Bleeding brakes without ABS actuation device?

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My wife's 2009 Flex developed a leak in the LR caliper. The parking brake actuator seal was dripping. This went on -I regret- for a while before the "low brake fluid" light came on while oldest son drove. I topped up MC reservoir with DOT3, ordered new caliper, replaced caliper, got new pads and rotors too (Raybestos) and bled system with my Motive Bleeder kit.

Brake pedal seemed to be slightly soft, lower than I recall, but all worked fine. Wife drove for a week before complaining the pedal was too low. Bled the brakes again. Very little air in system.

Drove out on the country roads, did series of panic braking on the soft gravel shoulders, activating the ABS system. Bled the system again, little bit of air in the RR, but all other corners seemed air free.

Pedal is now better, but still softer & lower than I want. I suspect that while the fluid was low in the reservoir that some air was ingested and now I need to have the ABS system purged. Autel has a scanner that will cycle the 4 corners of the ABS system, but I will probably never need to do this again...my question: is there another Ghetto way to activate the abs and flush the air out to the 4 corners?
 
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Easiest/safest/best way is to drop it off at a dealer and have then do it. It's usually an "a la carte" item for 100 bucks or so. Tell them you think there's air in the ABS.
 
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Easiest/safest/best way is to drop it off at a dealer and have then do it. It's usually an "a la carte" item for 100 bucks or so. Tell them you think there's air in the ABS.


Yeah, this would do it. I'm going to ping the local Ford dealer and get a price for the service. If it's 80% of the cost of the scanner purchase route, I'll get the scanner and rent it out to co-workers et al.
 
Okay, I checked the local Ford dealer. If I want them to hook up to the ABS system via the OBDII port, activate the ABS pump for all 4 channels of brake system; they charge a flat fee of $128 CAD. If I want to also have them power bleed all 4 brakes via the master cylinder, this will be extra $ 149.95 CAD + taxes. Both services: $314 CAD with taxes in.

I could elect to have them do the ABS activation step, then drive the 3km home and do the bleeding routing myself = $ 128 + taxes

Or I purchase the Autel MaxiCheck Pro for $ 255 CAD + taxes = $288.15 CAD and do it all myself. Tempting eh?
 
Originally Posted By: KGMtech
Okay, I checked the local Ford dealer. If I want them to hook up to the ABS system via the OBDII port, activate the ABS pump for all 4 channels of brake system; they charge a flat fee of $128 CAD. If I want to also have them power bleed all 4 brakes via the master cylinder, this will be extra $ 149.95 CAD + taxes. Both services: $314 CAD with taxes in.

I could elect to have them do the ABS activation step, then drive the 3km home and do the bleeding routing myself = $ 128 + taxes

Or I purchase the Autel MaxiCheck Pro for $ 255 CAD + taxes = $288.15 CAD and do it all myself. Tempting eh?


Buy the tool, that's what I'd do. The first job you do pays for the tool, after that it's money in the bank.
 
I discussed it with my wife last night, as it is her car and on occasion my boys drive the Flex, we decided to let the Ford dealer fix the brakes.

Secondly: I already got myself a $150 CAD OBDII scanner last Christmas, if I had not done that so recently...I'd be getting myself the new ABS/SRS scanner for this repair. The new scanner would have had all the OBDII functionality with the extras of ABS & SRS.

Thanks for your insights, I will update after Ford dealer drains her wallet :o)
 
I've never used a scan tool to engage ABS. I've bled em a few times now on my vehicle.

Take it out on a dirt or gravel road and do a few hard stops and it'll be fine.
 
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