How To Bleed the Brake System on a Snowmobile:
First: Check your fluid level. Unscrew the two screws that hold the brake cover in place. From here you can see the fluid level in the reservoir. Some brake master cylinders have a sight glass to look in, but it can be hard to tell if you have fluid or not.
Second, Bleeding the brakes: There's a bleed fitting on the caliper. Wipe off the top of the brake fluid reservoir to make sure no dirt gets into there to contaminate the fluid. Make sure the reservoir is almost full of DOT 3 or DOT 4 brake fluid (whatever is recommended by the sled manufacturer.)
Attach a wrench or socket onto the bleed fitting on the brake caliper. Next, attach a piece of hose to transfer the fluid into a container. Be careful not to get brake fluid on any panted surfaces as it will destroy the paint. If you do happen to get fluid in anything, make sure to clean it off with cleaning solution of some sort right away and don’t let it sit on it.
Pump the brake lever a couple times and then press and hold the brake lever. While holding the lever, open the brake nipple. When you open the nipple, brake fluid will spurt into the hose and container. At the same time, the brake lever will start feeling soft. Close fitting before the fluid stops coming out of the nipple into the hose. Release the brake. Repeat until the fluid is clear coming out of the hose and your brake lever is more firm.
Note that you will have to stop and add fluid if you are replacing all the fluid in the brake system with new. Remember not to let the reservoir get too low and expose the top of the fluid intake port. If you do, air will get into the brake master cylinder and caliper and can be tough to get out. Any air in the system will cause a very mushy and ineffective brake. If air does get in the system, start at the beginning and keep putting fresh fluid into the reservoir until no more bubbles appear.
When you are done, replace the cover of the reservoir and clean off everything to make sure no brake fluid has dripped onto any surfaces that may be damaged.
If you are really low on fluid, there won't be enough fluid to transfer the brake lever energy to the brake caliper and you won't be able to stop. Too low of fluid will also introduce air into the system like we previously talked about.
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