Tool Time

[Dee Hubbs]

Swapped a GRX 820 group onto my gravel bike this weekend. Discovered that
1) Shimano doesn't include a bleed block with the brakes (retail packaging...not a j-kit)
2) none of the leftover bleed blocks I have from MTB brakes will fit
3) the bleed cup I've been using for years on MTB brakes doesn't fit on the GRX levers
WTF Shimano? Anyone have a bleed kit they like that will include a GRX compatible bleed block and cup?

The bleed block you need is Shimano Y8N219000, the most square looking one with a vertical slot cut into it. It retails for $3.00


The levers are part of the road family, So the Road Bleed Cup uses a m7 thread, and the MTB cup uses a m5 bleed cup.
If your cup is in good shape (not striped out plastic threads) you can but a $4 adapter to screw into the MTB m5 cup and will threads into the m7 road lever.
Either Y0C698050 or Y8NG12000

These are also $3.00
Or buy a specific funnel, a new road funnel is $19.00
And if you want a Shimano Kit with both funnels, all the bleed blocks and a syringe with a fitting for the bleep nipple its called
"Shimano Professional Disc Brake Bleed Kit" and it retails for $66.00. This kit is worth it just for the fitting that attaches to the bleed nipple.

[John_B]

The bleed block you need is Shimano Y8N219000, the most square looking one with a vertical slot cut into it. It retails for $3.00


The levers are part of the road family, So the Road Bleed Cup uses a m7 thread, and the MTB cup uses a m5 bleed cup.
If your cup is in good shape (not striped out plastic threads) you can but a $4 adapter to screw into the MTB m5 cup and will threads into the m7 road lever.
Either Y0C698050 or Y8NG12000

These are also $3.00
Or buy a specific funnel, a new road funnel is $19.00
And if you want a Shimano Kit with both funnels, all the bleed blocks and a syringe with a fitting for the bleep nipple its called
"Shimano Professional Disc Brake Bleed Kit" and it retails for $66.00. This kit is worth it just for the fitting that attaches to the bleed nipple.

If anyone is in the hunt for just the bleed nipple fitting this can be purchased from Park Tool separately from the full bleed kit for $13 and another $13 for a syringe.

It can be found in the spare parts section and works a good bit better than the friction fit hose.

[jm2e]

Proving once again there’s better information here than anywhere else on the interwebz.
Yea I could google it, but why?


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[EWG]

I need a new pair of calipers. Don’t wanna spend $150 on Mitutoyo LED electronic ones.

Why shouldn’t I just buy some Mitutoyo verniers?

What do we think for $50ish calipers these days?

[Eluder]

I need a new pair of calipers. Don’t wanna spend $150 on Mitutoyo LED electronic ones.

Why shouldn’t I just buy some Mitutoyo verniers?

What do we think for $50ish calipers these days?

It really depends on what you are doing with them, of course, but the run of the General Caliper has served me well enough for bike-related needs.

[adrenalated]

I need a new pair of calipers. Don’t wanna spend $150 on Mitutoyo LED electronic ones.

Why shouldn’t I just buy some Mitutoyo verniers?

What do we think for $50ish calipers these days?

https://taytools.com/products/igagin...39269059526743

Stated accuracy is +/-0.0010 per 4", compared to +/-0.0008 per 8" for Mitutoyo.
If you are not a machinist, that should be just fine.
I don't own these, but probably would buy them if I was currently in the market.

[MCS5280]

[...]
The levers are part of the road family, So the Road Bleed Cup uses a m7 thread, and the MTB cup uses a m5 bleed cup.
[...]

Thanks! Baffles my mind that Shimano went from M5 to M7 on road.

[grskier]

Thanks! Baffles my mind that Shimano went from M5 to M7 on road.

Is there a significant volume differential? I wonder if the smaller port would make it harder to work with smaller volume?

[Dee Hubbs]

Thanks! Baffles my mind that Shimano went from M5 to M7 on road.

'
MTB lever bodies are made from a metal/alloy and can withstand smaller threads,.
Road levers are all plastic/composite. The road lever bleed ports are so easy to strip out, so a larger thread was engineered to account for the weaker threads in the body material.

As your local shop for a bleed block and for the adapter. These pieces come in hundreds of boxes they install, so they should have a drawer full of them.

[Andeh]

Are there any Chinese knockoffs of the $95 SRAM Ultimate Piston Pad Press yet? Because I want that, but holy fuck $95 for a block of aluminum and a knurled screw is absurd.

[jm2e]

I’ve had great success spreading pads with a Pedro’s tire lever. Sometimes I even use it for tires.

Also, why can’t you goons use a $7 digital Chinesium caliper? Probably splurge and get an $18 one! You guys building Atomic Clocks?

Limited-time deal: Digital Caliper, Adoric 0-6" Calipers Measuring Tool - Electronic Micrometer Caliper with Large LCD Screen, Auto-Off Feature, Inch and Millimeter Conversion
https://a.co/d/4t8sesA


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[adrenalated]

I’ve had great success spreading pads with a Pedro’s tire lever. Sometimes I even use it for tires.

Also, why can’t you goons use a $7 digital Chinesium caliper? Probably splurge and get an $18 one! You guys building Atomic Clocks?

Limited-time deal: Digital Caliper, Adoric 0-6" Calipers Measuring Tool - Electronic Micrometer Caliper with Large LCD Screen, Auto-Off Feature, Inch and Millimeter Conversion
https://a.co/d/4t8sesA


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I use a tape measure when I want the accuracy of a $7 pair of calipers.

