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I'm replacing the wheel cylinders for my rear drum brakes on my 86 TA and I can't figure out how you are supposed to bleed the brakes with wheel cylinders like this. The bleeder is entirely surrounded by metal from the cylinder and the only way to open it is with a socket but then you can't get a hose on it. My only thought is to cut the metal around it to try and get a flare nut wrench on the bleeder. Anyone have any recommendations?
Eeeeeeeezyest way is, after it's fully installed, open the bleeder screw; crack yerself a cold refreshing adult beverage; watch; top off the MC occasionally, being EXTREMELY CAREFUL to never let it run dry (keep the cap sitting on it, and the cap on the fluid bottle, in between top-offs); when clean fluid comes out instead of yellow rusty funk, close screw. (although with new parts, you might want to do the "get rid of funky fluid" stage before you hook up the line, just letting it drip)
Don't you normally put a hose on the bleeder and have it run to a bottle with some fluid already in it? I thought you were supposed to do that so that when you have the bleeder open and press the brake pedal you dont just pull more air into the system
Also, the master cylinder went dry because I had to replace all of the lines because the lines were corroded so it drained everything out.
normally put a hose on the bleeder and have it run to a bottle with some fluid already in it?
No.
Fluid goes THE OTHER way; FROM the MC, TO the WCs. Then it comes OUT OF the bleeder screws.
Especially if you follow the Work Rules listed above. Gravity takes care of everything. It sucks, but it always wins. Use it to your advantage.
Did I mention anything about "press the brake pedal"? Did you see that in the instructions anywhere? Why THE HELL would you want to do THAT? That's dangerously close to WORK. To be avoided at all costs. Just open the screws and let gravity do what it does best. (which is, suck... sorta like vacuum)
The MC however is a different story. You MUST "bench bleed" it. Reason being, it is at such an angle in these cars, that a WHOLE BUNCH of air can be inside it, but ABOVE the fittings to the lines; meaning, NOTHING you can do will EVER get that air out of there, at least that's anything remotely practical. The air will just sit up there at the top above the outlets and laugh at you behind its sleeve. (excuse me, it will laugh "with" you) You can gravity bleed, pressure bleed, vacuum bleed, you can even use LEECHES to bleed it. You can bleed it by any/all of those methods every day of the week from now til Doomsday, and twice on Sundays just for good measure, and that air will STILL be in there, undisturbed. Unless you bench bleed the MC, your project is DOOMED to failure.
So, do that; then let gravity take care of the lines, the WCs, and the calipers.
Why THE HELL would you want to do THAT? That's dangerously close to WORK. To be avoided at all costs.
ROFL - Sounds like some co-workers I've had, except in step 1 they remove "hard". Very interesting, never heard of the "Sofa Gravity Brake Bleeding Technique" before.
Fluid goes THE OTHER way; FROM the MC, TO the WCs. Then it comes OUT OF the bleeder screws.
Especially if you follow the Work Rules listed above. Gravity takes care of everything. It sucks, but it always wins. Use it to your advantage.
Did I mention anything about "press the brake pedal"? Did you see that in the instructions anywhere? Why THE HELL would you want to do THAT? That's dangerously close to WORK. To be avoided at all costs. Just open the screws and let gravity do what it does best. (which is, suck... sorta like vacuum)
The MC however is a different story. You MUST "bench bleed" it. Reason being, it is at such an angle in these cars, that a WHOLE BUNCH of air can be inside it, but ABOVE the fittings to the lines; meaning, NOTHING you can do will EVER get that air out of there, at least that's anything remotely practical. The air will just sit up there at the top above the outlets and laugh at you behind its sleeve. (excuse me, it will laugh "with" you) You can gravity bleed, pressure bleed, vacuum bleed, you can even use LEECHES to bleed it. You can bleed it by any/all of those methods every day of the week from now til Doomsday, and twice on Sundays just for good measure, and that air will STILL be in there, undisturbed. Unless you bench bleed the MC, your project is DOOMED to failure.
So, do that; then let gravity take care of the lines, the WCs, and the calipers.
ROFL - Sounds like some co-workers I've had, except in step 1 they remove "hard". Very interesting, never heard of the "Sofa Gravity Brake Bleeding Technique" before.
My Dad taught me that trick years ago,I did it with my bird,drank beer,listened to Pink Floyd and dubbed with other things for a few hours,haven't touched them since,worked on my 2011 F150 too.
