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Brake bleeders

5K views 35 replies 16 participants last post by  pepi 
#1 ·
What do you all use for bleeding brakes. Im looking for some kind of bleeder that makes it a one man job, easy and painless.
My wife and kids are getting tired of pumping the pedal all the time, even though they have gotten good at it.
Thanks , Gene
 
#4 ·
brake bleeding

Hafton
I use a pump oil can with a fuel hose which I put on the pump spout and the other end on the bleeder. Onced hooked up, loosen the bleeder and start pumping. Sorry, start with an empty master cyl. I start with the wheel far-est from the master cyl. kind of shake the pump to tell how much fluid is in the pump canister to prevent it running empty. If in dout, stop and look in the pot and refill., don't disconnect the hose and you want loose the primed pump and hose. If you have to remove it, be sure you close the bleeder first. When start back, purge the hose by priming to until fluid is at the end of the hose and reconnect to the bleeder. I keep some fluid need so I don't have to remove the hose once I start until finish. The master cyl. will have to be emptied as it fills. If you're lucky and have two pumps, just remove the pump from the canister and place it in the master cyl. and pump it down (empty). After 2 canisters of fluid, it should have pushed all the air to the master cyl. Go to the next fur-est wheel and start all over as before. Just continue until you done all 4 wheels. I learned this on a 1 ton dump I couldn't get the air from. I have a plate that fastens on top of the master cyl. which you put air pressure on to push fluid to the cyl with, but it PITA to use cause you got to keep taking it off to refill the master cyl. If you got so help, and there eyes aren't to bad and there thumb is in good condition, they can keep the master cyl from running over. lol :thumbup:
 
#6 ·
I have a Mity Vac that works just OK once you have fluid at the caliper/wheel cylinder. I do have Dorman (Russell) Speed Bleeders on my '06 F350 as well as the four Wilwood's on my avatar car. The Wilwoods need two per caliper rather then the one per on my truck. The Speed Bleeders are great though I have heard of folks that are skeptical of the sealant on their threads. So far, not a problem for me.

Dave W
 
#7 ·
Earls has bleeder valves that work only one way. When you pump they push out fluid but won't suck air back in.
There are also pneumatic air bleeders Griots Garage has them. You put an air hose to the pump, then attach the small hose to the bleeder, then push down on the handle and it sucks the fluid thru the bleeder into a cannister.
 
#8 ·
sunsetdart said:
Earls has bleeder valves that work only one way. When you pump they push out fluid but won't suck air back in.
There are also pneumatic air bleeders Griots Garage has them. You put an air hose to the pump, then attach the small hose to the bleeder, then push down on the handle and it sucks the fluid thru the bleeder into a cannister.
Earl's, Russell and Dorman are all the same - just repackaged
 
#9 ·
Irelands child said:
The Speed Bleeders are great though I have heard of folks that are skeptical of the sealant on their threads. So far, not a problem for me.

Dave W
I have them also on my Wilwood calipers and so far no problem. They sure do make it easy.

Vince
 
#14 ·
Here is a little side thought. I have residual valves on both the front and rear brakes. This means that there is some residual pressure in the lines at the brakes. So... that being the case it would mean that fluid can't easily flow back to the MC. You should be able to just open the farthest bleeder and pump the MC. Then go to the shorter one. At least I think so. Any one who has tried this???

I'll try it this weekend as I need to bleed my brakes again after installing a new front hose.
 
#15 ·
bentwings said:
Here is a little side thought. I have residual valves on both the front and rear brakes. This means that there is some residual pressure in the lines at the brakes. So... that being the case it would mean that fluid can't easily flow back to the MC. You should be able to just open the farthest bleeder and pump the MC. Then go to the shorter one. At least I think so. Any one who has tried this???

I'll try it this weekend as I need to bleed my brakes again after installing a new front hose.
I think you might have a problem - remember that discs have a retracting mechanism (the o-ring around the piston) and drums have return springs, both of which will be trying to pull the friction material away from either the rotor or drum. While it might be only a fraction of a second as you are removing your foot from the brake pedal, it might be enough to pull in a couple of air bubbles and there will be some bleed by at the resids. But.....of course I've been wrong at least once before :confused: :drool:

Dave W
 
#16 ·
gravity bleed. Slow & messy are the good points.


But it works. Crack all 4 bleeders slightly. Make sure the M/C is full. Sit in the shop & have a beer...or three. Check reservior to make sure there is enough fluid. Some times this can take overnight, but it will eliminate all the air in the lines. All of that "pump it up...release" crap can aereate the fluid, making it nearly impossible to get all of the air out.
 
