changing brake fuild

scott2001

scott2001

Its never fast enough
Joined
Oct 18, 2008
Messages
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not ever done this completely what would be the best way to completly change the brake fuild in my truck, just the old fashion way of brakeing all the lines loose and keeing dumping new fuild in. Is there any real benifits of doing this. heard over time old brake fuild could cause damage to the abs sensors.
 
Brake fluid should be changed (flushed) at least 50-100k or every 4 years minimum...IMHO. Most of what we run is DOT 3 and it absorbs water, an emulsifier. Over time the system will absorb water and trash (worn rubber parts and more) into the system. Your brakes make A LOT OF HEAT and the boil point is lowered with trash in the system. You'll have gum after a while, sometimes you'll have a lot and other times nothing at all.

.......Don't think for a minute that "Gravity" will bleed the system without causing an air bubble to form. Use a pump or make a line extension (clear rubber hose) into a container with enough brake fluid in it to submerge the hose. Keep the line under at all times. You can use the pedal as a pump but it takes two folks. Pressure ON (foot on pedal) and open the valve, close it before pressure drops below 25%. Repeat this until all the air is out of the clear line. Once the bleeder if full, pump away. You'll see the fluid go from dark to clear. Oh yeah, ya better have 2-3 quarts of *new* (never opened) fluid. You'll need to fill the resevoir ONLY when it gets close to the bottom but BEFORE it has a chance to pull air in.

I know, I stink at explaining things. Maybe someone can clean this up a bit?
 
if you dont have any special tools. just start from the farthest from master.rear pass,rear driver,front pass,end with front driver.dont let the master run dry.start with getting it down to near empty.fill a small amount.repete.when the old is mostly out then fill it with new then keer going.
 
Call your local NAPA store or get a-hold of Partsguy and ask him for the parts. It's really simple and you won't believe the difference!
 
It is well worth doing, and really easy, just takes a bit of time. Do yourself a favor, get one of the vac bleeders, they make it much, much easier.
 
Billysgoat said:
It is well worth doing, and really easy, just takes a bit of time. Do yourself a favor, get one of the vac bleeders, they make it much, much easier.
Click to expand...

What he said!

Also you should never pump the fluid out using the pedal. The master cylinder sees very little travel during normal use. When you bottom out the pedal it pushes the seals into a part of the bore that is never used. 75% of the time it destoys the seals in the M/C from rust/ dirt built up over the years.
 
guess i will make it next weeks project since its still raining again today weather says it will be nice all next week.
 
Vaccuum bleeders are the chit. Mine was only about 30 bucks...makes it a one person job.
Just start at the furthest wheel away and pull new fluid through till it's clear then repeat till you do all 4 calipers.

It took me about 20 minutes start to finish.
 
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