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Brake Speed Bleeder vs Power Bleeder

4K views 9 replies 9 participants last post by  Mustang5L5 
#1 ·
I am replacing all four calipers on my 2003 GT. Looking for a better way to bleed brakes as I do not always have a second person around to help with the bleeding process. Please let me know which bleeder type works best for you and what brand. Thanks!
 
#2 ·
I tried Speed Bleeders on my CTS-V and did not have good luck - I had to put way more torque on them than I was comfortable doing in order for them not to leak. (And yes, I verified I had the proper fitment.) So, I went back to what I've been using for years - a little plastic check valve thing that I got at NAPA. Works great, but is admittedly not very durable, so I've been through a few of them. I can't find the one I use on their website right now, but in the past I've found them in the store on one of the rotating displays of assorted small tools.

I've read of folks using check valves they get at McMaster Carr - maybe these High-Cycling Check Valves with Barbed Fittings? Here's a thread with some part suggestions - https://www.tundrasolutions.com/threads/homemade-brake-bleeding-kit.141218/.

I've also got a couple metal ones like this that I bought a while back. You'll find similar looking things marketed by various vendors on Amazon or Ebay or whatever, so I bought a couple just to see what they were and how well they worked. I had mixed luck. It seemed like their "lift pressure" was higher than the little plastic check valve, to the point that I couldn't get one of the metal ones to work on my rear brakes. (Worked OK on the front, but when I went to the rear I guess the prop valve didn't send as much pressure to the rear?)

I have a Motive Power Bleeder but I think it's more trouble than it's worth. In particular, when you're done, I don't understand how you disconnect the thing from the master cylinder without spilling excess brake fluid that's left in the hose.
 
#4 ·
I have a vacuum bleeder that hooks up to shop air. I still like to go behind it, and bleed brakes the old fashioned way. The vacuum bleeder was mainly bought exchanging brake fluid, and works good for that. We do a lot of brake line replacements, especially on GM trucks. If you start out with a system that does not have any fluid in the lines, the vacuum bleeder in a lot of cases is to weak to draw the fluid to the bleeder.

If you are just doing your calipers, I would start out by letting it gravity bleed. Take the cap off the master cylinder and crack a bleeder and leave it open til some fluid comes out. Repeat the process on the other 3. Then put the cap on the master cylinder. You can jam something against the seat and the brake pedal and crack a bleeder. It will be a slow process but you can do it by yourself that way. A hood prop rod works good for this. https://www.amazon.com/Lisle-45900-...argid=aud-801381245258:pla-437186870118&psc=1
 
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#6 ·
i've been running the Speed Bleeder SB1010S for 3 years now and best thing i bought

that and motec brake fluid from maximum
 
#7 ·
I've never tried speed bleeders but do have a one man bleed hose that basically has a check valve in the end and I never really had luck with it plus not 100% sure it wasn't sucking air back in when releasing the pedal. I also have a vacuum bleeder that always worked well but requires shop air in order to work. A couple years ago I bought a Motive pressure bleeder & couldn't be happier with it. I still use the vacuum bleeder if I'm doing a car I don't have a cap adapter for but I use it on everything else that comes thru the shop & love it. If you're not regularly doing brake jobs where you have a need for a bleeder it can definitely be done for less. I didn't see it mentioned but a Mityvac hand vacuum pump works pretty good for bleeding brakes by yourself also.
 
#8 ·
I have speed bleeders on my fox with cobra brakes.
They seem to work just fine for me.
I've only bled them a few times since they were installed, but it did make the process much easier. Just crack them open and start pumping away on the pedal.
 
#9 ·
Have had the same speed bleeders on the back for 13 years and the same ones on the front for 10 years. Front are newer because I went to a different caliper.
 
#10 ·
I've tried the speed bleeders, and the motive power bleeder. I ended up going back to the 2-man method, but only performing it with one man.

The motive power bleeder was good at exchanging fluid, but i ran into issues using it if i replaced a caliper and it was dry inside. I found it wouldn't get all the air out.

My 2-man/1-man method is pretty simple. I get a small hose attach it to the bleeder and stick the end in the bottle. I crack the bleeder, then go into the drivers seat and pump the pedal 5-8 times making sure i don't run the resevior dry. I top off as needed, and do this 3-4 times until i see clear fluid coming out. Then i get out and close the bleeder and move to the next wheel.

I used to have someone open and close the bleeder between pumps, but stopped doing that when i noticed i was still getting effective bleeds just leaving it open.

I do my daily driver's yearly like this, as well as my Mustang which i've performed many brake bleeds due to swapping MC's and calipers and such. I've probably done this method two dozen times at least and have never had an issue with air in the lines.

The last few times i've used the motive bleeder, i ended up disconnecting it and going with the above method. Too slow.
 
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