How to bleed the brakes (the basics) (1 Viewer)

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I did a lot of searching this morning to find a good thread on the basics of bleeding the brake system. There were a lot of advanced threads, but it took me a while to find a basic thread. So, I thought I would post a link to it in a thread with a more descriptive title:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/102663-stupid-simple-brakes-question.html

Hope this helps someone else.

Thanks, that got me started -- just started. I can't budge any of my bleeder plugs. I hit 'em with PB Blaster and gave up for the night. I'll try again tomorrow.
 
Bleeding brakes is pretty simple, but people screw up in two ways:
1. They don't put enough force on the pedal to blast the bubbles out. The fluid should squirt at least 3 feet. Run the engine if necessary to use the power booster to put some wood to it.
2. They don't tighten the bleeder before the fluid stops squirting and allow air to suck back into the caliper.

I have bled thousands of brakes and 99% of the time, it works first time if you do it properly. The other 1% are leaks and bad master cylinders.


If you have drum brakes on the rear, you also have to make sure that the automatic adjusters are working or your brake pedal will be low and pump up.
 
Yeah, and don't forget the load proportioning valve needs bleeding.
It is handy to stick some PVC tubing on the bleeding nipple and bleed into a small container/bottle with the end of the tubing immersed in brake fluid. Prevents air being sucked back into the line. Start with the longest line and work to the shortest. good luck.;)
 
It really helps to have a girlfriend (significant other, roomate, etc.)... she will feel proud after helping bleed the brakes. (press brake , bleed, close valve, release brake, repeat)

I ran enough new fluid to totally displace the old gunky stuff, all the lines have nice clear fluid now (just go for it, fluid is cheap).
If you are alone. Get a really long bleeder hose and have the end of it going back to the reservoir. This way you pump, and the excess just goes back to the reservoir, no need to have someone else help out and you will not have to top the reservoir as you go (got this trick from mud...)

Test in the driveway before really using it to make sure no leaks occur! And careful with brake fluid on paint, supposedly will dissolve it.
 

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