Bleeding brakes alone

[rjcruz27]

Why is it when I use the bottle and hose method. As I pump the brakes it just pumps fluid from the MC into the bottle and the pedal never gets firm?

 

[Broncobowsher]

Because you lack the check valve to keep fluid from back flowing when you lift the pedal. In short, you are bleeding the brakes wrong. Solo, either speed bleeders or vacuum pump. You will typically see air bubbles in vacuum bleeding as it is pulling air in around the threads of the bleeder but that can be ignored as that is after the sealing cone in the bleeder.

 

[jperry1290]

But the aftermarket easy bleed valves. So worth it

 

[triracer67]

I used this when I disc MC and disc brake swap. https://www.harborfreight.com/Brake-Bleeder-and-Vacuum-Pump-Kit-63391.html

 

[spap]

If you are going to vacuum bleed a small amount of grease on the nipple threads will reduce the small bubbles coming through

 

[jim3326]

I use a pressure bleeder. 1/2 gal. tank with the fluid, hose to a cap clamped to the MC, crack the bleeders and SPLOOSH!!!!;D

 

[fishinman78]

I order the Russel speed bleeders from summit racing and bled my entire system. My brakes have never felt better.

 

[Mike_F]

So you can bleed brakes like you are doing, the whole point is to get the air out of the system. However, its not working.

Either you need a buddy to move enough fluid to move the fluid and air, or you need a pump of some sort (pressure or vacuum)

OR, you might have a high spot in your system? One of my rigs had a high spot right at the top of the rear axle no amount of bleeding could remove the air trapped up there. A brake system with the only high spot being the MC will self bleed over time with use. My dodge charger requires me to jack up the rear end to bleed it ! Follow all of your brake lines and make sure you do not have any high spots that can trap air, if you do you can flush using enough flow, or disconnect the lines from the frame and arrange them so allow the air to move out until flushed then remount. (if possible)

Calipers are backwards? Sometimes people install disk brake calipers with the bleeders down hill rather than uphill, those will never bleed.

You could have a bad MC seal and fluid is leaking past the seal? If your brake fluid is black that is bad seals that have deteriorated. If brown, that is rust, meaning water: brake fluid is hygroscopic (absorbs water) something like 2% per year, which is why it corrodes your lines over time, unless flushed.

Lastly, the one man bleeder sucks, you have to open the bleeder wide and pump a lot of fluid, and it tends to suck air in at the bleeder, make sure you do not let the MC level get too low, it is easy to do, you can go past about half way or it might suck air.

Bleeding procedure: Start with the farthest wheel first (passenger rear, then drive rear, then passenger front, then driver front.) Since brake fluid goes bad over time you should move enough fluid to flush each line (this also flushes any trapped air) this why dye or colored brake fluids are great. Flush each line until clean fluid is seen.

 

[jim3326]

Lastly, the one man bleeder sucks, you have to open the bleeder wide and pump a lot of fluid, and it tends to suck air in at the bleeder, make sure you do not let the MC level get too low, it is easy to do, you can go past about half way or it might suck air.

This is where the pressure bleeder reigns supreme! It fills the MC as you bleed it and it will flow as fast as you want. Attach a hose to the bleeder and run it into a capture bottle, you can easily see any air as it flows. Best yet is the only mess is if you drop the capture bottle.;D

 

[Mike_F]

True that!

 

[AC932]

You need the level of brake fluid in the bottle to be higher than the bleeder. I generally put it on top of the wheel. I don't think it changes anything, but I like having a tight seal between the cap and hose. My bleeder is 4' of vacuum hose with the end shoved into a hole in the cap of a coke bottle. Make sure you check the master cylinder way more often than you think you should.

 

[Montoya]

This is where the pressure bleeder reigns supreme! It fills the MC as you bleed it and it will flow as fast as you want. Attach a hose to the bleeder and run it into a capture bottle, you can easily see any air as it flows. Best yet is the only mess is if you drop the capture bottle.;D

Have you found that you need to do it in a specific sequence for your system to bleed properly using the pressure method?

 

[snipes243]

I use these all the time by myself. Just make sure the bottle has a little fluid in it and is a high as possible. it can not be below the bleeder screws.

https://www.amazon.com/OEMTOOLS-25036-Bleed-One-Man-Bleeder/dp/B000CMDP44

 

[jim3326]

Have you found that you need to do it in a specific sequence for your system to bleed properly using the pressure method?

I kinda do both rear at the same time then both front. Crack the driver, open the passenger, close and finish the driver.

Sent from my LM-V405 using Tapatalk

 

[72Sport]

You guys are far too high tech. I have used a lot of things to press on the pedal. A spring loaded closet rod will keep pressure on the pedal while you crawl under the vehicle and crack the bleeder screw. The spring loaded rod knows when to quit pushing on the brake pedal. If it is too short you can hear it hit the floor in the vehicle when you have bled the cylinder too much.

If you are desperate you could use a 2x4 cut to length to hold the pedal down while you crawl under the Bronco. This works well when bleeding the brakes on an RV also. This could be good exercise.

 

[Montoya]

72Sport, you're not wrong but I'm getting too old and tired (read lazy) to do that over and over again on all 4 corners. For under $100 bucks you can get a system that makes it easy and be the cool guy that loans it out to all his friends...you know when we get to see them again whenever that is.

 

[72Sport]

72Sport, you're not wrong but I'm getting too old and tired (read lazy) to do that over and over again on all 4 corners. For under $100 bucks you can get a system that makes it easy and be the cool guy that loans it out to all his friends...you know when we get to see them again whenever that is.

Poor people like me that live along way from the beach can't afford high tech equipment. The cool guy would have to tie a string on it and tie the other end of the string on the handle of the garage door so he could find the bleeder when he needed it. Haven't been to Redondo since my last TRW meeting 20 years ago. I think it was called Northrup Grumman in those days.

 

[Seventee]

You can get a basic vacuum pump with bleeder canister for $25 bucks or so. I've been using one for years that I bought at Sears. Not high tech and very affordable.

https://www.harborfreight.com/Brake-Bleeder-and-Vacuum-Pump-Kit-63391.html

 

[Montoya]

Poor people like me that live along way from the beach can't afford high tech equipment. The cool guy would have to tie a string on it and tie the other end of the string on the handle of the garage door so he could find the bleeder when he needed it. Haven't been to Redondo since my last TRW meeting 20 years ago. I think it was called Northrup Grumman in those days.

Don't let the Redondo Beach address fool ya, I'm still pretty poor.

Truth of the matter is, if you don't want to spend the money you could easily make a simple pressure bleed system with a tire pump and a piece of wood, a homemade gasket and some fittings. A couple large hose clamps to hold the thing together and done.

I grew up a poor farm kid in PA and went to college at WVU so I know a thing or two about redneck engineering.

 

[56f100bbw]

For bleeding the brakes i use a vacuum pump for AC work and it only takes a few minutes