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Bleeding the Brakes ... just a heads up tip

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Deuce Roadster, Jul 7, 2007.

  1. Deuce Roadster
    Joined: Sep 8, 2002
    Posts: 9,519

    Deuce Roadster
    Member Emeritus

    [​IMG]

    I usually work on my stuff by myself ... because ...
    I tend to start work later in the night ( it is cooler temperature wise ) Midnight is good start time for me ...
    If I work by myself ... I can quit ... when I want to :)
    If I do invite someone over ... to help ... I feel obligated to work until the job is finished ...

    I borrowed this MityVac tool from a friend today and bleed the brake system on my 3 window ... it is the cat's behind :) :D

    In less than a hour and a half ... I had the system bled and had a real good pedal. This was on a totally new system ...

    [​IMG]

    I was impressed. I will have to buy this tool ... for my own tool box .
     
  2. BinderRod
    Joined: Jul 9, 2006
    Posts: 1,737

    BinderRod
    Member

    If you have not tried Speed Bleeders you should, I went from dry to completly bleed in about 15 min. They will be on everything that I own.
     
  3. borntoolate
    Joined: Feb 18, 2006
    Posts: 320

    borntoolate
    Member

    I can't help myself. I have to tell how I last bled brakes. It was simple. I took about an 8' long piece of clear vinyl tubing and pressed it over the bleeder. I took the other end and gently clamped it to a step ladder sitting next to the car. This got the other end higher than the cylinder. I opened the bleeder up just enough. While making sure the reservoir didn't go dry, I slowly pumped the pedal over and over until no more bubbles. I tightened the bleeder down and it worked like a charm. You gotta get the tubing and the fluid up high enough that you can see it from the driver seat. If you have a "used" system, this flushes a lot of the ugly, dirty fluid from the system also. The reason I tried this is that my Miti Vac needs a rebuild and I had to get creative. Otherwise the Vac works pretty well too.
     
  4. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 59,971

    squirrel
    Member

    with a wife and 3 kids....I don't seem to have trouble finding someone to push the pedal.

    I never did have much luck with the vacuum thingy. Maybe because I don't want to spend an hour and a half doing a 15 min job.
     
  5. That's what I was thinkin' ! :)
     
  6. Deuce Roadster
    Joined: Sep 8, 2002
    Posts: 9,519

    Deuce Roadster
    Member Emeritus


    I have NEVER bled a new system in 15 minutes ... :D
     
  7. budd
    Joined: Oct 31, 2006
    Posts: 3,478

    budd
    Member

  8. Ruiner
    Joined: May 17, 2004
    Posts: 4,141

    Ruiner
    Member

    I use the vinyl tubing method with a one-way "valve" on the clear line to keep fluid from going the wrong way when refilling the reservoir...
     
  9. walrus
    Joined: Oct 3, 2005
    Posts: 516

    walrus
    Member

    I tried the vac system , never did seem to work any better than tubing and a bottle with fluid to catch the bubbles and have my wife or a friend push the pedal , never spill a drop and someone to talk to at the same time ,,,,,,,
     
  10. GassersGarage
    Joined: Jul 1, 2007
    Posts: 4,726

    GassersGarage
    Member

    I tried that system on my new brakes. I did one caliper, then called the wife and did the rest the old fashion way. If I was by myself, I would probably use it again though.
     
  11. brewsir
    Joined: Mar 4, 2001
    Posts: 3,278

    brewsir
    Member

    I like the little harbor freight setup....clear tube with a bottle that has a magnet attached to it...just stick the bottle on the inner fender or something else metal.....I think it was 2 bucks or so.
    I definately want to get some of those bleed screws with the checkvalve built in....they would make it easier too!
     
  12. lewislynn
    Joined: Apr 29, 2006
    Posts: 3,425

    lewislynn
    Member

    Or you can use a little plastic cup (maybe even the one you have in your photograph) with a tube attaced to the inside of the lid just short of the bottom. You attach a tube from the bleeder to the lid and pump the brake.

    When you pump the petal the fluid (and air) fills the cup to above the bottom of the tube...when you release the petal it ****s fluid, not air.

    It worked perfect for me after I got tired of hand pumping the vacuum pump.
     
  13. If you wrap the threads of the bleeder screws with teflon tape it helps the ****ing of the air past the theads on the bleeder screws.
     
  14. Boones
    Joined: Mar 4, 2001
    Posts: 9,689

    Boones
    Member
    from Kent, Wa

    He said he was alone, did not have not someone to help... Randy, did you get any vacuum bleed back ???
     
  15. HOTRODPRIMER
    Joined: Jan 3, 2003
    Posts: 64,771

    HOTRODPRIMER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Lighten up,,,,He is working alone,,he don't have 3 kids to help and his wife is probably asleep,,and he stated it was late,, midnight.

    He is just offering a solution for one of many little problems we all run into building our dreams.

