so today we're flushing the brake system, and upgrading to speedbleeders. speedbleeders are a great little part that replace your factory bleeder screws, and have the added benefit of having a spring-loaded check valve. thats right! you open the bleeder, and pump the pedal as many times as you like, no need to close in between! this is also a good opportunity to rotate tires, and grease the tie rod ends and ball-joints (if yours have grease fittings that is,) and to inspect the brakes and brake hoses/lines, and change the oil at the same time. we're flushing the brake fluid because over time, it will absorb water and reduce the boiling point of the fluid, which will create brake fade and an overabundance of water in the brake fluid can cause shortened lifespan of the braking hydraulic system components.
first: a list of tools:
you will need a deep 8, 10, and 11mm sockets, all 1/4" drive.
you will also need (if you have factory lugs) a shallow 19mm socket and a breaker bar.
i find that tire irons are not properly sized for the job, and have the rounded lugs to show it.
small hose, and a catchcan
a list of parts: #12702 (front) and #12705 (rear), dorman speed bleeders. they come in pairs, so you only need one package of each. advance stocks the front, but i'm pretty sure i got the last in the company of the rears, so go find your own
2 (two) quarts of a decent quality brake fluid. now don't get scared away by the word "synthetic" on the bottle. DOT 3 brake fluid has been synthetic since it was first produced many many many moons ago. read the back of the bottles and see which one available at your local store has the highest DRY boiling point, as it's usually a good indicator of the quality of the fluid. from what i understand, MOTORCRAFT brake fluid is about the highest quality fluid available, unfortunatelly, no one near me carried it. moving on
step 1: find your tires.
step 2, starting at the passenger rear, loosen the wheel, then jack up the car and remove the wheel. there will be plastic wheel nut covers (for those of us with factory dubcaps).
remove these, and the nuts will be under them.
a neat way to keep from losing your nut caps is to rethread them back onto the nut, and then replace them in the hubcap ontop of the wheel when the whole shebang is off.
now, you will see this:
on the backside, is the bleeder screw. it has a little rubber cap on it.
the rear two are 8 mm, and if you take your time, and are gentle with them, will come out without issue.
once the old screw is out, make sure the new bleeder has anti-seize on it (seems dorman thought ahead on this one and preapplied it
)
thread it in with your fingers as to assure it doesn't crossthread, and then tighten it down all the way till you feel it bottom out.
now open the bleeder 1/2 turn, and attach the hose, and put the other end in the catch can.
go open the fluid reservoir, and make sure it is full.
then go sit in the driver's seat, and pump the brake pedal.
(it's the one in the middle guys)
keep an eye on the master cylinder, and refill as necessary. the first few pumps will come out like this:
yes, that was my original 135,xxx mile brake fluid. once the fluid coming out starts to look like this
you're good, can close the bleeder, and move on to the next wheel. remember the order RR, LR, RF, LF. under no circumstances allow the master to get below this point:
as you can introduce air into the system and will have to start ALL over again.
once you're done with the rears, the fronts are even easier: they bleed themselves really. if you open the screw, gravity pulls the fluid down from the master and out the bleeder screws.
factory front bleeders are 10mm, the speed bleeders are 11mm.
one more tip for those of us with them ballin dubcaps yo:
put the nuts that flank the valve stem on first, and you won't have to hold the damned hubcap on while trying to get a couple threads on a stud. it'll just pop right on.
always remember to anti-sieze your lugnuts before torquing them.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Thursday, April 15, 2010 3:33 PM
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the ones on my calipers were more round than hex shaped due to rust. they still came out just fine. it's called taking your time, using the PROPER tools, and knowing what to do should an issue arise.
