I'm gnna gravity bleed my brake lines this weekend

[Natural Citizen]

I was gonna just install speed bleeders, but I'm gonna wait til next spring or summer maybe. Those things are expensive. Way over-priced, at least.

Anyway. I've never gravity bled brakes. I know how to do it, I just never have.

The only down side is I see people say it takes a long time.

But they never say what actually surmises a long time. What does a long time mean? Th closest definition of that I've read is the one guy who said, oh, four or five beers. lol.

Anyone ever gravity bleed their brakes?

 

[Anomalism]

It takes about 30-45 minutes.

 

[Natural Citizen]

It takes about 30-45 minutes.

Good to know. Thanks!

 

[Moonglow]

It helps to have someone in the cab.

 

[Natural Citizen]

It helps to have someone in the cab.

The whole reason I'm gravity bleeding them is because I'm doing it by myself.

Why would I need a second person to gravity bleed?

If I had a second person I'd just do it the old fashioned way.

 

[Natural Citizen]

I was gonna just unscrew all four bleeders and let em all bleed at the same time while I kept an eye on the the master cylinder level but then I thought maybe air might get into the lines through the threads if they were all unscrewed at the same time while they were bleeding. It probably would.

So I'm just gonna do em one at a time.

 

[progressive hunter]

I was gonna just install speed bleeders, but I'm gonna wait til next spring or summer maybe. Those things are expensive. Way over-priced, at least.

Anyway. I've never gravity bled brakes. I know how to do it, I just never have.

The only down side is I see people say it takes a long time.

But they never say what actually surmises a long time. What does a long time mean? Th closest definition of that I've read is the one guy who said, oh, four or five beers. lol.

Anyone ever gravity bleed their brakes?

its easy and quick for disk brakes a little harder for drum
just pump your brakes a few times but dont push all the way to the floor, open the master cylinder then open the bleeders and watch for the bubbles to quit,,

repeat as needed

for drum brakes get a weight to push on the peddle while you open the bleeders,,

 

[Natural Citizen]

its easy and quick for disk brakes a little harder for drum
just pump your brakes a few times but dont push all the way to the floor, open the master cylinder then open the bleeders and watch for the bubbles to quit,,

repeat as needed

for drum brakes get a weight to push on the peddle while you open the bleeders,,

They're disk brakes all the way around.

I don't even have to take the wheels off. Just have to attach the tube to the bleeders.

The car has a clamshell hood, so once that's opened, the calipers are right there in front of my face. Rear calipers I just have to crawl under the car and they're right there, too.

If I did pump the brakes, I guess it makes sense to do it without the car running, then? That's how it extinguishes the vacuum, right? When the car isn't running and give it a few pumps before cracking them open?

 

[KissMy]

Gravity bleeding won't work if you have ABS brakes.

I pressure bleed using a air pressure regulator to pressurize the reservoir to 5psi & crack each bleeder one at a time starting at furthest from master cylinder.

 

[Moonglow]

The whole reason I'm gravity bleeding them is because I'm doing it by myself.

Why would I need a second person to gravity bleed?

If I had a second person I'd just do it the old fashioned way.

They are there to tell you should let them help.

 

[progressive hunter]

They're disk brakes all the way around.

I don't even have to take the wheels off. Just have to attach the tube to the bleeders.

The car has a clamshell hood, so once that's opened, the calipers are right there in front of my face. Rear calipers I just have to crawl under the car and they're right there, too.

If I did pump the brakes, I guess it makes sense to do it without the car running, then? That's how it extinguishes the vacuum, right? When the car isn't running and give it a few pumps before cracking them open?

correct,, just pump a few times but make sure the lid is off the master so it doesnt create a vacuum and the fluid flows easier,,

repeat as needed

I've done it hundreds of times,,

 

[Natural Citizen]

Gravity bleeding won't work if you have ABS brakes.

I pressure bleed using a air pressure regulator to pressurize the reservoir to 5psi & crack each bleeder one at a time starting at furthest from master cylinder.

Yeah. That's what they say.

As far as starting farthest away, on this car bleed order is RF/RR/LR/LF

 

[BasicHumanUnit]

I used to gravity bleed........then I started learning from Master Wong and I stopped bleeding that way.

 

[Dekster]

I was gonna just unscrew all four bleeders and let em all bleed at the same time while I kept an eye on the the master cylinder level but then I thought maybe air might get into the lines through the threads if they were all unscrewed at the same time while they were bleeding. It probably would.

So I'm just gonna do em one at a time.

If you are doing it alone, I suppose you could use a cinderblock on the brake pedal instead of another person. Anyway, when you are done, make sure your brakes are working before you build up any speed. My dad gave my neighborhood a fire hydrant sticking way up in the air with about a 45 degree bend doing it himself. He was lucky the thing didn't rupture.

 

[Rigby5]

Gravity bleeding can never work.
When you open the bleeders, air will come in, not out.

If you have no one to push the pedal, one way is an be done is to inject brake fluid at the wheel cylinder, and have it flush the air up to the reservoir.
Another way is to have a chamber with 2 clear acrylic lines, one to the bleeder and then one you suck on.
You can then see when the fluid is clear, clean, and no air.
But don't let the chamber fill up, as brake fluid is very toxic.
Another way is to put a weight, spring, or something to hold the pedal down under pressure.

 

[Muhammed]

I was gonna just install speed bleeders, but I'm gonna wait til next spring or summer maybe. Those things are expensive. Way over-priced, at least.

If there's any good time to procrastinate, it's when you brakes need fixed.~ quoted from a dead dude.

 

[strollingbones]

why just why? i am not going back to a wringer washer....why the hell would you gravity bleed your brakes...

(child abuse...pump damn it ....pump)

 

[sparky]

Anyone ever gravity bleed their brakes?

I watch my mechanic do it all the time Natural one

yeah it takes a while....

good excuse to knock a few back ~S~

 

[progressive hunter]

Gravity bleeding can never work.
When you open the bleeders, air will come in, not out.

If you have no one to push the pedal, one way is an be done is to inject brake fluid at the wheel cylinder, and have it flush the air up to the reservoir.
Another way is to have a chamber with 2 clear acrylic lines, one to the bleeder and then one you suck on.
You can then see when the fluid is clear, clean, and no air.
But don't let the chamber fill up, as brake fluid is very toxic.
Another way is to put a weight, spring, or something to hold the pedal down under pressure.

never say never,,,
I've done it hundreds of times..
check my comments for proper instructions,,

 

[Missourian]

Natural Citizen

I got this one man bleeder at AutoZone for $12 and imo this is the way to go.

I'll find a link to the directions if you are interest...I've only used it once...but the whole process took about 30 minutes by myself.

It's OEM Tools part #25036







Quick link...

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/OES-25036