Any good way to bleed brakes without help?

[4x4junkie]

Yeah, gravity has always worked for me too. I'll also use the hose on the nipple and give it a few pumps along the way just for good measure.

 

[Mark_88]

Snow brush works for me...when I'm not using it to clear the snow, that is...

 

[Evan]

Vacuum bleeding does NOT work. You just suck air past the seals, as they were meant to hold off pressure, not vacuum.

Interesting that you mention that. I borrowed a vacuum bleeder last week when I was running the lines for my rear discs. It was absolutely WORTHLESS. I thought I was maybe doing something wrong, or it was broken, but maybe not. I was suspisious of it the moment the guy at Autozone demonstrated it to me.

Ended up doing it the old fashioned way. I like those check bleeder screws you linked to, but they seem a little pricy.

 

[Mark_88]

Try the Powerbuilt one-man bleeder kit if you can find it...or just hook a clear plastic line to the bleeder screw and attach it to a similar plastic bottle and hang it above the brake cylinder or caliper...pump the brakes a few times and watch for bubbles...when they stop flowing close the bleeder and move to the next wheel...

they cost under $20, but you may need some adaptors to fit the nipples since the plastic hose that comes in the kit doesn't fit all nipples...

If you want to make one yourself, finding a 'similar' bottle may be needed...they have a plastic line connected to the top inside the bottle...not sure if this is actually needed to make it work but mine had one...and when it fell off it didn't work right...

Oh, and you might want to buy some of those gloves that protect against chemicals...about $5 for a bag of 10...my hands are still chapped from getting brake fluid on them...nasty stuff!

 

[MAKG]

I do have one of those "one man bleeder kits," but the reason is that it makes for a cheap hand vacuum pump. I use it for diagnosis. Like, how I discovered all the vacuum diaphragms were burst in my Chevy, when I got it (choke pull-off, power brake booster, charcoal cannister, blend door actuator). Something tells me it was backfiring at one point....

 

[fordboi415]

spring loaded quick bleeders, (jegs)

 

[krugford]

On my 67 F100, I would pump it up, lean a cinder block on the pedal, get out, crack the bleeder, repeat many times.... It worked for me. Bleeders with the check valve would have been nice...

 

[schultp]

I use the Motive Products Power Bleeder system. Absolutely works great! Take a look at: http://www.motiveproducts.com/index.html

Paul.

 

[spittinfire]

MAKG, explain to me why you can't bleed a system with a vacuum? you are pulling fluid past the seals intended to hold pressure as to mentioned. By doing so you are pulling fluid into the areas needed to hold fluid and produce the pressure needed to operate the system. So by flooding the cylinder(master or caliper) behind the seal you are filling the system and meeting the requirements for a hydralic system to function properly.

I will say that even though I do use a vacuum to pull fluid thru the system I like to bleed the system the old fashion way to finish it off. That does requre 2 people....if my dad isn't around, I'll round up my mom, girlfriend, neighbor, anyone who can operate a brake pedal. Peave of mind for me, I've found it less then necessary....

 

[MAKG]

You're not pulling fluid past the seals. You're pulling AIR. Which will put bubbles into the output no matter how much pumping you do.

 

[spittinfire]

So you're saying you're pulling air thru the entire system, from master cylinder down and then out the bleeder?

 

[krugford]

You're pulling air past the seals in the caliper. Without knowing specifically that your calipers are meant to operate with a negative pressure in the system, it's best to assume the seals are only designed to operate with a positive pressure differential (fluid-environment).

There are some master cylinders on the market that operate on a closed system (i.e. negative pressure when you let off the brakes to retract the pads), though these are usually found in go-karts, bicycle brakes, solar cars.... Such a system also allows you the simplicity of rigidly mounted calipers and brake discs without having to "float" one or the other.

 

[Mutant Pony]

I work on brakes nearly every day. I very seldom ever need help bleeding(I bleed just fine, LOL). I own a power bleeder, It sits on a shelf covered in dust. I have a vacuum bleeder that I use every now and then, just to get things flowing. 98% of the time it is gravity that does the work. Only if the master has been run dry do you need anything more.
I feel that pumping the brakes just makes your job harder. It brakes up the air bubbles and sends them into any high spot they can find. Gravity pushes them straight down and out. If you do it right and don't run the master dry, you can do the whole system in less than an hour.

 

[Joshs93four-oh]

Take it from someone else who knows and flags billions of hours working on cars in a shop...Pressure or vacuum bleeders are good to get the process going if you replace a front to rear line on a customer's car or something else happens that runs the master dry. You will always find a little air in the system even after power bleeding. If the master runs dry you will almost always have to crack the line nuts on the master also. The way I do it, for example when doing a rear brake overhaul- Do one side, crack the bleeder and let it GRAVITY BLEED while overhauling the other side. By the time the first side starts dripping, the second side is done then I close the first one and open the second side. Gravity bleeding is the best way to bleed a system when you are by yourself! Even when bleeding a system with someone pumping I still open the bleeders and gravity again for a few seconds afterwards and STILL find just a little air leftover on about every car. Josh
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