i have to change a rear drum brake cylinder and have neither anyone whom i can ask to assist re the "bleed up" nor specialist bleeding tools so, ive seen discusion on here re bleeding brakes and some fellas say they opened all the bleed nipples and let the fluid bleed thru ?(gravity/time?) is that way a suitable way to get some /any brake pedal? and if yes , what is procedure ? is it open them all at once ,or , open say , further away from resovoir ,once thats thru ,close , open next one and so on up to nearest to resovoir? thanks for opinion(s) /advice
The problem is that a lot of the cheap stuff on the market is a bit pants - Eze Bleed and the like. 1 way valves are a bit dodgy too, as with the nipple loose, air can always be sucked back in on the return stroke. I've got a pressure bleeder like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pressure-Brake-Clutch-Bleeding-Bleeder-Bleed-FREE-UNIV-/360543159633?pt=UK_Measuring_Tools_Levels&hash=item53f20c0551 But I only paid about £50 for it. I just use it dry (to save cleaning) as an air supply to the reservoir and then bleed through 1 master cylinder reservoir fill at a time. It works well and you get the job done fast.
Although it helps to have an assistant I've bled brakes loads of times using nothing more than a piece of clear plastic tubing, a ring spanner and a jam jar. Do one brake at a time starting at the rear. Loosen the nipple but leave the spanner on and fit the tubing. It takes a bit of pumping then getting under and checking, but when you can see that all the bubbles are at least 3 inches clear of the brake cylinder you can tighten up the nipple if you are quick about it.
ta 4 that >one more >is it correct that with any bleed nipple open ,pressing the brake pedal right to the floor can push the various seals past there "usual" limit of travel and so cause probs with that part of system?
Best £20 you can spend providing you have a compressor to use it with. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SEALEY-VS020-Brake-Clutch-Bleeder-Bleeding-Vacuum-Type-1ltr-Kit-/180820654002?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item2a19c037b2
This doesn't look to bad for £30 and it does vacum as well http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sealey-Vacuum-Tester-Bleeding-VS-402/dp/B001EVZG9E/ref=reg_hu-rd_add_1_dp
Just mind with the vacuum units as you need to have greased the threads on the bleed nipples, otherwise it'll draw air in through the threads and you have bubbles forever
Ezi-bleed are a bit pants, but fine for home (i.e. not much) use. I like mine, it makes the job easy and also shows up any badly damaged flexi's. One thing to be mindful of is that the pipe between the reservoir you fill, and the reservoir on top of the master cylinder is not designed to be pressurised and will be old. I recommend 15lbs pressure and check this pipe isn't dripping.
You dont even need a one way valve if you fill half of the jar with brake fluid and keep the tube below the surface I just find using a sealed container with one way valve fitted a mess free easy way to do it I like bleeding my brakes by using my foot on the pedal as it gives a feedback feeling on how the system is
My wife's quite tolerant providing I help her with housey jobs - I even had her help get the engine out, but for some reason she hates bleeding the brakes. I'd be waiting days, so I figured out how to do it by myself.
Ah maybe that's it. Instead of her grovelling on the ground getting grit in her face and me sitting comfortably in the cab, we could work the other way round ;D.
