheels once, at the end.

If/when you get stuck, give it a shot. A beer and/or whiskey in the other hand is nice. Some music. Maybe a race on the shop TV. I've spent worse, longer times fucking around with bleeding than this.

Did I mention...

I FUCKING HATE BRAKE FLUID

 

Sarah will come down to the shop and ask, "what are you doing?". Maybe she heard some loud cursing or something.

"Bleeding brakes."

She turns around and leaves with out saying a word.