Great work Paul, it's all about having a go and asking questions. The answers flow here to get the job done right.

Your new brake bleeder looks just like the one I made in 1989 and still use today. Even the same tube still in it, although I wouldn't try bending it too far these days.

 

Hi Bro

Well done you got there!

'massive respect for having a go'

But you sort of made it a little bit harder than it needed to be.

So bear this in mind if you ever have to do this again (like when fitting new Brake Pads) at sometime in the future.

Instead of using a grinding wheel, use one of those rotary 'sanding wheels' the same as in my Photo, which fit on most small Angle Grinders instead of a grinding disc.

As they are not so vicious and are therefore much more controllable when it comes to skimming a little bit off and will also give you a nice smooth finish, almost regardless of your level of Skill.

Also Fit and Fettle the Brake Pads (the metal part only not the actual pad) top and bottom with the Sander, so that you can slide them in and out 'nice and easy' using only your fingers.

'Before' you bleed the Brakes, or you will have the Caliper Pistons 'pushing and gripping' on them which would make it more difficult than it needs to be, to get that 'nice and easy' fit you are after.

Apart from that another 'Rite of Passage' Completed!

So 'Bloody Well done!'

 

Cheers for the encouragement guys...I need it today because now my bloody brakes squeal (first time ever)

What have I done? Could it be I just need to clean the rotors? Any advice on how to stop squeal? I never did that when I had the wheel off as I wasn't sure if I was able to use brake clean on them or not (the bottle just says calipers and pads). Obviously it is something I have done as it never did it before.

The brakes themselves actually feel really good and firm so bleeding must have been a success.

Still not sure of this pulling to the right business....I don't know if it is imaginitis...or if it is intermittent.....maybe I am just bloody paranoid who knows.

I did a bit of back street driving today putting the brakes on hard and she seemed to be ok...I think a long drive will soon tell me.

Not only that....I also found out my coolant system is leaking from the water pump seal on the same day and now I want to cry.... but that will be another story...for another thread.

 

Well the rang again today and who else could it be but the WoOz Definitely lucky to be living in the same country as this man!

Well he put my mind at ease. From what I can recall it is nothing to worry about as I have most likely disturbed the surface area of the pads and may take as much as 1000km's to get that squeal out. Same as when sometimes installing new pads?

Anyway I hope I para-phrased that right. If not it will be an error on my part. Grant's explanation made sense.

Oh and I think I just got a loose hose clamp dripping fluid over my water pump making it look like the seal...crisis averted!

=

 

Brakes can squeal while bedding in. It's a high frequency vibration between the pad and the calliper piston that is the cause. There are various lotions and potions sold that can be applied to the back of the pad between the pad-pistion interface that claim to stop it, I've never had much luck with them.

As a general comment, I always clean off the calliper where the pads slide in and make sure that's back to metal. Often the brake dust gets packed in there and prevents a new pad from sliding in. That way you don't have to grind the edge of the pad to get it to fit into the calliper. I have a small sharp scraper to get in there and take it back to metal.

I also coat the edges of the pad where it touches the calliper with a high temperature anti-seize. VERY SPARINGLY, as you don't want any of that to get on the disk or the friction material. That helps the pad move slightly within the calliper and can reduce squeal. I have winter, so the brakes are exposed to water, snow and road salt, so I couldn't leave a raw metal edge like that, or the pads would soon rust and seize on me.