Question about bleeding brakes
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 24,333
Likes: 1
From: VA
St. Jude Donor '03-'11
Question about bleeding brakes
I'm upgrading the front suspension of my kit car.
I've fabricated everything, and now it's time to bleed the brakes.
Before I started, the master cylinder (for front wheels only) had been drained to the very bottom (only a little bit of fluid in there). I filled it up, had wifey pump the pedal while I went to the passenger side wheel and opened and shut the bleeder while she held the pedal in. A few times of that, and got the air out. same on the other side.
Now, on each side, only fluid comes out, but it's really not under much pressure, and the pedal is still totally soft.
I'm guessing I still have air somewhere in the system, but not sure how to get it out. Pointers?
I've fabricated everything, and now it's time to bleed the brakes.
Before I started, the master cylinder (for front wheels only) had been drained to the very bottom (only a little bit of fluid in there). I filled it up, had wifey pump the pedal while I went to the passenger side wheel and opened and shut the bleeder while she held the pedal in. A few times of that, and got the air out. same on the other side.
Now, on each side, only fluid comes out, but it's really not under much pressure, and the pedal is still totally soft.
I'm guessing I still have air somewhere in the system, but not sure how to get it out. Pointers?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 8,164
Likes: 0
From: ohio
are you pumping the pedal? you should pump it three times, hold it, have your assistant bleed the brakes, then close it, THEN let up on the pedal, repeat until all the air is out. Start with the wheel farthest from the master cylinder.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: VA
St. Jude Donor '03-'11
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 8,164
Likes: 0
From: ohio
Bench bleeding isnt totally necessary, personally i dont worry about bench bleeding and just gravity bleed it until it's all good. Takes longer to bleed, but you dont have to worry about all the hassles with bench bleeding.
Other than that....i'd say just keep bleeding man, it'll have to get hard at some point.
Other than that....i'd say just keep bleeding man, it'll have to get hard at some point.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 663
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From: Hickory NC
Bench bleeding isnt totally necessary, personally i dont worry about bench bleeding and just gravity bleed it until it's all good. Takes longer to bleed, but you dont have to worry about all the hassles with bench bleeding.
Other than that....i'd say just keep bleeding man, it'll have to get hard at some point.
Other than that....i'd say just keep bleeding man, it'll have to get hard at some point.
Yea even without bench bleeding the air will come out, just may take a while.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 24,333
Likes: 1
From: VA
St. Jude Donor '03-'11
Bench bleeding isnt totally necessary, personally i dont worry about bench bleeding and just gravity bleed it until it's all good. Takes longer to bleed, but you dont have to worry about all the hassles with bench bleeding.
Other than that....i'd say just keep bleeding man, it'll have to get hard at some point.
Other than that....i'd say just keep bleeding man, it'll have to get hard at some point.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 21,465
Likes: 114
From: Hillsboro OR
Bench bleeding isnt totally necessary, personally i dont worry about bench bleeding and just gravity bleed it until it's all good. Takes longer to bleed, but you dont have to worry about all the hassles with bench bleeding.
Other than that....i'd say just keep bleeding man, it'll have to get hard at some point.
Other than that....i'd say just keep bleeding man, it'll have to get hard at some point.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 24,333
Likes: 1
From: VA
St. Jude Donor '03-'11
I just did that. There might have been a slight improvement, but not much.
I do have full travel on the master.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 21,465
Likes: 114
From: Hillsboro OR
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 21,465
Likes: 114
From: Hillsboro OR
alright... is bench bleeding more than just routing the line from the back of the master directly back into the reservoir, and pumping it to make sure there are no bubbles?
I just did that. There might have been a slight improvement, but not much.
I do have full travel on the master.
I just did that. There might have been a slight improvement, but not much.
I do have full travel on the master.
