This weekend I am treating the bus to new brake fluid. Question is what can go wrong? Also how much fluid will I need? I have a one man bleed kit also..
Bleed nipples can easily shear off, think I used less than a litre (or whtevere the bigger bottle comes in - possibly 750 mil and I pumped through till it not only got shut of bubbles but changed to the right colour (ie not sludge)
if bleed kit is a type that uses the tyre pressure to energise the system DO NOT start bleed with the tyre pressure at 20psi !as the instructions suggest.>Start at max 10psi , otherwise you risk blowing seals /losing a lot of (expensive) new fluid.
Soak the bleed nipples in plus gas then tighten them a little before you undo them If they wont budge dont force them you will shear the nipple off
Noooo, I can see a "make work project" coming. I say drive the van the way it is and add to the top of what's there only. LOL
Always worth changing the fluid, but if the system hasn't been touched for 15 years, disaster's around the corner...
Brakes need more attention than they get. Dot 4 brake fluid is hygroscopic - it absorbs water! Water in the system can turn to steam due to the heat created by heavy braking. This causes the brakes to feel as though they have air in them after repeated heavy use. After cooling down they firm up again. The fluid should be replaced every two years, just like a modern car - check your daily driver's service manual. Some systems use dot 5 which is silicone based and does not have the same problem, but it is not suitable for the seals in a dot 4 system.
Did mine recently, after master cylinder renewal, sheared nearside rear bleed nipple so replaced two rear wheel cylinders, but used a bottle and bleed tube. small amount of fluid in bottle, open nipple pressed brake pedal slowly for half dozen pumps, keep your eye on the level in the reservoir and check fluid in bottle is clean and level has risen lock bleed nipple and do the other three same way, if you have to go around and do again, I used about 750 ml no problems good brakes. All brake fluid is Hygroscopic that is why you have to keep the containers sealed tight even the stuff in the old days where you had to make sure you were using the right fluid for natural or synthetic rubber seals, do believe its the Glycerol content that makes it so.
Sheared bleed nipples can be removed very easily with a correct sized stud extractor. When tighgtening do the last sinch with the spanner being turned with just your little finger
Sheared my rear right off a few weeks ago and didnt want to attempt getting it out as needed the van. Will have a go at extracting it in situ, otherwise a new one(cylinder) is a tenner (if you dont shear the pipe union). Incidentally Im using one of those cheap (£5) pipes with the one way valve. Same as the jam-jar method but you dont need to emmerse the pipe to start with. I like it but Im not keen on the tyre fed ones!
Thanks again for the responses, I am using the one man kit with NRV so its not the easibleed type, have a litre of DOT 4 fluid, the fluid needs changing, don't know when it was done before but we are into the 3rd year of owning the van so its well overdue. Will give the nipples a good soaking first (and then the vans!).
no more angelina comments please...... Brangelina have confirmed they now will be known as Ngelina - thay have no use for the Bra...... too soon?
Gunsons easybleed. That is what I use and it is a doddle to use on my own. As said above drop the tyre pressure to at least 10 to 15psi. (It says 20 psi on the box.)
