Bleed nipples go on top?

[Birkin S3 ZA.]

Helped someone who had poor brakes on their Locost 7, tried to bleed the rear brakes only to find the bleed nipple at the bottom of the VW calliper under the pipe fitting.

Sent him home to swap the callipers over, he’s really happy now the brakes are working.

[Jonathan Kay]

But you're in the Southern Hemisphere...

 

Jonathan

[Birkin S3 ZA.]

Yes it was a really hot day 29C maybe it was the sweat in my eyes. 😬

[Paul Richards]

Not the first time I've heard of people trying to bleed brakes with calipers on upside down/wrong side.

[RS2000]

ok.... might be laying myself open for ridicule here.... but surely it doesn't make any difference where a bleed nipple is, the fluid is under pressure so when bleeding the air should get pushed out regardless of where the nipple is??

 

 

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

Nope ... air rises !

[RS2000]

yes but isn't that the whole point of bleeding, you're pushing the air out with the fluid, you're not just opening a valve and letting it come out on its own?

[Jonathan Kay]

Imagine a pocket of air in a compartment above the fluid that's flowing from the pipe to the exit through the nipple. See also cooling systems.

 

Jonathan

[RS2000]

ok...I can see that, Thank you!

[elie boone]

If you use a compressor to bleed the brakes it ceates a much bigger flow but the bleed nipple should always be on top, that said i build a SV where i reversed the rear calipers, i.e. the hand brake cable comes in from the rear ( normally from the front ) and i just plumbed the brakeline in the lower connection and the bleed nipple on the highest connection, it works perfectly.