bleeding your brakes by yourself

1. purchase  all  parts needed (caliper kit,vinyl hose, new dot 3/4 brake fluid) .

2. Jackup the right rear of the pickup.

3. Remove the  wheel(if not off already).

4. After bleeding present fulid/repairing caliper or whatever you were doing replace system and connect brake lines.

4. Remove the Master cylinder cap(if not off already), clean the cylinder and wrap mouth with car towel.

5. Fill with new new fluid to max level

6. Make your bottle waste fluid collection system:

•  Drill a hole in the cap  large enough for the clear vinyl tubing to pass through
• Nip tubing to  to 1 Foot or more extending from the cap out to the bleed nipple of your caliper.
• ensure there is length of tubing to reach the bottom of the bottle
•  tie-wrap/tape/silicone on the end of tubing inside the cap, it prevents the tubing from falling out.
• Screw cap on (optionally;punch a little breather hole in the cap if you use silicone). 
• use a hook or safety wire strong enough to hang your bottle.

6. Attach your vinyl hose to the nipple,3/16" IN INNER DIAMETER, ensure that no air can get into this connection. 

7. Fill bottle to 1/3 with brake fluid or water 

8.Run the hose UPWARD and/or lift the bottle above the bleeder. 1/4 to 1/2 turn the bleeder to allow fluid to flow up the vinyl tubing.

• Explanation : Initially, as the bleeder is opened;brake fluid/air under pressure will surge up the tube resting at some level.Air is lighter and is compressed more readily and will race to the surface of the fluid quickly. this air in the tube builds and eventually bubbles out into the bottle. If the bottle is sealed the air trapped in the bottle then forces against the fluid allowing the trapped air to move faster toward lower pressures in the bottle and the brake pedal a slowly cycled.

9. cycle the brake pedal 20 - 30 times ensuring that the master cylinder fluid level is high as we do not want air entering from the cylinder reservoir. 

10. observe the vinyl tube for air bubbles,even small ones, pump until no air is present in the hose.

11. In general,The sequence to bleed  brakes is, as per the service manual, or as follows:

Right Rear, Left Front, Left Rear, Right Front. 

12. When all 4 brakes are done, the car has been bled.tighten bleed nipples after each completed end before removing tubing. 

13.  put back wheels and slowly test for rigidity in the brake pedal. When desired pressure is obtained test at higher speeds. 

Another alternative to save on brake fluid especially if the 4x4 has been topped up with new brake fluid is to buy 13 feet of clear vinyl tubing and connect one end to the bleeder and the other to the master cylinder reservoir. 

this creates a continuous loop while moving air up to and out of the master cylinder reservoir

Please note: This works on most off-roaders,notice that  fluid  cycles up/ down, but fluid always remains in the bleed tubing. More fluid is always coming out on the brake pedal down stroke vs. sucking back into the caliper on  brake pedal release; hence tubing and  fluid bottle must remain higher than the caliper bleed screw. The majority of fluid is replaced by the fluid held in the reservoir.If this does not take place than this method may not be suitable for your off-roader.


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