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Brake bleeding process

60K views 75 replies 18 participants last post by  davedad 
#1 ·
All,

I'm going to bleed my own brakes for the first time tomorrow and wanted to make sure I have the process down before I start.

First, I uncap the brake fluid reservoir and suck out as much fluid as I can. Then fill it to the top with fresh fluid. Next, start at the passenger rear tire (not sure if I need to jack up the truck and take the wheel off, but maybe some advice is needed here. Can this be done with the truck just sitting on the ground normally with wheels on?). From there, attach a clear hose to the bleeder valve leading to a cup or some sort of container. Then I crack the bleeder and have an assistant put moderate pressure on the pedal making sure not to push it all the way down. Then close the bleeder and have the assistant take their foot off the pedal. Then open the bleeder again and have them push on the pedal again, etc. Repeat this process until clean fluid comes out (all while making sure the reservoir is constantly topped up). Snug up the bleeder and move on. Then repeat this process with the driver's rear, passenger front and finally the driver's front. Is there anything else I need to know or any advice anyone could give me? Don't know why I've always been afraid of brakes in general, but I just want to make sure I do this right. I just don't trust anyone else to work on my truck, especially stealerships.
 
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#3 ·
First step is to dampen a large towel or bath mat and lay it under the brake fluid reservoir / booster.

You WILL splash / drip / spill a few drops of fluid and they will eat your paint off if you don't prepare ahead. If you wet the towel it will soak up the fluid instead of shedding it, and you can also use it to wipe off your fingers too.

Keep a bucket of warm water handy so you can wash your hands often in case you make a mess.

Like a surgeon. :act024:
 
#5 ·
Thanks, guys. Does my process seem ok, though? hawkeye, that's pretty much the opposite of anything I've ever been told about brakes. Is that from the RL service manual?

laserguy, I'm going to be getting three 12oz. bottles to be safe. You'll likely go through two, but won't use all of the third. I'm usually one to stick with Honda fluids (except for oil and gear lube) but I have a hard time believing there is any difference at all in DOT3 fluids. I think I may get the Valvoline synthetic DOT3/DOT4 stuff.
 
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#6 ·
Thanks, guys. Does my process seem ok, though? hawkeye, that's pretty much the opposite of anything I've ever been told about brakes. Is that from the RL service manual?
I think it is from the manual. If you read the thread i linked in my previous post, I stole that diagram from a post in that thread.

Someone with the actual manual can tell you for sure.

Let us know how it goes. I'm thinking about doing this myself. On the fence about Honda brake fluid as well.
 
#7 ·
Well, I'll be darned... front left, front right, rear right then rear left. I'll keep that in mind. Anyone know the size of the clear hose I need to use to slip it over the bleeder valve?
 
#10 ·
The sequence posted by hawkeye16 is correct. I've only done it with the wheels off. Not sure how to get to the bleeder screw with the wheels on, haven't tried.

The wet towel is a great idea. Sure could have used that when I did our Pilot's brakes a while back. I made a mess because I had a poor seal on the BF reservoir trying to use a Power Bleeder with a universal adapter. But I would have needed more than one towel for that mess.

Hopefully the new adapter they sent me will work better next time I do this job.

 
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#30 ·
Well, chalk one up for an idiot.....I've got the Central Pneu. bleeding kit and am not sure if it's working right. I've got it hooked up as the directions indicate, but I don't get a steady stream of fluid through the hose. I was expecting that once I opened the bleeder screw and pressed the handle to start the suction that I would get a steady fluid flow through the tubing, but I get a bit of fluid, then some air, then another bit of fluid, then some air.

I've only done the front left in the sequence. Trying to do the fluid flush that Honda recommends every 3 years.

Any suggestions? (For using this bleeder kit....I know I can always go back to the manual method of loosening and pumping the brake pedal.)

Also, do I just need to brake the bleed screw free and loosen about 1/4 turn or so to allow for the necessary flow of fluid?

