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Old 02-14-2013, 12:44 AM   #1
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 41
Default Speed bleeder valves

Has anyone used speed bleeder valves? I have done brake work on several autos and scooters and the thing I hate most (besides drum brakes) is trying to bleed brakes.

My current vehicle has been having continuous brake problems. I have paid 3 shops to fix the brakes (the first never did anything except tear things apart and let it sit for 3 months, I had to have it towed elsewhere and pay them to put my differential back together and finish the brake job long story..) and the brakes are still not safe.

I have a Dana 60 full floating rear axle fully rebuilt last year (including drum brakes) that I have decided to convert to disc brakes. I have almost all the parts now to do it, waiting on 3 more deliveries for parts and a run to Oreilly and/or auto zone for the banjo bolts and some other items.

One part I suspect as being bad now in the old system is the proportioning/combination valve so that helped encourage me to go ahead and change to disc brakes since i was having to shell out for that part. I have a disc/disc one on it's way to me. It could also be the master cyl or booster but I'll try those last. The MC is pretty new and is the most expensive, heavy duty one you can get for this van. Pretty much every other part of the brake system has been replaced already in the last year short of most of the steel lines. The ones on the rear axle were replaced with newer junk yard ones I got as the original ones were leaking at the cylinders.

Anyhow... my first thought was to get the pneumatic brake bleeder from Harbor Freight for about $25 with a 20% off coupon. But then I realized the filler bottle won't work with the master cylinder the van has. It hides under the frame of the van around the hood opening. I would have to manually fill it with a hose and funnel as I have done in the past when I replaced the front calipers when I suspected them as being bad. The brake bleeder would bleed so quickly, I wouldn't be able to bleed it without risk of running the MC dry.

It finally occurred to me that speed bleeders (about $6/each with tax) may be my best solution. They may be slower, but they are more sure fire and since you have to manually press the brake to bleed, it's easier not to empty the MC. I wanted a friend to help me but he can't drive due to medical problems and since my car went kaput a couple weeks ago, the van is the only automobile I have now. I have a 125cc scooter (will go in a trailer behind my van when I begin to full time in the net few months) but it would be awfully slow going doubled up on, even if it was designed to carry a passenger. Plus I don't want to be liable in the event of a crash if he gets hurt (even though i do have guest passenger liability insurance on the bike).

So.. I need an easy and effective way to bleed the brakes without messing around trying to make a brake bleeder jar and with traditional brake bleeder valves. I'm also sick of paying shops around here to do incompetent brake work.
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