Skip to Content

Do You Have to Bleed Brakes After Changing Pads?

Maintaining a dirt bike or a car can be difficult if you do not know how to maintain the mechanisms and the parts of the vehicle. And one such important part is the brakes. There are many things to consider to maintain the safe and healthy condition of the brakes of your bike.

Do you have to bleed brakes after changing pads?

It is a rule of thumb to bleed brakes after you change the brake pads. This is done to prevent any old fluid from getting back into the brake line. This will allow rust to get into the brake lines as well. This isn’t ideal. Which is why you should always bleed the brakes after changing brake pads.

If you want to attach and adjust new wire pads, the calipers have to be compressed to make room for the new ones. The bleed screw of the brakes need to be opened for this.

This is to make sure no oxidized fluid gets into the brake lines. It could cause a great deal of damage. Opening the bleed will let the old fluid out.

It is very important to let the brakes bleed after you change the brake pads. Be it the brakes of dirt bikes or cars. While changing the pads it is crucial to let the old fluid out. For this you have to allow the brakes to bleed.

You have to open the master cylinder to let out the old fluid and then replace it with new fluid. This is done to ensure a safe brake line. Otherwise, there could be some serious risk of accidents.

Why bleed brakes after pads change?

It is crucial to take care of your brakes after you have made any sort of adjustments. Most often the part that a lot people skip is to bleed the brakes after changing the pads.

This is a very important part and should not be missed. A lot things can go wrong if you don’t bleed brakes after you have changed the pads-

Oxidized fluid:

If you don’t let the brake line bleed after changing the pads, the old fluid will get in the pipe and will start to rust. This oxidized fluid is not good for the brakes. It is best to let the fluid out after changing.

Air bubbles in brake fluids:

After changing the pads there is a good chance of air going in the brake lines. This extra air in the pipeline will create air bubbles.

Air bubbles are not ideal for brake fluids. There is less pressure making the brake pipes spongy. This increases the stoppage time as well.

Getting rid of the curd:

The excess air in the brakes can cause curd to form in the pipe lines. This will cause the brake pipes to rust quickly, and it could get dangerous for the rider.

Bleeding the brakes after you have changed the pads is very important. Even if you have bled the brake lines very recently, you should still do it after changing the pads. This will keep the brake pipes clean and okay. This is important for your safe ride in future.

Will brakes eventually bleed themselves after changing?

It is very much impossible for brakes to bleed themselves. If you do not let the old fluid out of the master cylinder then there is a hundred percent chance that the liquid will remain there. If you want to clear out the brake lines then you have to do it manually and by yourself.

If there was any external pressure applied inside the valve then it would be easier for the old liquid to expel on its own. But the cylinder is air tight. So there is little to no chance of any liquid releasing on its own from the brake lines.

Bleeding the brakes is very important and should be done when you feel the brake pads getting soft. You can do this all by yourself or you can go to a mechanic to get the job done. But under no circumstances does it bleed all by itself.

Do mechanics bleed brakes when changing pads?

While it is not absolutely necessary for your mechanic to bleed brakes, it is always a good practice to do so and they do it.

Bleeding the brakes can make the brake lines cleaner and smoother. The old fluid can cause a lot of damage to the master cylinder, as it might get oxidized and rusty.

Some people prefer to not bleed the brakes as it can be damaging to open and close the valve of the master cylinder. Which is partially true. Opening the valve of the master cylinder too often can loosen the bolt. But that does not mean you should not bleed the brakes.

To ensure a hard brake pad, you should ask your mechanic to bleed the brakes after the pads have been changed. The existing fluid can oxidize the pipelines. This will make the brake pads soft and sponge like, which is very much risky for the rider.

What happens if you don’t bleed your brakes after changing pads?

If you choose not to bleed the brakes after you adjust or change a pad, the already existing fluid can easily rust and the oxidizing fluid can damage the brake lines.

This is a risk you should not take. It could affect the entire brake system of the vehicle by making it soft and sponge-like.

Brake lines are bled to let out the old fluid and later they are replaced with new fluid manually. This is done to prevent the brake lines from rusting.

Also, there might be air bubbles forming inside the brake pipes. Which can damage the master cylinder. Which is why you should always bleed the brakes.

Most mechanics bleed the brakes after they make any adjustments to the brake pads. This is to ensure maximum support for the vehicle and to prevent the brake pads from going soft. You should always let the brakes bleed.

When do you need to bleed brakes?

Most mechanics know the right time to bleed the bikes. Usually when making any new adjustments, the mechanic will see if the brake line needs to be bled.

Most of the times, after any adjustments made to the brake pad, the brake pipes are bled. This is the ideal time to bleed the brakes.

In other cases if you feel the brakes a bit softer than usual or sponge like you should let the brake lines bleed. There could be a leak somewhere in the brake line as well.

That is when you should change the entire pipeline. Sometimes you can sense air bubbles forming in the brake lines. You need to bleed the brakes then as well.

You should bleed the brake lines sometimes. This is to ensure that no old fluid is stuck in the brake lines. It will keep your vehicle safe from any unwanted accidents.

How to bleed brakes after changing pads?

Bleeding the brakes is an integral part of changing the pads. If you don’t let the excess fluid out of the brake lines there could be some serious damage done to the brakes and your vehicle. No matter the circumstances, the brake lines should be bled.

Bleeding the brake lines is very easy. Even if you don’t know how to do it, you can learn it in a matter of moments. With the right instructions you can easily bleed the brakes lines-

Locate bleed valve:

Look for the bleed valve or the nipple of the brake line. It should be easy to locate. It is usually found at the bottom of the caliper. Every brake caliper has one.

Open the valve:

Once you find the valve you need to open. It is usually shut tight and slightly difficult to open. You might need a tool or a bolt to open the caliper. A flathead screwdriver works perfectly well to open the valve.

Prepare the new fluid:

You need to keep the new fluid ready at hand before opening the valve. Keep the replacement for the old fluid ready because it takes little time for the brake fluid to empty.

Open the master cylinder cap:

This is where you let gravity do its’ magic. Once the cap of the master cylinder has been removed, the old fluid will expel on its own.

Refill new fluid:

After the bleeding is done of the old fluid you can now refill the brake line with new fluid. Simply pour the liquid into the master cylinder.

Final thoughts

Bleeding the brake lines is very important, especially after changing the pads. This will make sure that there is no air bubble inside the master cylinder. Bleeding the brakes will let out the old and oxidized fluid from the master cylinder. All this is done to ensure a smooth brake line.