1 Man - Bleeding your Brakes...

AlpineRaven · Post by **AlpineRaven** » Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:22 pm

G'day,
Thought I'd do a small write up, doing a easy task to bleed your brakes...

All you need is -

Pressure Sprayer pump handle type with handle valve from Bunnings $12.95
Pressure Gauge & fittings $13 from Univer
Hose $3 from Clark Rubber.

Assembled and used silicone in most joints, fill up silicone in pressure release valve on the tank or block it, make a hole and place the gauge on the tank to give you an idea how much pressure you have in the tank.
Hose - used original hose to the handle, removed the metal piece (the outlet after the handle) and fitted the hose to the cup (reservoir cup) - got the cup from another Subaru at the wrecker.

All you need is 3 bar approx 45psi to do the job, enough to push the brake fluid out.

Ensure there is no leaks, I checked the joints - spray soapy water and if there is a leak, open it up and use silicone around the leaky joint and allow it to dry, because if there is leaks, its a pain to pump again and again for air losses...

NB - keep your eye on the reservoir till it reaches low level then top it up, use the tap on the handle to close off the air to prevent leakage, if you go below the low level - there is a chance for air to get in the lines, if it does you have to start all over again!

The picture shows it all.

Cheers
AP

chridk · Post by **chridk** » Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:59 pm

Looks good AP, but how do you reach the rear end ?

Cheers Chris

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sat Jul 17, 2010 2:41 am

Nice bit of ingenuity there AP. Do you need a pressure bleed? some of us just use clear pvc tube coupled to some rubber vacuum hose to fit on niple, go up in a loop and down into an old soft drink bottle for disposal. I have found thread tape is sometimes needed to stop air leak at nipple. Allows one man bleed go over to pedal and slowly pump and slowly release watch for bubbles in loop

AlpineRaven · Post by **AlpineRaven** » Sat Jul 17, 2010 7:53 am

chridk wrote:Looks good AP, but how do you reach the rear end ?

Cheers Chris

Easy - same steps to all wheels shown in photo above.

Oh i forgot to add - you need another container to bleed brake fluid in, and ensure there is no bubbles going in the nipple.
Cheers
AP

AlpineRaven · Post by **AlpineRaven** » Sat Jul 17, 2010 7:55 am

steptoe wrote:Nice bit of ingenuity there AP. Do you need a pressure bleed? some of us just use clear pvc tube coupled to some rubber vacuum hose to fit on niple, go up in a loop and down into an old soft drink bottle for disposal. I have found thread tape is sometimes needed to stop air leak at nipple. Allows one man bleed go over to pedal and slowly pump and slowly release watch for bubbles in loop

Yep, I find this way of doing it quicker, I've always don't feel comfortable "what if" the air goes back in if its flowing slow enough, by doing pressure bleed, that way I know when I'm ready to close off the nipple knowing there is no air going in.

Again, everyone has different way of bleeding brakes, Ive done vacuum bleed, 2 man brake pedal etc and this way is best for me.

Cheers
AP

chridk · Post by **chridk** » Sat Jul 17, 2010 9:17 pm

Oops this will teach me for being tired and looking at pictures, I now see that the pressure vessel stays at the front of the car and only the drain can and tube is needed around the car.

Cheers

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 7:49 pm

Hmm, AP, ever used it to blee a reco master cylnder? I got mine all worked up on the bench, spitting out the outlets, hooked her up and proceede to bleed the system. Yeah, sure, got nowhere. The master sounded good, felt good while pumping, then bonnet closed down full of confidence. BUGGER - it is crap. was asking another fella how he did his - cut off an old steel line with its fittings, fit them up to the outlets, run some pvc tube up to the reservoir, then work it and watch the bubbles return to the top, bubbles gone, job nearly done - down to the shed to find a dirty old pipe to cut up.

spike · Post by **spike** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 8:36 pm

25 bucks spent already for this weekend, going to it............

what cap is that on top of the brakes?? the yellow one in the pic?? a spare??