#17 ·
I am also a gravity bleed kind of guy, I do, do the furtherest first to the closest, more beer drinking required one wheel at a time.
I have tried the vac pump thing and found the exact same air.

As to the self bleeders, have not tried that one but I personally think they hurt the looks of the caliper . I have always wondered how many of those have been broken off, they hang right out there asking for it.
 
#18 ·
pepi said:
As to the self bleeders, have not tried that one but I personally think they hurt the looks of the caliper
Pepi,
I don't know which ones you saw, but the speed bleeders in my Wilwoods look exactly like the originals, while the ones in my truck might be 1/16" longer, at most.

This is one of my rears - the bleeder adapter is Wilwoods:



This is the front - a bit polished caliper with no adapter:



Dave W
 
#19 ·
pepi said:
As to the self bleeders, have not tried that one but I personally think they hurt the looks of the caliper . I have always wondered how many of those have been broken off, they hang right out there asking for it.
:confused: Mine look exactly like the original bleeders, they do not stick out anywhere and are about the same length as the originals.

Vince
 
#20 ·
I know some will say I'm crazy, but I have great results using a Mityvac. Simply pump it up with the gun to produce vacuum and crack the bleeder. It sucks all the air out and it's quick. Doesn't take a long time to bleed the lines which may be a bad thing for you beer drinkers! :thumbup:
 
#21 ·
kleen56 said:
I know some will say I'm crazy, but I have great results using a Mityvac. Simply pump it up with the gun to produce vacuum and crack the bleeder. It sucks all the air out and it's quick. Doesn't take a long time to bleed the lines which may be a bad thing for you beer drinkers! :thumbup:
There are two things I found with the Mity-Vac - first, get some fluid to the bleeder before you use it as that gadget doesn't have a big vacuum capacity to pull an empty line and second, make good and sure the plastic hose is well seated on the bleeder or you have just drizzled brake fluid over every thing you didn't want it to splatter on (yes, these are my reasons to go with the speed bleeders :mwink: )
 
#22 · (Edited)
Dave, glad to see you kept the frame black, i think you will like the ease of keeping it clean, i am guessing you build to drive and enjoy...



I must ask this cause i am interested in knowledge, will that breast pump, I mean brake vac pump overcome the one way check valve action of the bleeder. Looking at it, it seems that the design is for brake peddle and wife type of brake bleeding ?

Not going to change my brake bleeding method gravity, why mess with success?

BTW my wife is a great assistant, knows nothing and follows directions .
 
#23 ·
I bought the Motive pressure bleeder & like it. I could not get a firm pedal on my wife's car with the mityvac silverline even after bleeding it a couple of times (I think it was drawing air around the threads) hooked the pressure bleeder to it & firmed it right up. I like to do fluid exchanges (bleed until new fluid comes out) & the small plastic bottle on the mityvac would require emptying several times where with the motive all you have to do is close the bleeder screw when the fluid come out clear.
 
#24 ·
pepi said:
Dave, glad to see you kept the frame black, i think you will like the ease of keeping it clean, i am guessing you build to drive and enjoy...



I must ask this cause i am interested in knowledge, will that breast pump, I mean brake vac pump overcome the one way check valve action of the bleeder. Looking at it, it seems that the design is for brake peddle and wife type of brake bleeding ?

Not going to change my brake bleeding method gravity, why mess with success?

BTW my wife is a great assistant, knows nothing and follows directions .

Pepi,
Every car that I have ever built has a black frame - it may get dusty, but the inevitable drools don't show too badly. Yes, I do build to drive tho have made one (several??) major mistakes - that being way too much chrome, stainless and billet to clean on this one.

If you have speed bleeders you don't need any more then a Mity-Vac cup and piece of plastic tubing - then you stomp the brakes, and out it comes.

Gravity feed doesn't work well with a MC below the floorboards such as on my car

My wife did finally learn what "pump and hold" meant - and actually had become a good helper. Unfortunately one of us has had to work to keep me in toys after I retired a couple of years ago (though she is announcing to her staff people TODAY and about now that 12/5/08 will be her last day, that she is retiring :thumbup: )

Dave W
 
#26 ·
Irelands child said:
Pepi,
that being way too much chrome, stainless and billet to clean on this one.

Dave W
The MC on the truck is in the same position, but has a remote reservoir that will be plumbed above the calipers..

Chrome, stainless are ok .. windex and a wipe are usually good, but the billet.. well that is just an extra step, some liquid jewelers polish.

BUT you are retired and have all that extra time too kill

Not looking forward to retirement myself, would not have enough to do.
 
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