Anyone use those new speed bleeders for brake bleeding? I just replaced everything in my brake system and am looking for an easy way to bleed by myself. Also, i am reusing my master cylinder, do i need to bench bleed it again.

Never used the "speed bleeders". If I'm solo I'll use a hand vacuum pump and the "one man" jar with hose rig. Better yet I get the wife out in the garage for some serious "stairmaster" replacement exercise! ;)

I'd bench bleed your master anyway. It wouldn't hurt, and you could cycle fresh clean fluid through it as well.

I've ONLY used speed bleeders. They are the best way to go. But definitely bench bleed your MC! That will save many a headache. I think the speed bleeders are ingenious. It takes me 10 minutes to bleed my brakes with them. They are great!

I second the Speed Bleeders graemlins/thumbsup.gif They are great.

I just open the bleeder valves and let gravity do the rest. Go make a pot of coffee, relax, smoke a cigar, and keep the master cylinder topped off.

Occasionally I've had to use the mity-vac, but usually gravity works very well.

I ordered some speed bleeders several years ago, but got the wrong ones and had to return them. That's when someone told me about gravity bleeding. This topic makes me want to go run some fresh fluid through there today. Not a bad idea.

How do the speed bleeders work? How do you go about bleeding with them?

Originally posted by MrAbody:
How do the speed bleeders work? How do you go about bleeding with them? Read about them here: (same for cars as bikes)

http://www.russellperformance.com/motorcycle/hd/speed_bleeders.html

Check out Russell's site for your application. My dad's an engineer and he thought they were great. He only wished someone had come up with them sooner. ;)

I've used them, they work great!

Vacuum bleeding works ok but you can never tell if it is air coming from the line or around the bleeder valve and the hose connected to it. If all else fails go with the gravity bleeding, the no fail sure fire method.

I have a set of speed bleeders I keep in my box for stubborn air. I mostly gravity bleed. That method uses less fluid and it's too easy.

I just used them this past week for the first time. I would rather do the two man job or use a vacum pump. The threads leak and this is a passage for air to get sucked in when you let the pedal up. I ended up using them as regular bleeders and had my dad pump while I cracked them open. I don't think they are worth the money.

OK, I have just completed bleeding the brakes. I have DOT 5 fluid and "speed bleeders" at all 4 corners. I do not feel extremely confident that the brakes are completely bled. Tell me about this gravity bleeding. Do you open one bleeder at a time, and simply wait till the fluid comes out ? Then close the bleeder and move on to the next wheel ? :confused:

Sorry, don't mean to hijack this post with my own questions. smile.gif

Thanks,

Kent
'68 Malibu ZZ502/502 :D
ACES #5102 graemlins/thumbsup.gif

I gravity bleed one wheel at a time. Rear right, rear left, front right, front left.

Open the bleeder and let the fluid flow through the system until you're confident that you've flowed out at least the volume of your brake line from the MC to that wheel cylinder/caliper. Keep it topped off as it's dripping.

Sometimes I've had to completely remove the bleeder valve to get it to go faster on the rears. As long as you see the fluid level dropping, however slowly, the lines are bleeding.

The way I was taught (regardless of method or "neato-parts") was to do the longest line/run first. When complete, go around the vehicle again and do a quick "one-shot" double check.