Shimano R7020 hydraulics- any fitting pitfalls?

[aea730]

Following my brake failure experience subject of another post I been looking round and found a set of R7020 levers and 105 flat mount caliper hydraulic set up. They have never been used but have been removed from a brand new bike as part of an upgrade.

The set includes levers (with yellow caps over pipe unions), hoses, uncut with calipers connected at one end and a blanking cap at the other.

I’m just wondering if anyone has any experience fitting these and whether I’m likely to encounter any issues. From the photos it looks like one caliper has the flat mount bracket a but the other is just the bare caliper so there’s a cost there.

I’m thinking more on the piping side and if it’s a show stopper if any parts are missing

[Connectors]

Check out the ‘easy joint hose’ which you may have, https://si.shimano.com/pdfs/dm/DM-BR0008-08-ENG.pd...
The other thing to be aware of is that you need the correct length of bolts for the rear caliper.

[snotrag]

They have changed the bleed kit, the older top funnel doesn't fit and needs an adapter.

[torres del paine]

I have just fitted 7020 levers and 7070 rear flat mount caliper to my Caad12 and I have retrofitted new levers to a customer's bike too. For the lever you will need the new Shimano flange connecting bolt, M9 bolt, as well as the Bh90 compatible silver insert and regular olive. The standard connecting bolt used in the caliper will not work and the silver insert is designed to work with the narrower bore of the bh90 hose.

[Connectors]

torres del paine said:

For the lever you will need the new Shimano flange connecting bolt, M9 bolt, as well as the Bh90 compatible silver insert and regular olive. The standard connecting bolt used in the caliper will not work and the silver insert is designed to work with the narrower bore of the bh90 hose.

Presumably those parts will be present?

aea730 said:

They have never been used but have been removed from a brand new bike as part of an upgrade.

[torres del paine]

I would presume so too but it's worth knowing if they're missing. Also, if the hoses need to be trimmed down then new inserts and olives will be required.

[aea730]

I’m guessing all these smaller parts will be obtainable as single items.

[Connectors]

aea730 said:

I’m guessing all these smaller parts will be obtainable as single items.

Yep, local bike shop or CRC etc

[aea730]

Can anyone point me towards a suitable fill/bleed kit for this particular application

[Gareth79]

aea730 said:

Can anyone point me towards a suitable fill/bleed kit for this particular application

I've just ordered an Epic Bleed kit - it is recommended everywhere as being much easier and tidier than the Shimano set:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00MISL72M

[esuuv]

As mentioned earlier in the thread - shimano have changed the size of the thread on the filling port on the lever - I bought two bleed kits before I found this out........none of them fit properly without an adaptor.

the part you need will be in the box the levers came in (if you have it) - funnel adaptor..........it's a few quid from the usual suspects.

[frisbee]

Don't try and bleed the back brake with the hose looped under the bottom bracket!

Other than that I found them about a million times easier than motorbike calipers, I still have nightmares about those.

[aea730]

frisbee said:

Don't try and bleed the back brake with the hose looped under the bottom bracket!

Other than that I found them about a million times easier than motorbike calipers, I still have nightmares about those.

So what’s the trick for the rear then for bleeding, remove the caliper so it’s lower than the BB?

[frisbee]

aea730 said:

frisbee said:

Don't try and bleed the back brake with the hose looped under the bottom bracket!

Other than that I found them about a million times easier than motorbike calipers, I still have nightmares about those.

So what’s the trick for the rear then for bleeding, remove the caliper so it’s lower than the BB?

I let mine dangle vertically from the lever in the end, however it was just a couple of clips to loosen on my bike.

It'll depend on the hose routing on your particular bike.

[aea730]

frisbee said:

I let mine dangle vertically from the lever in the end, however it was just a couple of clips to loosen on my bike.

It'll depend on the hose routing on your particular bike.

Mine has through frame routing so at best I can drop it off the chainstay and lower than the BB. It will be all uphill from there 👍

[frisbee]

aea730 said:

frisbee said:

I let mine dangle vertically from the lever in the end, however it was just a couple of clips to loosen on my bike.

It'll depend on the hose routing on your particular bike.

Mine has through frame routing so at best I can drop it off the chainstay and lower than the BB. It will be all uphill from there ??

If you tilt the bike you should be able to get a nice slope, otherwise it'll act like a U-bend.

[aea730]

frisbee said:

If you tilt the bike you should be able to get a nice slope, otherwise it'll act like a U-bend.

I’ve found with the front that the bleeding is less of a problem than getting the pad clearance/lever travel right. I bled it a few times but found the lever didn’t feel right until I dropped the wheel out and pumped the lever a couple of times to lessen the pad travel. Seems spot on now. Rear next !

[Connectors]

If you’re having trouble with the clearance and bleeding, use the business card trick to align the caliper then ‘burp’ the brakes. (Google will show you both methods)

[aea730]

I seem to be sorted. I found the better way of bleeding was top down ie fill the funnel and pump the lever expelling the air downwards out of the caliper down a bleed tube. I have a solid lever and doing the travel thing with the wheel out took up the pad travel. Quite happy with the feel