Thread: El-Cheapo One Man Pressure Brake Bleeding Kit!

Originally Posted by Series3 GT

Is there a simple way to bleed the brakes or do I have to do a complicated process that takes a while and is frustrating.

I've never found it complicated but you do need a helper.
Having said that it is more difficult/time consuming if the system has been overhauled and is completely empty of fluid.

First the brakes need to be properly adjusted and the brake reservoir topped up.

All you need is a clear tube that fits over the bleed nipple on the wheel cylinders and a glass jar.
Put the tube over the nipple (you may need to put the spanner on first if you are using a ring spanner), run the tube down to the glass jar on the ground (the tube needs to go to the bottom of the jar).
Get your helper to sit in the car and explain in advance what they have to do.

You need to open the bleed nipple and then they have to slowly press the brake pedal down, I shout 'pump' and son knows to slowly press the pedal to the floor, lift and press again.

You should get fluid traveling down the clear pipe and you will be able to see any bubbles coming out of the system (if you open the bleed nipple too far you can get air getting in via the thread). When you are happy that clean, bubble free fluid is coming through you need to get the helper to press the pedal to the floor and stop there while you tighten the bleed nipple. I shout 'stop" and watch the fluid flow through the pipe to determine when to tighten the nipple.
As the level of fluid builds in the jar the tube end being kept under the fluid means that when the helper lifts their foot of the pedal only fluid is drawn back into the system and not air. The 'one-man' bleeders have a non-return valve in to effectively do the same thing.

Then top up the reservoir, move to the next wheel and repeat.

On an empty system after a rebuild I start at the rear wheels (furthest away from the master cylinder) then the front and re-do each wheel several times until I'm happy that no air bubbles are coming out.


Sometimes air bubbles get trapped in part of the system and are very difficult to get out. There are several ways to deal with this but it can get a bit messy and you need some water handy to deal with the brake fluid on your nicely painted backplate, axle, wheel rim etc.

If the system is still spongy after bleeding you can try......

Getting the helper to pump the pedal several times with the nipples closed to pressurise the system, they keep their foot pressed hard on the pedal and you crack open the nipple (wear safety glasses !).
The other is you open the nipple and the helper stamps very, very hard on the pedal (again, wear safety glasses).

Both these methods can get trapped air bubbles out of the system. My Father-in-law helped me bleed my Series 1 this way and it all came good. Mind you there is some paint on the backplates that bubbled a bit......





Colin

Originally Posted by tonic

Geoden, that is a great invention. Not having your ability I bought the following. SWMBO would never help me either, I could not put up with the "are you finished yet, I have things to do"

Got one of these as well, and I am a big fan of this one. I have a half assed pressure bleeding setup that I made years ago, and I have also used a large syringe, but I bought this in desperation trying to get my clutch bled on the Classic - worked in 60 seconds! Also done the brakes on the L322 and the clutch on the Daughters car since - all really easily.

Originally Posted by Series3 GT

Do any of these inventions really work. Because if they do my old IIA has no brakes. The only brakes I have are after 3 pumps of the pedal and you get some brakes. We've bled the brakes the conventional way and we've checked for leaks and we've re-done all the brake cylinders and rubbers and adjusted the snail cams. So is there a special way to bleed series brakes because it can be a bit scary without them.

just read this earlier post....

After bleeding, try clamping off each flexible hose to isolate each front brake & the rear brakes and see if the problem is fixed. This may then highlight the problem area.
On my Series 1 we clamped all hoses and got a firm pedal then released the fronts one at a time, still OK released the rear and problem came back.
We ended up making an adjuster for the trailing shoes (none on the S1) and the problem was resolved.

If it takes several pumps to get the brakes working it sounds like the slave cylinders have to move some distance before the shoes start to grip the drum. You mentioned adjusting the snail cams, did you adjust till the shoes contacted the drums and then back off 1 notch ? If so then are the slave cylinders retracting further because the boots are tight ?


Colin

A bit scary. Did you use cushioning with rubber or something?

Hi

you can buy a proper set of brake line clamps. they are made out of plastic.

Ive got a vacum type bleeder, hook it up to the compressor, attach it to the bleed nipple and pull the trigger, easy as pie!. has worked on brakes,clutch power steering cars boats bikes truck. cost 90 dollars from repco a few years ago, can even run it off my under bonnet arb compressor easily with no air tank

Colin, that technique allowed me to zero in on the off-side front brake whe I found the lwr union leaking (not done up-the Klutz King strikes again!) and a non-functioning snail adjuster.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by geodon

A bit scary. Did you use cushioning with rubber or something?

If you're careful you can use locking pliers (Vise Grips). I've seen the proper brake pipe clamps but have never seen the need to buy them.

Colin