Changing Brake lines
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 31
Likes: 5
From: Omaha Nebraska
Changing Brake lines
I am changing over to stainless braided brake lines. If I drain all brake fluid, are there concerns about effectively fully refilling and bleeding the system? Will I get air pockets in the system that are tough to bleed out?
I am a newbie. Thank you.
I am a newbie. Thank you.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 17,551
Likes: 26
From: El Paso Texas
Or go to Harbor Freight and buy a power bleeder. Hook it to your compressor and it sucks fluid through the lines. They are about $35. I used it on my 1970 Mach 1....went from empty system to hard pedal in 30 minutes, solo.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 17,551
Likes: 26
From: El Paso Texas
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 1,331
Likes: 2
A power bleeder is awesome though and much more time efficient it's worth the little bit of cash. Especially for future brake projects. The 20 to 25 dollars you spend saves you alot of time, and you don't even need any helpers to bleed the system out!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 924
Likes: 10
From: Manteca Calif
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Race Director
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Anaheim CA
I don't remember the exact circumstances, but I had air in my brake system and the vacuum thingy wouldn't pull any brake fluid.
I have use a "one man brake bleeder" for many years. It's just a check valve on the end of a plastic tube. Speed Bleeders are the same thing. They just replace the bleeder screw with a check valve. Since you've got the system apart you might as well go this route.
Normally you don't drain all the old fluid out. The traditional method is to fill the master cylinder reservoir with fresh fluid and pump the brake pedal until all the old fluid is displaced. I open the bleeder screw and pump the brake pedal until the master cylinder reservoir gets almost empty before adding new fluid. It's pretty easy to tell when you've got the old fluid out as the old fluid will be dark and the new fluid will be clear. Obviously you need clear plastic tubing to see what's happening when you do it this way.
I have use a "one man brake bleeder" for many years. It's just a check valve on the end of a plastic tube. Speed Bleeders are the same thing. They just replace the bleeder screw with a check valve. Since you've got the system apart you might as well go this route.
Normally you don't drain all the old fluid out. The traditional method is to fill the master cylinder reservoir with fresh fluid and pump the brake pedal until all the old fluid is displaced. I open the bleeder screw and pump the brake pedal until the master cylinder reservoir gets almost empty before adding new fluid. It's pretty easy to tell when you've got the old fluid out as the old fluid will be dark and the new fluid will be clear. Obviously you need clear plastic tubing to see what's happening when you do it this way.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 31
Likes: 5
From: Omaha Nebraska
Thanks for the wisdom. My concern was just what you experienced in the past.
I think I have a plan now. First time work on brakes makes me a bit nervous- pretty important to have effective brakes plus I don't want nasty brake fluid all over my dream car!
I think I have a plan now. First time work on brakes makes me a bit nervous- pretty important to have effective brakes plus I don't want nasty brake fluid all over my dream car!
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,384
Likes: 2,736
Buy your wife a "NEW" turkey baster and use her old one to remove the old fluid OR if you have access to a medical supply store in the area a 2OZ syringe used for feeding tubes is less than $3, can be cleaned and easily stored. The last is a much better solution I think!
A BD 309620 is the reference number all use:
A BD 309620 is the reference number all use: