Topic: bleeder nipple size?

[xsmooth69x]

i have a 1975 cb550 what is the bleeder nipple size?

7mm or 8mm

and how are those speed bleeders? do they actually work?

[rbmgf7]

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=259.msg141183#msg141183

They don't list for 75 but if they're the same calipers as the other 550's then they should work.

They work like a champ. I've replaced them on most of my bikes.

[MCRider]

I use this source, order direct. http://spieglerusa.com/brakes/speed-bleeder.html

Scroll down for the generic list.

Just put them on my FJR (3 brakes and a clutch) and CB. Work great.

[xsmooth69x]

7mm
http://www.dimecitycycles.com/vintage-cafe-racer-caferacer-bobber-brat-chopper-custom-motorcycle-brake-parts-7mm-speed-bleeder-57-0001.html

these are stainless and there $8 a pop

cb550 is 7mm 

[MCRider]

I see they say they are stainless, and the finish is "silver", but the coloration on the picture says maybe not. Worth a Q&A.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Yes, they are stainless.

[MCRider]

Yes, they are stainless.

How can I pursue this without upsetting someone? Its hard so bear with me.

I appreciate that you think they are stainless. Give us a clue as to why you think that way. I've never seen a brassy colored stainless. And they are half the price I paid for stainless. Not only from Spiegler but from other sources: http://www.speedbleeder.com/order.htm

So respectfully, tell us why or how you arrived at that. Educate me. I always try to provide backup with my statements.

[xsmooth69x]

Yes, they are stainless.

How can I pursue this without upsetting someone? Its hard so bear with me.

I appreciate that you think they are stainless. Give us a clue as to why you think that way. I've never seen a brassy colored stainless. And they are half the price I paid for stainless. Not only from Spiegler but from other sources: http://www.speedbleeder.com/order.htm

So respectfully, tell us why or how you arrived at that. Educate me. I always try to provide backup with my statements.

i dont know if your being sarcastic or your trying to elaborate in some way to try and make you sound intelligent or something because i have no idea what your saying......



and your site has stainless to but its twice as much



i dont think they can say stainless if it isnt stainless.......

idk i ordered it so ill get it in the mail and report back

i mean this isnt a shady site right?

[MCRider]

That's why i led off with the statement that I was afraid i might be misunderstood, as has happened. I am not trying anything except to be more informed. In the picture of the DimeCycle bleeder, the picture has a brassy tint to the bleeder. This is the same color as the non-stainless bleeders you can find anywhere and they usually go for $7 to $9. But in the text of the ad, they say the finish is silver and they are stainless. So something doesn't match. I've never seen a brassy colored stainless, though admittedly i haven't seen everything.

Everyone else (Spiegler, speedbleeder.com, etc ) that is selling stainless is priced at $12 and up. That was the purpose of the additional link, to indicate that others price stainless higher.  They have brassy colored steel at $7+/- and polished silver Stainless at $12+.

If DimeCycle has SS at $7.95 thats a great deal, more power to them and buy all you want.

I was just going for some clarity, and I'm open to learning something new.

[MCRider]

I just called DimeCity and the person on the phone said the text is wrong. They are regular steel with a brassy fiish.

I would not go as far as to say they are shady. They just made an honest mistake.

And you got a good product at a fair price. You'll never know the difference.

[xsmooth69x]

ya i wont notice the difference and i save some change because i ordered a bunch of other stuff too

thanks for calling.... i could only find email addresses

[MCRider]

Thier Contact us link was down at the bottom, and the number is buried in the text, so it took me a while too. Here tis 727-386-9735.

I mean that would have been a smoking deal on stainless so i was curious too. Feedback on DimeCity has always been good, that I've read. Its got to be a monster job to keep a website accurate.

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=85801.0

[vames]

Careful with this -- according to all the charts my 1975 CB400f should take the SB7100 and that's what I ordered.

But it turned out my caliper has a 10x1.25 bleeder hole so it really needed the SB10125.

I have no idea whether I have the wrong caliper or whether it was drilled and retapped or what, but I do know I would have saved myself some time if I had checked it with some various size bolts before I ordered.

[johnrdupree]

I got mine at NAPA. I walked in and they asked me what I needed.  I held up the valve and told them "a metric bleed valve, 7 x 1.0, about this long."  One guy starts looking through his five foot long row of catalogs, the other guy walks about two feet into the rows of shelving and comes out with a metal box.  He opens the lid, scans the labels on the inside, and pulls out a duplicate of what I'm holding.  I tell him "perfect, I'll take two."  Catalog guy turns around and has a "yeah, well, there you go" look on his face.  It cost about $5 for the pair.  If they have them, get covers, too.

~john

[mrrch]

There was the difference between a parts guy and a GOOD parts guys (knows what he has on the shelf)

[crazypj]

Careful with this -- according to all the charts my 1975 CB400f should take the SB7100 and that's what I ordered.

But it turned out my caliper has a 10x1.25 bleeder hole so it really needed the SB10125.