AlpineRaven · Post by **AlpineRaven** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 10:08 pm

steptoe wrote:Hmm, AP, ever used it to blee a reco master cylnder? I got mine all worked up on the bench, spitting out the outlets, hooked her up and proceede to bleed the system. Yeah, sure, got nowhere. The master sounded good, felt good while pumping, then bonnet closed down full of confidence. BUGGER - it is crap. was asking another fella how he did his - cut off an old steel line with its fittings, fit them up to the outlets, run some pvc tube up to the reservoir, then work it and watch the bubbles return to the top, bubbles gone, job nearly done - down to the shed to find a dirty old pipe to cut up.

heh.. mmm nah not really something i wouldnt play with... just as long the brake works... otherwise a new cylinder for me!

spike wrote:25 bucks spent already for this weekend, going to it............

what cap is that on top of the brakes?? the yellow one in the pic?? a spare??

That cap on the reservoir is a spare that I had in the garage for a while...

Good Luck! You wont need to go to the gym to do the weights after pumping to 3 bar over the weekend

Cheers
AP

spike · Post by **spike** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 10:21 pm

ok ill see if i have a cap i can canobilise in the padock

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 11:28 pm

Mine is a new stainless sleeve job done by a pro machinist, done it for a living for past 15 years, he assembled it. Have only done three or four MC's like this and this is the first to give me grief. However, I think it is first grief master to cause anyone in 26 years and 7 or 800,000km. wort trying to beat it.

AP I am curious as to how you arrive at 45 psi - is that what commerial units deliver or did you blow up your first ver MC reservoir at 50 psi? I'd be concerned that the reserve and its seals are only to hold fluid at atmos not 45 psi - guess it has to work sometime for someone

spike · Post by **spike** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 9:21 am

im wondering about hot to check what pressure its at, he metions the pressure gague but i cant see it in the pics or find a note of where it goes.

rtcb65 · Post by **rtcb65** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 8:36 am

That is one sweet idea . You beat me to it . I was thinking of the same sort of thing , just slightly different. I was going to also put the fluid in the pressure tank as to not allow the master cylinder to run out of fluid and have the pressure tank above the car as to allow it do drain the fluid into the master cylinder

Venom · Post by **Venom** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 9:42 am

There is a pressure gague on the pump bottle, you just cant see it because the sun is reflecting off the glass over the gague. You can kind of see the needle in the first pic.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 9:42 am

spike, i thought I saw a pressure gauge or the shadow of one on the pressure tank itself, that's where I'd put one , though if you cannot tap plastic to suit thread of gauge, getting gland nut on the inside could be tricky.

If Jonno made one, if copyright allows, patent office gets bogged down, patent pending? he'd use his previous pressure devices by drilling hole to suit a tubeless tyre valve tit and pull it through and / ormaybe let the regulator of a compressor do the regulation - loses its portability though.

spike · Post by **spike** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 1:07 pm

im liking steptoes idea more now.......

i have everythign i need in that case, and only have to buy more fluid....

the problem with that steptoe is now its been put on the web as of before this date anyone who tries to copyright it will be screwed.
cant copyright public material

bobbyjimmy · Post by **bobbyjimmy** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 1:30 pm

I just use these;
http://speedbleeder.zoovy.com/category//
Haven't had a problem with them for 4 yrs or so now.

spike · Post by **spike** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 1:51 pm

there different......

i read the page but cant see how they really work
you open it up, pump the break and then liquid comes out its done??

wrxer · Post by **wrxer** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 4:46 pm

i like them speed bleeders, they look cool. one way valve built in, very naf.
nice work too ap, i wondered what to do with the sprayer set up now the kids have broke the spray end off when they wacking the dog

AlpineRaven · Post by **AlpineRaven** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 11:12 pm

I've fitted an old tyre valve on the bottle as well so I could use compressed air into the tank - saves me pumping ever now again..
Speed bleeder sounds good but once off for a while nah..
The gauge is showing 3 bar in photo and yes it has been reflected from the sun - sorry! i did tap the thread on the bottle with silicone on the thread to prevent leakage.
Last Tuesday - Ive just bleeded my wife's car as well - works as treat and very happy with it.
Cheers
AP