[Meconium]

My $14 caliper is the same as works $100 caliper. Even the cnc guy uses the cheap ones about 1/2 the time.

[adrenalated]

My $14 caliper is the same as works $100 caliper. Even the cnc guy uses the cheap ones about 1/2 the time.

Yeah.... no they're not. I mean sure they "work the same" in the sense that you put them on something and they give you a number. Where they differ is in how accurate the number is and whether or not that's good enough for what you're doing.

Just need to measure a bolt and need to know if it's M5 or M6? Sure, the $7 caliper with a resolution of 0.2mm is fine. You're running a 5-axis CNC mill and need to hold tolerances of +0.000/-0.001? Yeah, ain't gonna cut it.

Most people here probably trend more towards the former than the latter and cheap calipers are completely fine for a lot of things but let's not pretend they're equivalent.

[jm2e]

Just need to measure a bolt and need to know if it's M5 or M6? Sure, the $7 caliper with a resolution of 0.2mm is fine. You're running a 5-axis CNC mill and need to hold tolerances of +0.000/-0.001? Yeah, ain't gonna cut it.

I suppose if we’re gonna have a bullfighting forum we should also consider an “Engineers doing fer-serious shit with precision instruments” forum. I get it. But I hope those guys aren’t asking about bargain calipers in Sprockets!



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[dunfree]

I suppose if we’re gonna have a bullfighting forum we should also consider an “Engineers doing fer-serious shit with precision instruments” forum. I get it. But I hope those guys aren’t asking about bargain calipers in Sprockets!



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$7 plastic calipers are fine enough for casual woodworking and not much else (and easier than a measure/rule depending on what you are measuring) but cheap metal ones are just cheap.

[rideit]

I’ve had great success spreading pads with a Pedro’s tire lever. Sometimes I even use it for tires.

Ditto, for decades now. You just have to make sure to clean them with alcohol so as not to contaminate pads.
I also use them ‘gasp’ for carbon rims, and have never caused any damage.

[bamboocoreONLY]

Any recommendations for a good sturdy pen light? The couple different ones I've gotten at harbor freight and lowes keep crapping out on me in the shop.

[Dee Hubbs]

Any recommendations for a good sturdy pen light? The couple different ones I've gotten at harbor freight and lowes keep crapping out on me in the shop.

Of course I do....
I use something like this: I searched "Pocket LED Hands-Free Work Light":


-It's got a rubber exterior
-It's bright
-I've changed the AA battery twice (?) in all the years (I've owned it since 2018)
-I like that it's not just a single light beam like a pen light.
-I use it most often when trying to center a stubborn caliper on a rotor, shine the light from underneath to see the gap.
-It has a pocket clip so I can attach it to a pocket/collar/apron if I need light and use both my hands.
-My was a promotional gift from Zaugg Half Pipe Cutter rep.

[Andeh]

I've got one of those Pedros levers, plus the Park piston press tool. I just thought the SRAM tool looked interesting because it pushes back both sides at the same time and keeps the pressure square to the piston face. I figured it should be better for the seals.

For calipers, my $25 Amazon "Neiko" digital one works fine for typical bike stuff. I've had it 6 years, and is much nicer than a tape measure for checking bolt sizes, sag measurements, setting up cockpit controls evenly. Only issue I've had is that the plastic battery cover doesn't apply great pressure on the battery, so sometimes it turns off.

[singlesline]

For calipers, my $25 Amazon "Neiko" digital one works fine for typical bike stuff. I've had it 6 years, and is much nicer than a tape measure for checking bolt sizes, sag measurements, setting up cockpit controls evenly. Only issue I've had is that the plastic battery cover doesn't apply great pressure on the battery, so sometimes it turns off.

I can confirm that I've had a set of cheap amazon calipers since 2012 and not ONCE have I run into an issue where something got messed up because the calipers weren't sufficiently inaccurate.

I'm not doing precise machining or anything, but I've bought parts or ordered custom-sized items where size matters and where I wouldn't trust a tape measure to get close enough. Also the combination of inside/outside/depth measurements is a lot more flexible than a tape measure.

I'd probably buy them off amazon rather than aliexpress or ebay just because the biggest issue with the cheap stuff is quality control. You want to make sure you get a pair where the jaws are aligned, the depth gauge is square, there aren't any janky burrs on the metal edges, etc...so easy returns is a winner. Maybe just buy a few, choose your favorite, and return the rest.

[Roxtar]

I use a tape measure when I want the accuracy of a $7 pair of calipers.

FTW
And yes, cheap Amazon calipers will probably be overkill for most bike things like sag adjustment and bolt size.
For anything of actual importance, Starrett or Mitutoyo

[EWG]

https://taytools.com/products/igagin...39269059526743

Stated accuracy is +/-0.0010 per 4", compared to +/-0.0008 per 8" for Mitutoyo.
If you are not a machinist, that should be just fine.
I don't own these, but probably would buy them if I was currently in the market.

Interesting. $35 on amazon. I may give this a try since it's so easy to return. Great reviews.

[carlh]

Do Hayes dominions and non bleeding edge sram brakes use the same fittings or do I need to buy a Hayes specific set of fittings?

[Andeh]

Do Hayes dominions and non bleeding edge sram brakes use the same fittings or do I need to buy a Hayes specific set of fittings?

The threads of the fittings are the same, but the smooth piece below it & tapered tip are different lengths, at least in the current SRAM Pro Bleed Kit. So it will work in an emergency but not seal great, and it's possible to advance the SRAM ones past the bottom of the Hayes bleed port threads and fuck things up. Ask me how I know...

That said, the fittings in the Park Tool DOT bleed kit work fine.