Brake Bleeders
About Brake Bleeders
Proper maintenance of the brakes is one of the most important aspects of ensuring your car’s safety. You have to keep these fine and dandy to avoid accidents. And in this case, brake bleeders are what you need.
Often, due to small leakages, the air gets inside the brake line. This affects the working of the brake fluid, which results in squishy brakes. Worse, even when you floor the pedals, you will feel like there is not enough stopping power to the brakes. This, in turn, takes a toll on the stopping time and distance. What that means is, when you apply the brakes, the car will take longer to come to a stop. This is a serious safety hazard and can be dangerous on freeways when you are travelling at high speeds. Brake bleeding helps remove the air bubbles from the brake line without completely replacing the brake fluid.
A guide to brake bleeders
Air gets inside the brake line if you have a cut in the line or if something else causes any of the numerous connections in the systems to leak. If that happens, you have to bleed the breaks to get the air out of the line. The basic principle is to open the brake bleeder valve of the break line at the tire end and press down the brake pedal. Keep in mind that several different methods are used to bleed the brakes, and each of them needs different car tools . We know how troubleshooting can be a challenge, especially when you’re doing it for the first time. So, read on to discover the various methods and tools that you can use in your brake bleeding project.
Pump and hold brake bleeding
This is the crudest method for brake bleeding, as it uses the fundamental physics of the fluids. When you apply pressure to the brake fluid, the gas trapped inside the line escapes. For this to work, there need to be two people. One of them should press down the brake pedal, while the other must be close to the tyre. Also, there should be a small bottle half-filled with brake fluid at the tyre end. Start the brake bleeding process by loosening the brake bleeder screw by a quarter turn and connect a flexible and transparent hose to it. Dip the other end of the tube in brake fluid that’s inside the bottle. When the other person pushes the pedal, you will see bubbles coming out of the hose. Continue doing it until all the air is out.
Vacuum brake bleeder kit
This is a hand pump set-up which can be used anywhere. As it does not need electricity, you can carry it on a long road trip. Though built with corrosion-proof materials, it is not expensive. Not to mention, it lasts for years without any issue. To operate this kit, you need to create a vacuum using the air pump. This vacuum will pull the trapped air out of the line. It is also extremely versatile and works on all cars that have a 45mm brake fluid valve. Amongst the proofs that a vacuum brake bleeder is designed with portability in mind are its weightless construction and small size. Another variation of this brake bleeder comes with an electric vacuum pump.
Electric brake bleeders
These are more sophisticated brake bleeders. Although they are fast and easy to use, these are mostly used only by professional car mechanics. That’s because they are expensive. But even then, you will be able to find excellent and affordable brake bleeders for sale online. In all other brake bleeding methods, you have to ensure that the brake fluid reservoir is not empty constantly. Otherwise, air will enter the brake line and cause even more problems. An electric brake bleeder comes with a tank that holds the brake fluid. This tank will pump the fluid to the reservoir whenever it gets low. And if the brake bleeder tank is empty, it will automatically shut off. This means a completely hands-free operation. All you have to do is to connect all the hoses in their proper places, fill the tank with brake fluid, and switch it on.
Checking if the brake line is clear
When you’re done with the brake bleeding process, check if the brakes are working fine. Press the brake pedal, and if it is not soft as before, then you have done it correctly. After this, check what would have caused the air to get inside the line in the first place. Look for any breaks in the line or any loose connections in the system. If the cause of the problem persists, the bleeding you have done is to no avail. After a few hundred kilometres, you might run into the same problem again. Also, check if there is enough brake fluid in the reservoir.
Tips on how to buy Brake Bleeders
Brake bleeding is not rocket science. But it will take a bit of practice before you are able to do it well. The most common mistakes that can happen in the brake bleeding are the spilling of the brake fluid and wasting too much brake fluid than necessary. Thus, it is imperative to know how to choose the right brake bleeder. Check out the tips below to have an informed buying decision.
- Consider the budget – The price you pay for brake bleeders is for their ease of use. The most basic pump and hold varieties are cheap, whereas the electric ones that offer hands-free operation are quite expensive. Because brake bleeding is not something we do very often, going for the cheaper option is better for home users.
- Invest in something that will speed up the job – Brake bleeding can take a bit of time if you are using the basic tools. The better type of brake bleeder you have, less time you need to do the job. That’s why professional mechanics always go for electric bleeders despite their price. It lets them concentrate on other work as the air gets cleared out of the brake line.
- Choose the right one for a DIYer – The pump and hold brake bleeding method requires two people. If you don’t think you will be getting help when you bleed the brakes, then buy a vacuum brake bleeder. Choose one that comes with an electric motor to save you the effort of pumping the air out with your hands. This will also help you avoid spills to an extent.
- Consider the portability – Portability is an important thing to consider when you buy brake bleeders. When you are going for a long road trip, it is a good idea to keep a brake bleeding kit handy in your trunk. You won’t be able to store an electric brake bleeder kit there. And if you have a vacuum brake bleeder with an electric pump where you don’t have access to electric sockets, you are out of luck!
When you finally have brake bleeding tools, take good care of them to ensure their longevity. Clean them after every use, as brake fluids are extremely corrosive and very aggressive. Also, always wear good quality protective gloves while working with brake fluids. If you don’t have them yet, you can always find a pair here on Shops.ae, the best shopping search engine in the UAE. Also, don’t forget to check out all the other amazing products in the car supplies category. Some of the brands you can consider include Mityvac, Sealey, Ammco, Dorman, Repco, and more.
Question & Answer
What is a brake bleeder?
Brake bleeders are the tools that help you remove the air bubbles and sometimes, other contaminants that have gotten into the brake fluid. The advantage of brake bleeding is that you don’t have to replace the brake fluid. Even though you can do brake bleeding without any specialised tools, brake bleeding kits make the whole thing more manageable. Most brake bleeding kits are designed in such a way that enables a person to complete the task without any mess. And the great thing is, you can check out the best brake bleeder kits from top brands at amazing prices here on Shops.ae.
How to loosen brake bleeder screws?
If the screws are in normal condition, you should be able to loosen them with only a wrench. But they can be tight sometimes due to constant exposure to water and air. In those cases, you can try a few methods. First, clean the rust off the screws using a wire brush and some rust dissolving oils. Next, lightly tap the casing surrounding the screws. This can help remove some of the corrosion. If you cannot loosen the screws even after this, try a power tool like an air hammer as a last resort. But don’t go overboard as you can crack the aluminium casing.
Which brake bleeder is the best?
The answer depends on your needs. You can consider specialised brake bleeders that come with either electric or hand-operated pumps. If you live alone or love DIY stuff, then you should go for something that will help you get the work done by yourself. Want to get the best value for your money? Then choose a versatile brake bleeder that is designed to withstand the test of time. Most importantly, go for products made by some trusted brands to have peace of mind.
What is a brake bleeder wrench?
This is a specialised tool for brake bleeding. It comes in standard sizes similar to brake bleeder screws. Although you can use an ordinary wrench to loosen or tighten the screws, brake bleeder wrenches make the process much faster. Unlike adjustable wrenches, you don’t have to tighten and loosen their handles every time. You can pick the wrench that fits the model of the car and simply turn the screws in one go. If you have two or three varieties, you are good to work on any vehicle. But if you are a home user, you probably don’t need these.