How to bleed ATV brakes? A start-to-finish guide

Brakes are an essential system that allows you to stop or slow down the speed of your ATV. You need to give more attention to your braking system because it is the primary key to your safety. Over time, your ATV brake system must flush the old brake fluid. Let’s start from the beginning.

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What stands for “Bleed ATV brakes”?

If you are curious about what Bleed your ATV brakes means, we can call it changing the brake fluid on the hydraulic fluid brake system or getting out trapped air from the brake system. ATV hydraulic brake systems use brake fluid to transfer your hand response from the brake padel to the brake caliper. A piston responds to your brake paddle pressure, and this piston will press the brake pads on the brake disc.

Brake pads make friction on the disc, slowing your ATV and stopping it. That’s how your brake system works, and your brake system needs to function more accurately to your brake pedal response. If your brakes are not working correctly, there’s a severe chance of an accident. So, it’s mainly about your brake pads and brake disc. You need to maintain and replace your brake pads regularly when its need. I wrote an entire article about replacing the brake pads on your ATV. You can check it from here and change your ATV brake pads in less than one hour.

let’s jump to Today’s story now. Present day, every ATV and UTV comes with a hydraulic brake system, but past, there were drum brake systems on ATVs. So, if your ATV has a drum brake system, you can’t do this. Bleeding your ATV brakes is simple, and you will need a few tools. A few Atv models can behave differently, but the essential steps are the same. I will guide you to bleed your ATV brakes in easy steps. Keep reading manual riders!

Why do you need to bleed your ATV brakes?

To Replace the brake Fluid – Overtime Brake Fluid will absorb the water because it’s very hygroscopic. You know, brake discs and brake pads make heat when you brake. This heat will break down the brake fluid, and your brake system response will go down over time. When your brake fluid looks dark brown, you must flush and replace it.
To Release trapped air from the brake system – ATV hydraulic brake is a closed system. Air can trespassed to the brake lines on rollover or accident, Crack or loose on brake lines, When you open the reservoir, during caliper replacement. When the air trespassed brake lines, they will remain until you remove them. We all know air does not mix with oil. The brake system needs a quick brake fluid flow to activate brake calipers. When the air bubbles on the lines, this flow will corrupt and not make the pressure the rider wants. It can signify this situation if you feel your brake paddle getting soft. It can be a problem and cause an accident. You should examine how air gets into the system, fix it, and bleed the brake as soon as possible.

When do you need to bleed your ATV brakes?

You can check your ATV owner’s manual for manufacturer recommendations about the brake fluid change time.
When you feel your brake paddle weird soft
After replacing the brake pads
As a daily ATV rider, I recommend bleeding your brake lines after riding 10000 miles or once a year.

How much does it cost to bleed the ATV brake?

The ATV brake bleed process will cost around $60 – $150. This Cost is only for labor costs. Cost can change With the taxes and fees, time, brake fluid type, and if you change all-wheel brake fluids.

Which brake fluid that you want to buy for your ATV?

You can use DOT 4 brake fluid or higher grade on most ATV models, but Your ATV manufacturer recommends the best for their braking system. Most ATV models can find it on top of the front reservoir cap. If your ATV doesn’t have it, you can find it in your owner’s manual.

Where is the ATV Brake Fluid reservoir located?

Most ATV models have two brake fluid reservoirs for the front and rear wheels. The front brake fluid reservoir is on the handlebar on most models. ATV models use one brake fluid reservoir on the handlebar to manage front and rear brakes. The brake fluid reservoirs for the rear brakes will be under the seat on most ATV models. If you have an issue finding a rear brake fluid reservoir, trace the brake lines from the brake caliper.

Where is the bleed valve located?

The brake manufacturer makes a bleed valve on top of the brake caliper. Every Bleed valve has a rubber protector to keep it clean from dirt, mud, sand or anything that clogs it.

Are there any methods you can use to bleed ATV brakes?

Yes, you can bleed your ATV brakes in 3 methods.

Manually flush old brake fluid and refill the reservoir.
Using brake bleeder vacuum pump
Reverse bleed method

How much time will it take to bleed the brakes completely?

In my experience, you can manually bleed ATV one-wheel brake line within 10 – 20 minutes, but this depends on your ATV braking system. This process takes time because the ATV brake fluid pump is tiny and ejects little fluid at once. Two wheels connect to 1 fluid reservoir, so it will take 40 – 50 minutes to bleed and refill the brake reservoir. If you bleed on all of your four wheels, it can take 2 hours to 3 hours. But if you use a brake bleeder vacuum pump, you can finish the job within less than 30 minutes for all wheels on ATV.

How to Bleed brake using the power of gravity?

What tools will you need to bleed the brake on your ATV in the manual method?

Fresh unopened brake fluid – You need new brake fluid. Brake Fluid does moisture over time. So don’t use old brake Fluid. It would be best if you bought the replacement brake fluid per the manufacturer’s recommendation.
Bottle or some container – Old brake fluid will eject into this container
Transparent Rubber tube – We are going to connect the rubber tube to the bleed valve, and it will make it easy. Most bleed valves will fit on a 5/16 rubber tube.
Wrench – To turn on and off the bleed valve. Most ATV Bleed valves fit an 8mm wrench.
Screwdriver – To open brake fluid reservoir.
Jack – Jack is optional, but if you can use it, it will make your work painless.
Assistant – You need someone to help you press the brake lever or padel.

How to bleed ATV brakes in the manual method?

It will be best to park your ATV or UTV on flat ground. Let’s get started.