I have no idea whether I have the wrong caliper or whether it was drilled and retapped or what, but I do know I would have saved myself some time if I had checked it with some various size bolts before I ordered.

 Can we have a pic?
 I've never seen a 400 with a 10mm bleeder. all the line inlets are 10x1.25 though
 I wouldn't use stainless in cast alloy with brake fluid, it has a natural attraction.
 I use stock bleeders with Teflon tape to prevent seizing and also to seal threads for bleeding, you always get an air leak around thread which makes bleeding bleeding difficult 
 The gold coloured ones are zinc plated used to be 'gold' cadmium but I think that's banned in US?

[MCRider]

Crazy:

If you'l notice, all the speed bleeders, from all sources referenced, come with a special coating on the threads. You can see it in the pictures. This serves the purpose of sealing the threads, like you mention you do with teflon tape. This is a good point as you can suck air in past the threads in the bleeding process. It is expected to last the life of the bike assuming one has bleeding intervals of once every year or two.

For racers who often bleed after every race, and wear the sealer off, speedbleeder.com sells replacement sealer to retreat the threads.

There is no discussion of stainless causing a problem in the caliper threads, but I'm with you I'd expect it to happen without a treatment. Perhaps the thread sealer does double duty as a anti seize product.  I think the stainless has an attraction to consumers as it resists corrosion from the road water and debris. Though this may be mostly cosmetic.

[vames]

Can we have a pic?
 I've never seen a 400 with a 10mm bleeder. all the line inlets are 10x1.25 though

I'll try and take a pic tomorrow. Like I said -- maybe someone drilled it out and retapped at one point, but I'll never be sure. It works fine and the speed bleeder (just the regular steel one) is a fantastic product. I bled my brakes in about 3 minutes. There's a pretty liberal coating of their proprietary goo on the threads, so I imagine it's not going to seize up regardless of whether it's made of SS or brass or whatever.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

They are listed as stainless by Speed Bleeder. From their website - "# also available in 303 stainless steel"
They/mine definitely look stainless. If you'll notice in their picture or in one of these in question you will see a brass/bronze insert in the top opening that is pressed in which apparently holds the ball and spring in place. Sorry I don't have a loose spare to test. Anyone have a spare we can cut up?

If the chart is wrong or if we have more to list we'll need to get a moderator to make the changes. I compiled most of that list but did not do the post so I'm helpless to make changes. If you do find a discrepancy we'll need to verify that and report it. I had previously asked SteveD CB500F to update and include new CB650 size info since he did the post but I'm not sure that it was ever done. Some of that info on different models came from Honda parts number cross referencing between the different models. Different model with same part number = same bleeder or enter a bleeder Honda part number in MotoGrid.com and see what all it is listed for.

Dime City's pictures are not a stainless Speed Bleeder and aren't listed as stainless. Are those actually the Speed Bleeder brand? I have never seen the regular Speed Bleeder, only the stainless one. Can't really tell for sure since they are not in the Speed Bleeder package.

[MCRider]

The picture in question was the one from DimeCity, it was brassy looking, but claiming stainless steel.

here's the email I got from DimeCity after my phone call to them:
Ron, thanks for pointing that out! you are correct these are not stainless! We did have the stainless ones available for some time, but they became more difficult to acquire so we replaced them with these and the text change was an oversight. we'll correct it right away. any chance you need a gig as parts description proof-er? lol

Thanks again!

Herm

www.dimecitycycles.com



Bottom line is, stainless steel are silver and often polished to a chrome like finish.

If the are brassy looking, they are not stainless, at least the part you can see. As to the internals, idon't know and that wasn't really at issue in my mind.

Brassy ones are $7 to $9, SS are $12 to $16.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Ron,

Have you noticed any bikes listed under the wrong part number in our list? We need to get it updated if so. Still looking for the CB650K part numbers since it never got updated as requested. 

Edit: Guess I don't know my 650's lol. There is NOT a 650K. Best I can tell (after riding one for 2200+ miles during the Relay) is the 650 models are CB650, CB650C, and CB650SC

[MCRider]

Ron,

Have you noticed any bikes listed under the wrong part number in our list? We need to get it updated if so. Still looking for the CB650K part numbers since it never got updated as requested. 

Edit: Guess I don't know my 650's lol. There is NOT a 650K. Best I can tell (after riding one for 2200+ miles during the Relay) is the 650 models are CB650, CB650C, and CB650SC

No, looks good, but my knowledge outside my own model would be limited. (K2). Good work.

What got me piqued on the subject was I wanted them for my FJR. The local accessory shop said they were on backorder. So i googled them and EVERYBODY has them. All sizes and flavors. (Another strike against local dealers) Seems almost somebody dropped the ball on the patent.  Or else there is one super manfacturer somewhere who is selling to distributors and they are rebadging them as their own. Russel, Goodridge, SpeedBleeder, Spiegler, etc. That made me realize the different sizes. The FJR uses 8s and 7s, the CB used the 10mm.