Disc brake bleeding

[heinz wittenbecher]

Emery,
be sure that caliper is positioned so that inlet and bleed is in line
straight vertical. That'll line up all the holes. Once I did that it went
ok. (May mean removing the caliper and bleeding while positioned that way).

Also... be sure no air is getting back in via the bleed screw. I used teflon
tape. I used the Phoenix in vaccum mode at the caliper end.

Heinz

- -----Original Message-----
From: EMERYSTORA
To: gmcmotorhome
Date: Thursday, April 29, 1999 1:48 PM
Subject: GMC: Disc brake bleeding

>I am now on my second full day of trying to get the brakes bled properly.
I
>just took a computer break to read messages and will go back out in about
30
>minutes. Any and all suggestions are welcome. I have tried gravity
>bleeding, vacuum bleeding, reverse pressure bleeding with a Phoenix
bleeder.
>Still don't have good pedal. I got some more air out on the last vacuum
>bleed attempt but I've still got to try the other side before trying the
>brake pedal.
>
>Frustrated in Santa Fe
>Emery Stora
>77 Kingsley
>
>
>
>
>

 

[bdub]

Did you try Terry's method?....

May I suggest a large pumper oil can (the type used by the engineer on the
old steam engines) filled with brake fluid.Slide one end of a piece of
plastic tubing over the outlet. The other end goes over the bleeder at the
wheel. Now pump the brake fluid into the system until it comes up at the
master cylinder. Works great. Wish I could claim this as my invention, but
they have been using this technique on small aircraft sense I was a
whipper-snapper. What ever you do don't let the can run dry. It pumps air
just as easy as brake fluid. and you have to start over.

Terry Skinner
Webfooted in Washington
'76 Glenbrook
- -----------------------------------------------------------

I didn't look at the Phoenix system but it might be the same thing. Wish I
could do more.

Good Luck to ya Emery

bdub

>I am now on my second full day of trying to get the brakes bled properly. I
>just took a computer break to read messages and will go back out in about 30
>minutes. Any and all suggestions are welcome. I have tried gravity
>bleeding, vacuum bleeding, reverse pressure bleeding with a Phoenix bleeder.
>Still don't have good pedal. I got some more air out on the last vacuum
>bleed attempt but I've still got to try the other side before trying the
>brake pedal.
>
>Frustrated in Santa Fe
>Emery Stora
>77 Kingsley
>
>
>
>
>

 

[patrick flowers]

>
> I am now on my second full day of trying to get the brakes bled properly. I
> just took a computer break to read messages and will go back out in about 30
> minutes. Any and all suggestions are welcome. I have tried gravity
> bleeding, vacuum bleeding, reverse pressure bleeding with a Phoenix bleeder.
> Still don't have good pedal. I got some more air out on the last vacuum
> bleed attempt but I've still got to try the other side before trying the
> brake pedal.

Emery,

Been there, done that friend. Now you know why I christened it the TSM
Shuffle. Don't mess with vacuum bleeding - there's no way to be sure
that air is not being pulled by the bleeder. I tried teflon tape to
seal the bleeders and that was a big mistake - spent about 10 minutes at
each wheel with brake fluid dripping out picking teflon shreads out with
forceps. Try to get your hands on a pressure bleeder. I was at my
father's the other night and he had a mechanic putting on the brake
parts I gave him when I decided to go with discs. He bled the whole
system in less than 30 minutes with a pressure bleeder. This would be
great item for a local club to invest in. Didn't look like it would be
too tough to build one. Just a pressure tank with brake fluid in it and
a cap that fits over the resevoir. It forces fluid into the resevoir
while you bleed the brakes.

Like Heinz said, be sure the calipers are upright(bleeders on top).

Good luck!
Patrick
- --
Patrick Flowers
Mailtoatrick

The GMC Motorhome Page
http://www.gmcmotorhome.com

 

[scott shean]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-gmcmotorhome
> [mailtowner-gmcmotorhome]On Behalf Of
> EMERYSTORA
> Sent: Thursday, April 29, 1999 3:39 PM
> To: gmcmotorhome
> Subject: GMC: Disc brake bleeding
>
>
> I am now on my second full day of trying to get the brakes bled
> properly. I
> just took a computer break to read messages and will go back out
> in about 30
> minutes. Any and all suggestions are welcome. I have tried gravity
> bleeding, vacuum bleeding, reverse pressure bleeding with a
> Phoenix bleeder.
> Still don't have good pedal. I got some more air out on the last vacuum
> bleed attempt but I've still got to try the other side before trying the
> brake pedal.
>
> Frustrated in Santa Fe
> Emery Stora
> 77 Kingsley

Emory, I usually have a Professional perform my brake maintenance, but
recently, my master cylinder failed in my driveway. As a result, I was
forced to replace it on my own. While I had the system apart, I also
replaced the rear brake hoses, which were still original. Since the two
procedures opened the braking system on both "ends", it was necessary to
purge the entire system. This "bleeding" process took at least an hour. My
wife provided the "brute" force to apply the brakes (without engine power)
to purge the air from the system. I used a brake bleeding tool that
included a small bottle and a short hose that attached to the "bleeder
valve" at each wheel. This was my first attempt at bleeding brakes, so if
you have done this before, you will surely improve on my time. Also, there
are likely better tools for the job.

The GMC Maintenance Manual describes the bleeding sequence as starting from
the "furthest" brake to the "closest" brake. For me, this meant the right
rear-rear, right rear-front, left rear-rear, left rear-front, right front,
and left front. Despite my reluctance to do "brake" work. my brakes are now
working very well.

Scott Shean
78 Royale
Baton Rouge, LA

 

[john dolan]

First... you did real well Scott. "at least an hour...", I've heard
stories of a lot longer than that around here. I've bled brakes before,
but after hearing the stories told here, by otherwise brilliant and
nimble fingered GMCers, I had just about decided to do all the brake work
myself and then strike a deal with someone with access to some truck/bus
bleeding equipment who does this routinely, to stop by my driveway some
night on his way home, and make himself some fast (maybe even legal)
cash, right there in my driveway.

Anyone see anything in Scott's technique that we can adopt? Maybe the
name and manufacturer of the bleeder you used Scott. Could it be that
little, if any, air was introduced into the *rest* of the system since
you replace the rear-rear hoses?

- --
"I do whatever my Rice Krispies tell me to..." John said from inside a
1974 Glacier

 

[john dolan]

Maybe we are not pushing as hard as your wife was, on the engine-off
pedal? You don't have a reserve vacuum tank, right Scott?
- --
"I do whatever my Rice Krispies tell me to..." John said.