brake bleeding
 

ok i replaced my rotor and my caliper and i started bleeding my bakes but i think i must be doing something wrong im gravity bleeding them but there is just no way there could be that many air bubbles in that junk i sat there for about a half hour bleeding them and it was the same amount of bubbles every time and my brakes feel supper spongy like the truck stops but not very well at all...i have to stop it just to slow down...so is there any suggestions here on what i might be doing wrong

Re: brake bleeding
 

I remember reading that it can take Hours to do. get your girlfriend to help and get it done in 30 mins. have her pump the brake a bunch of times and then hold it, you open the bleed screw and then close it. make sure she does not let back up when it bottoms out. do that two to three times a wheel and then see how it is.

Re: brake bleeding
 

exactly what ^^ said start with the wheel further from the master and work backwards.. unless you opened the rear system or the master ran dry you dont need to bleed the back so just the right front then the left front

Re: brake bleeding
 

Here is the correct way to bleed or remove fluid vapor from brake lines.
Jack the whole vehicle up on jack stands (or a lift) and remove all four wheels.

install one lug nut at each corner and tighten it up against the rotor surface to limit caliper flex. To limit the flex that you may feel in the pedal.

check your fluid in mc and keep it on the max line.

Begin at the furthest corner from the mc and progress to the driver. RR,LR
RF,RF etc

Install your jar or whatever with clear hose. and place it above the drum /rotor.

Have your wife or whomever apply the brakes 3 times and hold the pedal down. Don't let them release it until you tell them to. Open your bleeder for a couple seconds. Don't leave it open as only a few seconds is needed.

Tell them to release the brakes. Keep doing that until you can see no more bubbles in the hose.

Check your master cylinder.

Keep doing it on all four until your finished and clean up all the bleeders with fluid and then check for leaks..

check you pedal and it should be firmer. If it is still mushy it may still be pads that are tapered or other brake component problem. Recheck you bleeders for leaking.

Put all your wheels back on and level the car , leave it off and apply the brakes a number of times.

You should be good to go.

I know you probably know this but sometimes people don't. If you still have a problem with soft pedal there could be problems elsewhere.

Many times soft brakes are not caused by air leaks. It can be from fluid vapor being released when the fluid is being compressed. brake fluid can get over 300deg for most street cars. It doesn't take much vapor to lose efficiency.

Re: brake bleeding
 

I would love to see an explanation of this one......

Re: brake bleeding
 

Straight out of GMI

Re: brake bleeding
 

thats for a front wheel drive car not for a truck like ours

Re: brake bleeding
 

its for disc brakes

Re: brake bleeding
 

not for hub type rotors

Re: brake bleeding
 

I recently replaced the pads and rotors on my Jeep Cherokee and had to bleed the brakes myself. The best way I have found to do it is to get a small jar (I cut the top off of an old brake fluid bottle) and a piece of hose. Connect the hose to the bleeder valve, put some brake fluid in the jar. Insert hose into jar and make sure the end is submerged. Open bleeder and pump the brakes slow and easy. It worked great.

Since you replaced the caliper and really opened up the system I would bleed all 4 corners to be on the safe side.

Re: brake bleeding
 

I think I will just quit posting anything

Re: brake bleeding
 

i tried the pumping 3 times and then holding the pedal down while i loosen the screw but no air came out then i let it gravity bleed and tuns of air came out my gf said that as soon as i loosened the bleed screw the pedal hit the floor so i guess ima give gravity bleeding another try or try the pumping it with the hose in a jar thing and thanks for the help every one

Re: brake bleeding
 

is it full of brake fluid?
and is the lid on?

Re: brake bleeding
 

its full of brake fluid and the lid is on except when i gravity bleed it cuz it makes it easer to fill up

Re: brake bleeding
 

Mike i hope you are not offended at what I said but i can't for the life of me figure out what a lug nut is going to do on a rotor that is fixed in place by the lock nut on the front of the spindle... the only time there is play in a rotor is in the front wheel drive where it lays on the lugs and is held in place by the wheel and the caliper this could also be said of a rear disc system but again neither of these is standard on our trucks

Id be curious to find out what the reasoning is behind this... hey im 45 and am willing to learn anytime.. there was no sarcasm at all in my post

Re: brake bleeding
 

welp it looks like ima go out side and try brake bleeding again lol

Re: brake bleeding
 

yeah ima have to get some one to do it that has a vacuum bleeder cuz the only thing that looks like its workin is gravity bleeding and i sat out there for an our with tons of bubbles and still no progress

Re: brake bleeding
 

Make sure you have the rear brakes adjusted up also,that will affect pedal height

Re: brake bleeding
 

You can also get a little 1 man brake bleeder setup (I think it's in the HELP section @ most chain parts stores) Teeny little bottle with a hose, same principle as Prerunner mentioned. Saved me a lot of hassle when I did a caliper, brake lines, and wheel cylinders in one shot. I also took my time doing it. I did all four corners, topped off the fluid, waited a few hours, did it again. (my thinking on waiting was for the smaller bubbles settle out.)

Re: brake bleeding
 

how do i do that lol

Re: brake bleeding
 

Sorry that should have been make sure the REAR brakes are adjusted up snug

Re: brake bleeding
 

Poke,the best way for you to do it is pull the rear drum off and turn the adjuster a couple of clicks then slide the drum back on.do that until the drum has a real small drag on it.you will be some what close

Re: brake bleeding
 

thanks every one for the help and i should have my brakes bleed soon cuz i got a guy with a vacuum bleeder thats gunna do it lol and i think i probly should adjust my rear brakes cuz when im in 4lo my back wheel spins lol

Re: brake bleeding
 

well i tightened up one wheel and wow what a difference thanks again everyone ima be doin the other one in just a little bit

Re: brake bleeding
 

just a trick to share if youre having issues bleeding brakes, or if you cant get the bleeders open, take the cap off the master cylinder and with your hand, ease the brake pedal to the floor, then jerk it back up quickly. thats how I did mine thanks to years of new england rust raising hell with the bleeders and brake lines