How do you bleed YOUR brakes?

[doctorr]

I like 'Speedbleeders', they work quite well, had them on my last car.
So when I bought my RX-8, I looked on the website for size info. Of course the site wasn't up to date, but an e-mail -
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The size(s) that you need for your application is as follows:

Front.....SB8100
Rear......SB7100

Speed Bleeders can be ordered at https://www.speedbleeder.com/order.htm

Thanks for your interest in Speed Bleeder.
Michael Sulwer
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said they had the sizes I needed.

Except that the fronts were actually 7mm (SB7100)
and the rears took a 10mm size (SB10???)

Anyone can make mistakes, so I contacted Mr. Sulwer, and contacted him and contacted him, and have been absolutely ignored for over a month now.

Pretty responsive to their order page, but god help you if they screw up - they will not even reply.

I hear a company named 'Russel' sells a knock off speedbleeder. I will try to get some 10mm's for the rear from them, but I will SURELY never deal with 'Speedbleeders'again.
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.
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doc

 

[T-Keith]

I fought with every method on my Lesabre. The main problem was that no one makes a master cylinder bleeding kit for GM cars. I called around to 15 different stores before finding one with a kit, but it didn't have the right sizes. Checker also sells a standard kit.

I finally bought a new master cylinder and used the kit that comes in there. It was two plastic "double" fittings and a 6" double hose. The fittings weren't the right size and the hose wasn't long enough to reach the master cylinder.

The "one person" caliper bleeder also wouldn't fit over the bleeder screw. I tried to by the power bleeders but they couldn't tell me what size my car needed.

Why is it so hard to do things right?

-T

 

[labman]

quote:

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Originally posted by T-Keith:
snip....

Why is it so hard to do things right?

-T

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Perhaps because too many people accept any old which way. I think the attitude of most here if far from the average DIY and better than some professionals. I think I remember kits that came with ''quality'' brands like Wagner and EIS, that had poorly molded plastic nuts that would not seal. Next time I need to bleed a master cylinder, I think I will just buy a cork and some tubing at the hardware store. The bleeder doesn't need to take much pressure, just not let air in on the back stroke. Watch cork crumbs

 

[T-Keith]

I think what I'm going to do is next time I go to a junk yard is unscrew the lines from a master cylinder and cut them off about a foot down, then bend them up and use them for bleeders.

-T

 

[labman]

Some auto parts stores sell short brake lines with the oversized nuts on them. I think I may have seen bushings too.

 

[T-Keith]

The parts stores don't carry any brake line for GM cars. They mostly have standard line. (which really hasn't been used for 20+ years.)

-T

 

[Dan4510]

Be aware too that front wheel drive cars must be bled in a different pattern than rear wheel drive cars.

The need to be bled in an X fashion. Left front and right rear, right front and left rear.

Why? they are paired that way for safety, so if one side of the master cylinder goes out you can still stop. A front wheel drive car with only rear brakes is scary.

Dan

 

[unDummy]

Speedbleeders! I made sure I knew my bleeder size before ordering since I know that catalogs are not always accurate. I still have a collection of various sizes in my toolbox for future vehicle services. These are great for the backyard mechanics. And, too expensive to add to all customers' cars.
My hydraulic clutch even has a speedbleeder.

I bleed all cars in the X-fashion unless otherwised mentioned in service manuals or TSBs. Its just the way these cars are linked. Most techs use the traditional furthest wheel away 1st, closest wheel last method.
I also find that regardless of brake bleeding method used, as long as all air bubbles are removed, the brakes work well!

 

[VaderSS]

I don't like speedbleeders, especially when a "one man bleeder" such as the Lisle tool above, works so well. I use a similar one that has a magnet mount.

 

[XS650]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dan4510:
Be aware too that front wheel drive cars must be bled in a different pattern than rear wheel drive cars.

The need to be bled in an X fashion. Left front and right rear, right front and left rear.

Why? they are paired that way for safety, so if one side of the master cylinder goes out you can still stop.

Dan

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Many, and I suspect the large majority of front wheel drive cars don't.