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Apr 13, 2016 19:59:47 GMT
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Hi how do I bleed brakes on my own ? I have replaced both rear wheel cylinders on my vw polo mk2f gt coupe . I need another man as the brake pedal but not got one lol..
Am sure others have been in the same situation as me and got round it. Please help.
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gazz81
Part of things
Posts: 842
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Apr 13, 2016 20:27:32 GMT
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Without an easy bleed kit it's not easy. You can try cracking off both bleed nipples and letting gravity do it's course. What time does your postman come, can always try grabbing him on his rounds!!
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Apr 13, 2016 20:34:23 GMT
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I've done it two ways. The easiest is to buy or make a pressure bleeding kit. This gets rid of the need for someone to be pumping the pedal. I made a kit out of one of those pressurised garden sprayers, but the kits are available fairly cheaply.
The harder way: I was once stuck with nobody to help me bleed my clutch and no bleeding kit after I replaced the slave cylinder, so I used a broom to keep the pedal pressed by wedging it against the seat, then opened the bleed nipple with some clear plastic pipe attached that I got from an aquarium (the only shop around!), closed it when the fluid stopped coming out, then reset the broom... repeat until bled. I wouldn't fancy doing it four times on a braking system, but on a hydraulic clutch it wasn't too bad!
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Last Edit: Apr 13, 2016 20:35:24 GMT by BenzBoy
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Apr 13, 2016 21:19:58 GMT
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That's quite a good idea with broom may try it.Post man turns up at 10.30am but he always in a rush lol
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Apr 13, 2016 21:24:31 GMT
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You can get a one way bleed tube for a few quid. It has a simple valve on the end. attach to bleed nipple, place end in receptacle crack nipple slightly open and pump the pedal until nice clear air free fluid comes out.
Better still buy a Gunson eezi bleed less than 20 quid and uses 20psi from a tyre to pressure bleed really good fast method. Bleed the wheel furthest from the master cylinder first.
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Needs a bigger hammer mate.......
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,266
Club RR Member Number: 170
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Apr 13, 2016 22:30:03 GMT
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What duggers said. The trick is in having no more than 20PSI in the tyre and using PTFE tape if the seals leak but recently I have been fine there.
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If the master cylinder is old I wouldn't bleed the brakes using the pedal anyway as you're likely to push the piston in the cylinder past it's "normal" travel and damage the seals on the lip at the end of the bore. Gunson easy bleed or a vacuum system is the way to go. Only issue I've had with an easy bleed was it revealed a slightly perished hose (which wasn't expecting 20psi inside it) from the shared fluid reservoir to the clutch master cylinder in spectacular fashion, spraying brake fluid all over the engine bay. But I guess it needed doing anyway
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If the master cylinder is old I wouldn't bleed the brakes using the pedal anyway as you're likely to push the piston in the cylinder past it's "normal" travel and damage the seals on the lip at the end of the bore. Gunson easy bleed or a vacuum system is the way to go. 100% Absolutely this. I've probably "pump bled" ten cars and half of them have ended up needing a new master cylinder. The ones that did were always the old ones. I looked inside the master cylinder on one and outside the normal stroke the bore was grubby and pitted from moisture in the fluid. Definitely just buy or borrow an easibleed.
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G4vBr
Part of things
Posts: 200
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I've bled my brakes on my own using a length of timber from a pallet. You need to depress the pedal with the end of the length of timber and then you can work out how long it needs to be. Mark about an inch beyond the rim of the steering wheel and cut to length, then cut a notch out on the steering wheel end to tuck under the rim. Technique is the same as described by BenzBoy with the broom.
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If the master cylinder is old I wouldn't bleed the brakes using the pedal anyway as you're likely to push the piston in the cylinder past it's "normal" travel and damage the seals on the lip at the end of the bore. Gunson easy bleed or a vacuum system is the way to go. 100% Absolutely this. I've probably "pump bled" ten cars and half of them have ended up needing a new master cylinder. The ones that did were always the old ones. I looked inside the master cylinder on one and outside the normal stroke the bore was grubby and pitted from moisture in the fluid. Definitely just buy or borrow an easibleed. I was going to place some wood behind the brake pedal so it would not push all the way to the floor , so stopping past the normal travel..
Thank you all for your help and advice.