Never done a brake system flush myself.
 
#12 ·
That definitely looks like the trick if you have compressed air. I really need to get a decent supply of compressed air.

I think others have recommended this tool as well.
 
#13 ·
Just another plug for the harbor freight bleeder. Somewhere on the site is a more complete review. Especially if you are working alone you can't beat this tool. I was able to exchange and bleed 4 cars in several hours. Like others have said, you have to be very careful around paint, but that is where this tool excels. Also most abs systems don't like to be sucked dry (just complicates getting all the air out) so the fluid dispenser helps a lot. You can even get a small 3 gallon compressor for about $60. It won't power an impact wrench very well, but still good for lots of other tasks like this and brad nailers.

I'm a fan of harbor freight. Where else can you get a 3 foot crescent wrench for about $25 that is decent quality and certainly more than good enough for my occasional use.
 
#14 ·
HF is where I bought my long frame jack many years ago too. It still serves me well, but I don't think they sell it anymore.

I've put off buying an air compressor for a long time. I'd like a good quality one that will serve a variety of household needs and am thinking I should get at least a 20 gallon unit. Then again, that could be overkill. And how about a oil vs oil-less compressors? Two stage vs single stage? Belt drive?

What I hate to do is buy a tool thinking I can get by cheap, then later find I should have sprung for a better model, and end up paying much more than I would have if I'd only bought the better one in the first place. It's often hard to know where that dividing line exists until you actually buy it and put it to work. But I guess that's true of most things in life.
 
#15 ·
Not to derail the original thread... Ive just found a small inexpensive oilless compressor great for lots of things where I don't want to have to worry about filling and maintaining a larger compressor and tank. I have an old devilbis oilless small compressor that I havent been able to kill using for basic home and garage use like filling tires, attaching crown moulding, texturing, etc where portability and general ease of use is important. I am only assuming that a similar sized one from harbor freight may be equally trouble free, but who knows. I just use my portable one more than the larger one.
 
#16 ·
Can anyone tell me what size of clear tubing I need to get to fit on the bleeder valve screw? I want to try this tomorrow and I still haven't gotten the tubing.
 
#17 ·
I wish I knew and could help you. for that size you can get it for under .25 cents a foot at Lowes I would buy 3 different sizes and return the ones not used for the service, and post your findings and details here later :act035: maybe pics too.
 
#19 ·
^^^ That's what I was thinking. I think I'll take laserguy's advice and just get a range of different sizes with in about 2 foot lengths. For a few bucks, I'm sure I could find use for the ones I don't use for some other project. Thanks for the feedback, gentlemen...
 
#21 ·
Ian,

Hope this doesn't get to you too late. I don't see anything in the FSM for the size. But measuring the very soft and pliable tubing that I used, it measures 5/16 OD and 3/16 ID, best I can tell.

Here's what I used for the catch bottle.. except mine has a magnetic disc on the back to stick to the metal parts of the RL. I measured the tubing on it.
 
#22 ·
^^^ I went ahead and got a 3' length of 3/16" and 1/4". It is definitely 3/16" and the bleeder bolt is a 10mm. What do you think about jimmy rigging my own catch bottle? I was thinking a 20oz water bottle with the end of the tube put into it and duct taped around the top. That should work, right?
 
#23 ·
Sure, no problem. The catch bottle isn't critical in any way as long as the old fluid is contained. Stick the end of the tube in an old 2 liter Coke bottle. But you won't be draining out near that much fluid.
 
