Brake Bleeding

Suffering from brake fade may mean your brakes need brake bleeding. As almost every motor vehicle uses a hydraulic brake system sometimes leaks develop or the fluid simply gets old and the need arises to bleed the brakes.

We will guide you on the basics behind bleeding brakes and the common pitfalls and misconceptions.

First bleeding brakes requires minimal tools but some reasonable skills as if not performed properly you may end up with NO brakes and be involved in an accident so do not attempt brake bleeding unless you know what you are doing under motor vehicle.

Brake Fluid leaks or loss of brake fluid can mean simply that the brake pads need changing. Using a vehicle for 20-30000 miles will wear brake pads and of course the fluid level will fall. Fitting new brake pads will involve pushing back the caliper pistons and the fluid level will normally be restored. Caution needs to be exercised in case during the vehicle service the brake fluid reservoir has been topped up as pushing back the pistons will cause the fluid reservoir to overflow. Getting brake fluid on paintwork is not a good idea, it is caustic and will strip paint in seconds. If during the course of brake work including brake bleeding you manage to get brake fluid on paintwork clean it off immediately with soapy water.

Every 50,000 miles it is a good idea to flush and replace brake fluid. Take care to only use brake fluid from a sealed container and carefully check to be using the correct grade of brake fluid to avoid a system failure. After such a fluid change bleeding brakes is essential and the guidelines are as follows. After determining the correct grade of fluid purchase new fluid, get plenty as it is unwise to re-use brake fluids when brake bleeding as they are hygroscopic (means they absorb water) and will even absorb water through the wall of hoses and lines over the years until as much as 13% of your brake fluid could be WATER.

First keep all dust and dirt away from the fluid and tools you are using. Before breaking the seals to start bleeding brakes on any brake bleed nipples on brake calipers clean rust and debris away with a wire brush to avoid dirt and grit entering the brake system. Start with the brake caliper or wheel cylinder FARTHEST AWAY from the brake master cylinder first. Secondly after opening a bleed nipple place a clear plastic hose onto the nipple and place the loose end into a clean glass jar, have a buddy depress the brake pedal and hold it down as you close off the nipple. Then have your buddy release the pedal. It is vital to shut the bleed nipple before your buddy releases the brake pedal to avoid air being sucked into the system. Repeat the depress and release action several times until clear clean fluid passes into the glass jar, after every 3-4 depressions check the fluid level in the master cylinder and top it up every time again to avoid brake fluid entering the system. Repeat this process on all four wheels of the vehicle.

Make sure all bleed nipples are sealed off and master cylinder topped off one last time and clean all areas of your car where you may have touched paintwork due to the corrosive nature of brake fluid