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barty
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,088
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Apr 14, 2016 14:03:46 GMT
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is there not someone local to you from this forum who could help ?
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gavs1
Part of things
Posts: 571
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Apr 14, 2016 17:00:27 GMT
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Crack of 1 nipple at a time piece of clear pipe that fits snug on the nipple and watch the air leave tighten up next nipple, done it that way for years never had an issue
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BT
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,772
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Apr 14, 2016 17:23:56 GMT
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I use a super long bit of silicone hose, put one end on the nipple and the other end into the reservoir. I pump the pedal like a lunatic until I see no more bubbles. Put a brick on the pedal and tighten up the nipple, lift the hose up and pour it all into the reseviour.
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Apr 15, 2016 17:53:14 GMT
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Thanks all for your help and advice , I have brought a vizibleed kit for one man brake bleeding so when weather picks up I shall try it out..
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I've always done them on my own and without any tools such as the Gunson one.
When I had my first car my elderly neighbour told me he had always followed what it said in the manual he had from a Reliant Regal, its never let me down.
Free nipple & add pipe to jar or bowl as usual. Top up reservoir & leave lid off. Loosen nipple maybe 1/4 turn Long slow pedal press to floor or close to it. slow pedal release. Short pedal press, approx. 1/3rd travel and release, do this 3 times, doesn't need to be slowly. Repeat 1 long and 3 short pedal pushes until fresh fluid is coming from the nipple, if its on the other side of the car just go and have a look occasionally and of course keep the reservoir topped up. Tighten nipple. Repeat for other wheels.
This has always worked for me, cars such as Beetle, Carlton, Golf, Scimitar, Robin etc etc.
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Siert
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,105
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Apr 17, 2016 18:44:44 GMT
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I bought a one-man bleeding kit many years ago but it was such a simple design that at some point when it got dirty I just threw it away and decided to make a new one when I'd need it. Did that just a month ago, and worked fine.
Its the simple hose in jar, but with an improvised one way valve. Plug the end of the hose which goes into the jar (with a bolt or something similar). With a sharp knife make a little cut in the hose near the plug (about an inch long, in the direction of the length of the hose). It will act as a one-way valve, the pressure of the brake fluid will squeeze out through the cut, but without pressure it will close. It's always worked for me, and I've never used any sticks to press the brake pedal, and in the beginning of the process when there's no pressure I don't use the full travel of the brake pedal (to avoid going too far and breaking the master cylinder).
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hario
Part of things
S202 C300STD
Posts: 421
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Apr 20, 2016 11:52:17 GMT
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I do the old pressurise the reservoir trick. I don't have the kit any more as I munst have thrown it away so I'm going to drill the reservoir cap for a 1/4" fittings and pressurise it (somehow)..
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*S202 C300TD Wagon* Installed: OM606 & 722.6, Evo6 IC, S600AMG callipers & 345mm rotors. No catz. Leatherish seats.. Rust.. Future: DIY manifolds & turbo compound build. Built IP, & some kind of software. Less rust..
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bortaf
Posted a lot
Posts: 4,549
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Apr 20, 2016 14:11:34 GMT
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easybleed for me too, i must have like 7 or 8 of the dam things (allways hide when i need them !!) lol had qway too many old masters pop when bleeding by the foot method. NOTE.... drop the tyre pressure to 20 or less DO NOT and i meen DO NOT!! use a transit wheel/tyre at 50 PSi !!! you have been warned P.S if you do use 50 PSi the jet of brake fluid will leave the supply bottle and will clear a 2 lane road (probably) as mine did hitting the wifes bonnet, door and wing (mucho panic ensued)
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R.I.P photobucket
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Apr 20, 2016 14:32:22 GMT
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One thing to note is a GT has a brake bias valve. If you try to bleed the rear brakes with the car on stands and the axle dropped down, no fluid will come through. You can either bleed it with the wheels on the ground, or better still wedge the valve open with a block of wood, it's on the passengers side below the rear quarter panel.
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1966 MK1 Cortina 1971 Hillman Super Imp 1985 Volvo 360 GLEi 1986 Volvo 340 1.7 1990 Mercedes 190e 2.0 1993 Peugeot 205 STDT
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Apr 20, 2016 20:17:07 GMT
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If I don't use an eezibleed, I get the mrs to operate the pedal while I am at the caliper end
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