#24 ·
Funny story... while I was at Advance Auto purchasing all the parts for the brake jobs, I hastily bought a "one-man brake bleeding kit" which is nothing more than a clear tube going into a 4 oz. bottle (with magnet) and some really ineffective plastic "adapters" to fit in the bleeder screw. After reassessing the situation, I returned it. It was only $8, but I can use a $0.63 piece of tubing and a pop bottle to achieve the same results - and I get to drink the pop, too!! :act024:
 
#26 ·
Another question: I'm going to finally get to replacing the pads on the truck this weekend. I went with OEM style ceramics. I'll be keeping the rotors on there, though, as they're still good and smooth. My question is should I use something like steel wool or sand paper to rough up both sides of the rotors before installing the new pads? I've seen in the service manual for my wife's Accord where they recommend using a medium-grit sand paper in a circular motion to knock down the shiny surface on the rotors to promote better break-in and seating of the new pads. I'm full well planning on cleaning everything with brake cleaner, but I just didn't know if this sanding/scuffing procedure was necessary.
 
#28 ·
^^^ That's kinda the same story I'm getting from a few of my friends, too. Think I'm just gonna throw the new pads in and bleed the brakes.
 
#29 ·
That's all I did on our Pilot when I put on new pads and flushed the BF. It had no vibration or other symptoms of warped rotors, so I made it as simple as I could.
 
#32 ·
You do have a source of clean fluid feeding the reservoir tank, right? So it isn't sucking air at that point.

I just crack the bleeder until I get the flow I want. Haven't used the HF bleeder myself.
 
#33 ·
Yeah, the bleeder screws don't have to be opened much to get the fluid to come out. You also don't have to tighten them much. I think the recommended torque is only 7 ft/lbs. I'm not quite sure what could be the issue with your brake bleeding kit. If anything, just do the manual method if you can't figure it out. What took the longest for me was jacking up the truck and taking the wheels off one by one. If you have access to a lift, it would take about 20 minutes. If you do it in your garage or driveway with a single jack, it will take an hour at minimum. I've noticed a firmer pedal and better feel since I bled my brakes and changed the pads.
 
#59 · (Edited)
Yeah, the bleeder screws don't have to be opened much to get the fluid to come out. You also don't have to tighten them much. I think the recommended torque is only 7 ft/lbs.
After replacing a front caliper on my Fiero many years ago, I thought the spec read 11 ft./lbs. Only after stripping the threads and ruining a brand new caliper did I realize it was 11 in./lbs. It's worth double checking. :)

My rear brakes have started to squeal slightly just before coming to a stop this past week at 49K miles. I haven't visually inspected them yet, but went ahead and ordered new front and rear pads this morning. I've always dreaded and avoided bleeding brakes because I never have help and never invested in a "one-man" brake bleeding system. The last brake bleed I remember doing was on my Regal almost a decade ago - the brakes never felt quite the same after that.
 
#35 ·
Do you think you had air trapped in the system before you began bleeding the brakes? Was the pedal soft? Would it slowly sink to the floor?
 
#36 ·
I have used the HF bleeder quite a bit. Even though their stuff is considered disposable in some circles, this tool works quite well, especially for the price. What I do is put a box wrench on the nipple, operate the bleeder and then just crack the nipple until you get the desired flow. Then I close the nipple down while still operating the bleeder. It takes a little practice, but just a little. You do pull air from around the threads if you open it too far. You also seem to get air bubbles closer to the bleeder handle if you hold the handle down all the way but I think that's just disturbance near the venturi in the bleeder. If you get it all right you get a steady clear stream of fluid in the hose with some bubbles forming at the container end of things. It's nice because the tubing is clear enough that you can usually see the change in fluid color from the old to new. The process kind of reminds me of driving a stick shift where you learn how to let the clutch out while applying proper gas. Once you get the feel for how the HF bleeder works, it's simply a great tool. I've bled many brake systems both with a helper and managed halfway decently by myself, but this thing simply allows one person to the job well and quite a bit faster than it used to take.
 
#38 ·
What is the PSI of the compressor you're using. If it's too low or too high, that might cause the issues your're having.

From the manual....

Turn on the air compressor, and set its regulator at 90 to 120 PSI. Do not exceed 120 PSI.

Some of the small pancake compressors don't reach 90 PSI and if you're trying to use one of the really small, cigarette lighter run, tire refill compressors, you're bleeder simply won't work properly.
 
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