    Randy had a heart attack that damn near killed him a couple of years ago,,,so he might be a little slower doing some of the simple things than other people.HRP
     
  16. Deuce Roadster
    Joined: Sep 8, 2002
    Posts: 9,519

    Deuce Roadster
    Member Emeritus

    This coming Friday ... July the 13th ... it will be 6 years ago that I had the heart attack.

    I am GLAD to be alive :)

    [​IMG]

    I have the Wilwood disc brakes of the front. They have 4 bleeders ... on each wheel. So that's 8 bleeders just on the front. I am old and overweight :rolleyes: ... so a hour and half to completely bleed a completely new system was real GOOD for me.

    I know that Wilwoods are not considered traditional ... :eek: BUT I have way more horsepower than brakes in my 32 Roadster and and I wanted this coupe to STOP better than the roadster. :D

    Boones ... No bleed back ...
    The system worked just as the instructions said it would.
    I had no leaking around the bleeder valve threads or any issues.

    The only thing was my hand got a little tired pumping the handle on the MityVac ;)

    This morning ... I went out to the shop and a neighbor came over to " Borrow a tool " So I had him pump the pedal and I manually bleed each wheel again. Two or three bleedings of each wheel netted only brake fluid ... no air.
    The system was ready ... last night ... but I feel better after double checking.

    OH ... and I have a wife ... but she flew back to California last Sunday. I have worked on the 3 Window every day since she left. If she would stay in California for about another 3 weeks ... I could drive this coupe :eek:
     
  17. Mizlplix
    Joined: Jan 8, 2007
    Posts: 170

    Mizlplix
    Member
    from S/W USA

    just very carefully teflon tape the bleeder screw threads. works 4 me.
     
  18. Road Runner
    Joined: Feb 7, 2007
    Posts: 1,256

    Road Runner
    Member

    Speedbleeders are cheap and available at the local parts store.
    No other help needed and it only takes minutes.

    Figure out your part# and order it at your favorite store.
    http://www.speedbleeder.com/
    <br>
     
  19. loudpedal
    Joined: Mar 23, 2004
    Posts: 2,209

    loudpedal
    Member
    from SLC Utah

    The vacuum pump works well when done PROPERLY. I use a ****** fitting in place of the bleeder screw when using it. You can also take an old bleeder screw and drill it straight through, install it in place of the original bleeder screw and tighten (no thread tape is required). If you don't have some kind of a seal between the cylinder and the threads it will never work. 15 minutes is plenty of time.
     
  20. Deuce Roadster
    Joined: Sep 8, 2002
    Posts: 9,519

    Deuce Roadster
    Member Emeritus

    NEVER heard of them before ... but did a internet search ... Wish I had known about them before ... But it would get a little pricey with 8 on the front and 2 on the rear :D @ 14 dollars each ...

    [​IMG][​IMG]

    http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/speedbleed.htm

    .
     
  21. Road Runner
    Joined: Feb 7, 2007
    Posts: 1,256

    Road Runner
    Member

    Autozone sells my regular GM style for $10/pair.
    They are safe and last as long as traditional ones.
     
  22. loudpedal
    Joined: Mar 23, 2004
    Posts: 2,209

    loudpedal
    Member
    from SLC Utah

    FYI
    You only need to use the bleeders on the top. There are 4 on each caliper because the calipers do not have a left or right (they can be used on either side)
     
  23. mcload
    Joined: Apr 20, 2007
    Posts: 539

    mcload
    Member

    Yep, it's speedbleeders for me too. I've never had any luck with the MightyVac device (it ****s).

    Patrick
     
  24. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 59,971

    squirrel
    Member

    sorry, I didn't mean it to come out like that....hey, if you guys can make the vacuum bleeder work, more power to you! I'm not that patient/skilled, I guess.
     
  25. 1950ChevySuburban
    Joined: Dec 20, 2006
    Posts: 6,185

    1950ChevySuburban
    Member Emeritus
    from Tucson AZ

    Yeah, I like the wife/kids style bleeders best too. Ever see a vacuum bleeder that also washed the car when you're done?
     
  26. jerry
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 3,469

    jerry
    Member

    I've been doing it by just opening the bleeder at each wheel one at a time and letting gravity do the rest. Takes a little while, only works with a firewall mounted master. Used to have trouble getting the system to bleed past the combo valve til I did it this way. get a great pedal.


    jerry
     
  27. UnIOnViLLEHauNT
    Joined: Jun 22, 2004
    Posts: 4,827

    UnIOnViLLEHauNT
    Member

    I have heard good things about these setups but with the under the floor master, I havent had any good luck.
     
  28. BinderRod
    Joined: Jul 9, 2006
    Posts: 1,737

    BinderRod
    Member


    I got mine at Advance for 9.00 a pair
     
  29. muffman58
    Joined: Oct 24, 2003
    Posts: 999

    muffman58
    Member

    What's an hour & a half to spend on something that you love! One great looking ride and something that really "SHOWS" the time spent on it!
     
  30. jusjunk
    Joined: Dec 3, 2004
    Posts: 3,138

    jusjunk
    BANNED
    from Michigan


    My 1 year anniversary was June 14th.. Im with you.. Life is good......
    Dave
     

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