Select the front or rear first – There is two brake fluid reservoir for the front and rear brakes.
Use the jack, lift the ATV, and remove the wheel – This is optional because you can bleed brakes without removing the wheels. Removing the wheel will give you more room to investigate the brake line and system.
Remove two screws and remove the brake fluid reservoir cap – Be gentle with these screws. We will refill the brake fluid in the reservoir. Rear brake fluid reservoirs will have a lid that can remove quickly with a hand.
Clean the reservoir lid and rubber seal and keep it safe place – Make sure that nothing touches these two parts to avoid mixing dirt particles with braking fluid.
Open the bleed valve using a wrench – As I mentioned, locate the valve and open it with an 8mm wrench. In most cases, you can open it by running anti-clockwise.
Leave the Wrench on the valve and Connect the rubber tube to the bleed valve – Don’t touch Old Brake fluid by hand. So connect the rubber tube to the bleed valve and tighten the connection to avoid air coming to the line. As I say, if you get a transparent rubber tube, you can see the air bubble comes out. Connect the other end to the bottle or container.
Press and hold the brake lever and release for 2 to 5 rounds – when you press the brake lever or paddle, old fluid will come out from the bleeder valve.
Close the bleed valve – Turn the bleed valve clockwise with the Wrench to Close it. We close the valve to avoid fluid on the tube going to the caliper again. Also, air can get into the system if it opens.
Fill the reservoir with new brake fluid – Make sure to fill it evenly, and you should make sure not to empty it. If it is empty, air will get into the system.
Repeat steps 5, 7, 8, and 9 – Repeat these steps until old fluid and trapped air come out from the brake lines and new fluid fills into the brake lines.
Turn off the bleed valve and put the rubber cap back on – Make sure to put the rubber cap back to protect the valve, and now time to go to another side.
Go to the other side wheel and follow the same steps – You need to bleed the two sides of the brake system because two wheels connect to the same brake fluid reservoir. Follow the same steps until all air and old fluid comes out from the brake system. Lastly, turn off the bleed valve and put the rubber cap back.
Refill the Brake fluid reservoir to the marking level – ATV brake reservoir has a marked level to fill brake fluid. Fill the new brake fluid until it reaches the recommended level.
Close the reservoir – Put the rubber seal back and close the brake reservoir.

How to Bleed the brake using the reverse bleeding method?

We will inject new brake fluid into the bleed valve and let out trapped air and old brake fluid from the reservoir. Reverse bleeding is the Best method to remove trapped air from the brake line because air will come out faster than the first method. Also, you can do reverse bleeding with the brake bleeding tool. Follow these steps, and you will get an idea about the job.

What tools will you need to bleed the brake on your ATV in the reverse bleeding method?

Two syringes – To inject new brake fluid and take out old fluid from the reservoir
Fresh unopened brake fluid
5/16 size Transparent Rubber tube
8mm Wrench
Screwdriver
Jack

How to reverse bleed ATV brakes?

Select the front or rear first.
Use the jack, lift the ATV, and remove the wheel.
Remove two screws and remove the brake fluid reservoir cap.
Clean the reservoir lid and rubber seal and keep it in a safe place.
Take out a little old brake liquid from the reservoir by using one syringe.
Put the Wrench first and Connect the rubber tube to the bleed valve.
Fill the other syringe with new brake fluid without air bubbles and connect it to the tube’s other end. (You should keep it vertically to stop trespassing air bubbles).
Open the bleed valve and slowly inject the new brake fluid into the brake line.
Close the bleed valve and check the reservoir.
Take out the dirty brake fluid with the syringe and keep an eye on the brake reservoir to prevent overflow.
Repeat the 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 steps until all air comes out and the dark brown color goes out from the fluid.
Assemble the parts and get the job done.

Can you reverse the bleed brakes with the ABS brake system?

The reverse bleeding method can bleed the brake system with abs unite without a scan tool.

How to Bleed the brake using a brake bleeder vacuum pump?

What tools will you need to bleed the brake on your ATV using a brake bleeder vacuum pump?

hydraulic brake bleeder tool
Fresh unopened brake fluid
5/16 size Transparent Rubber tube
8mm Wrench
Screwdriver
Jack

A Hydraulic brake bleeder tool costs around $50 – $200. This bleeder tool needs to connect to the bleed valve, and it will make a vacuum and pull the brake fluid out from the brake line. A bleeder tool is required to connect to an air compressor, and some models will come with a hand pump to make the vacuum.

How to bleed ATV brake using a brake bleeder vacuum pump?

Select the front or rear first.
Use the jack, lift the ATV, and remove the wheel.
Remove two screws and remove the brake fluid reservoir cap.
Clean the reservoir lid and rubber seal and keep it in a safe place.
Connect the bleeder tool to the air compressor and connect it to the power.
You must put the 8mm Wrench to the bleeder valve and connect the vacuum pump.
Turn on the bleeder tool.
Turn anti-clockwise the bleeder valve.
Now bleeder tool will start to suck the old fluid from the brake line
Check and refill the brake fluid reservoir before it runs out. (The bleeder tool will suck fluid pretty quickly).
Repeat the steps until all air comes out and the new brake fluid fills.
Turn clockwise to off the bleed valve and disconnect the bleeder tool.
Refill the brake reservoir to its mark level and close it as I say in the first method. Job done.

The bottom line

A brake is the most suitable option to slow down or stop your ATV or any other vehicle. So, your brake system needs to be well maintained and work properly. Over time, brake fluid will absorb the water, and your ATV brake system must flush the brake fluid and refill. In this process, you must avoid air bubbles trespassing on brake lines. Follow the steps in this article, and I hope you will successfully bleed your ATV brake. As an ATV rider, it’s best to learn how to maintain your machine correctly. Always keep your ATV clean. It will help you to save your money and happiness. Happy riding, manual riders!