Something for you brake bleedin' crazies out there

[Ulysses]

Something for you brake bleedin\' crazies out there

When I find a neat gadget, I like to share with my brothers and sisters, especially if it's at a good price. I was out buying new driving gloves and helping a friend with a new helmet at our local favorite motorsports shop when I spied something that I really needed hanging on the wall:

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Its a universal pressure bleeder manufactured by Motive. It cost me all of $49.95. I imagine the bleeder adapting cap alone from Dodge is twice as much.

 

[ruckdr]

Re: Something for you brake bleedin\' crazies out there

Ulysses,
This appears to be a Pressure (pusher) type of bleeder. Most use and prefer the Puller type, which pulls the fluid through at each wheel. These can be had, from JC Whitney fo example,for $32.99, $34,99, or $59.99.

 

[Ulysses]

Re: Something for you brake bleedin\' crazies out there

Huh? What's that, Don? You mean I didn't find the neatest new fangled gadget this side of the Rockies?

Seriously though, I do like the vacuum type bleeders, but for a quick bleed, I prefer the pressure type. Pump once then hit all 4 corners. With the vacuum type, I have to pump at every corner. Though, I suppose the setup time for the pressure type equals out the amount of time that it takes to pump the vacuum type at each corner. Hmmmm.

 

[Matt M PA]

Re: Something for you brake bleedin\' crazies out there

I have a really cool brake bleeder by Vacula. It uses shop air. You hook it up to your air line, then to the bleeder at each wheel. Just crack open the bleeder and the fluid is drawn out.(One at a time) No need to pump the brakes at all. I have not used it with a Viper yet...but have used it for years on other cars.

 

[motomike]

Re: Something for you brake bleedin\' crazies out there

Brake bleeder....
http://www.mityvac.com/kits.html#brakebleedingkit

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Re: Something for you brake bleedin\' crazies out there

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Matt M, PA:
I have a really cool brake bleeder by Vacula.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Me too. But it's pricey.

I use mine to pull the brake fluid from the reservoir before bleeding. I also use it to pull power steering fluid, clutch fluid and diff fluid.

 

[Richard K]

Re: Something for you brake bleedin\' crazies out there

I've been using the Speedbleeder one-way screw in bleeder fittings for sometime now... they seem to work great with a few pumps of the brake pedal all air is expelled. And at about $7-$8 a piece they're cheap and hassle free. I am curious however, what are the benefits of using either a push or pull type bleeder tool for this operation? Thanks - Richard

 

[jcaspar1]

Re: Something for you brake bleedin\' crazies out there

Dodge recommends pressure bleeding. I just ordered one of these two days ago. Cheaper then the speed bleeders at 9$x6 and can be used on other cars. Also prevents the problem of depressing the pedal too far as can happen with two person bleeding and with the speed bleeders. Much better than vacuum bleeding as you don't have to keep running back and forth refilling the master cylinder. I got the combination model so my friend can use it on his 911 too.

 

[Nadine UK GTS]

Re: Something for you brake bleedin\' crazies out there

I used an electric pressure bleeder, tapped into the top of a second OE master cylinder cap. Turned out cap was not a tight enough seal to the reservoir, and brake fluid went everywhere!

 

[Jay Lopez]

Re: Something for you brake bleedin\' crazies out there

Here is another fluid extractor. Works great for brakes and power steering fluid changes. http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog.jsp?L1=L1_2000&L2=L2_2050&SKU=85700

 

[Ulysses]

Re: Something for you brake bleedin\' crazies out there

Nadine,

I was going to use the stock cap for a pressure bleeder before I bought this one!!!!!!! Now I'm glad I decided not to.

 

[GTS Dean]

Re: Something for you brake bleedin\' crazies out there

I would imagine cars that are tracked with any frequency go through pads quickly enough that the MC piston uses its full range of travel. (Those Desert Venom guys with the Big Red brakes may need to check theirs... Corrosion ridge formation is more likely to be an issue for those who never, or rarely, change brake fluid and pads.

 

[jcaspar1]

Re: Something for you brake bleedin\' crazies out there

"I would imagine cars that are tracked with any frequency go through pads quickly enough that the MC piston uses its full range of travel."

Not even close! With the bleeder valve cracked the pedal goes completely to the floor! You guys must really be running the pads thin to get that much pedal travel!

 

[Tom and Vipers]

Re: Something for you brake bleedin\' crazies out there

Whatever happened to the 2 person approach?

I thought it was superior to have someone applying full pedal pressure so that when the bleeder is cracked, high pressure and hence high flow velocity drags the bubbles out and doesn't give them time to migrate to high points while bleeding.

I know it is a real pain, but isn't this still the best method?

 

[jcaspar1]

Re: Something for you brake bleedin\' crazies out there

"Whatever happened to the 2 person approach?"

I did it that way last time with the help of my "enthusiastic" wife...
I believe the concern is that is using this approch the master cylinder piston travels much further than it does in normal use. Frequently a ridge will develop within the cylinder at the point of maximum travel in normal use. When you let the piston travel past this point the ridge can damage the seal and result in leaking. I have never had this happen or hear it happen with a Viper but several guys on the 911 site have developed leaks due to that technique. The pressure bleeder also greatly reduces the chance that you will run the master clyinder dry (must check and refill frequently with the 2 person approch) and introduce air into the master cylinder. I have never used a pressure bleeder but will let you know my experence when it arrives.

 

[GTS Dean]

Re: Something for you brake bleedin\' crazies out there

When my pads need changing, there's only about 3mm of lining left. A good reference is about 1-2mm above the bottom of the slot in the front pads. The caliper pistons must be retracted a long way and displace a lot of fluid volume back to the MC. If you don't watch it closely, you can overflow the reservoir if you've added much make-up fluid as the pads wore.

 

[jcaspar1]

Re: Something for you brake bleedin\' crazies out there

Just joking with you Dean. There is no way someone could wear the pads down far enough to get the pedal travel one gets when you crack the bleeder valve. Got my Motive bleeder today....

 

[Nadine UK GTS]

Re: Something for you brake bleedin\' crazies out there

Not using brakes is a problem...I know of cars that have been stored for 6 months of the year (winter +) and the rubber seals in the brake system 'go off' with out use. (Never will this be a problem on my car!)

BTW, my front L H caliper seems to work harder than the right? Is this because of load: ie clockwise tracks; (UK roundabouts, layout of brake proportioning valve)? Anyone else find this? And my inner pads always wear just before the outers, obviously the way the fluid pressure is supplied to the pistons?

 

[GTS Dean]

Re: Something for you brake bleedin\' crazies out there

Nadine,

The fluid moves from the inboard side to the outboard side and *may* move the inside pad first. However, I think the main reason is that the outboard pads cool more effectively than the inboards. Cooler pads = less friction and wear.

Driving solo, the left side of the car is naturally a good bit heavier than the right. Turning right loads the left side and works the left brakes harder.