Vacuum or pressure brake bleeders

[shane_3800]

Has anyone used the one man brake bleeder kits. I see they come in two variants.
A pressure bleeder which you attach to the brake master and pump up to pressurise a container. Then you open the bleeder nipple and have the fluid pushed out until is bubble free.

and a vacuum bleeder which usually involves attaching an air compressor to a bottle which is connected to the nipple and it sucks the fluid from the master reservoir out of the nipple.

I have heard the pressure set up is best as the vacuum set up can let air in via the nipple threads

Anyone have any thoughts or experience?

I usually do it the traditional way with someone pumping the pedal but Id like an easier and simpler way that I could do on my own.

Also, with the vacuum bleeder, they chew the air, so small compressors would struggle feeding one.

 

[panhead]

I've tried both vacuum and pressure bleeders and still prefer the bottle and tube manual method with someone pumping the brake pedal.

If the fluid has gone gluggy from the car not being driven for a few years, I find some of the vacuum and pressure bleeders don't work so well, and not at all if you buy a cheapie.

This is a photo of the milk bottle I've been using for the last 3 or 4 years, I upgrade to a newer bottle every now and then as I don't care about the expense of more milk, I'm yet to try a skimmed milk one, but I guess it would work just as well even if it's not as masculine.

I still do it by myself and that's why it takes me about an hour, I have to alternatively jack up and remove the rim from each corner, jump in and out of the car to pump the pedal myself then check the flow, while running back and forth to constantly ensure the master cylinder has plenty of fluid.

It may sound an effort, but it's actually quite easy.

.

 

[vc commodore]

My $50 vacuum bleeder that took me about 10 minutes to do a complete front and rear bleed on my VC using an elcheapo supercheap air compressor that cost me about $150......

The fitting cups the bleeder nipple firmly, so it doesn't allow air back into the system and the clear line allows to you keep an eye on the fluid for air bubbles

My elcheapo crud air compressor I used for the job

 

[RevNev]

If the fluid has gone gluggy from the car not being driven for a few years, I find some of the vacuum and pressure bleeders don't work so well, and not at all if you buy a cheapie.

This is a photo of the milk bottle I've been using for the last 3 or 4 years, I upgrade to a newer bottle every now and then as I don't care about the expense of more milk, I'm yet to try a skimmed milk one, but I guess it would work just as well even if it's not as masculine.

I still do it by myself and that's why it takes me about an hour, I have to alternatively jack up and remove the rim from each corner, jump in and out of the car to pump the pedal myself then check the flow, while running back and forth to constantly ensure the master cylinder has plenty of fluid.

It may sound an effort, but it's actually quite easy.

Yes, that's basically how I do it alone. Normally I get my wife to pump the pedal at home, she's done it for 30+ years and knows the process well.

If I'm changing fluid, I soak up the fluid in the reservoir with a bit of toweling rag, fill it up with fresh fluid and bleed it through on each caliper until the old fluid dissipates. It's not that hard a job I've ever considered a drama to buy a vacuum or pressure bleeder myself.

 

[shane_3800]

Yes, that's basically how I do it alone. Normally I get my wife to pump the pedal at home, she's done it for 30+ years and knows the process well.

If I'm changing fluid, I soak up the fluid in the reservoir with a bit of toweling rag, fill it up with fresh fluid and bleed it through on each caliper until the old fluid dissipates. It's not that hard a job I've ever considered a drama to buy a vacuum or pressure bleeder myself.

"keep pumping, is it hard yet? how does that feel?"

 

[KING46Calais V]

I have to alternatively jack up and remove the rim from each corner, jump in and out of the car to pump the pedal myself then check the flow, while running back and forth to constantly ensure the master cylinder has plenty of fluid.

That's exactly what I'm sick of doing.

 

[Immortality]

I use a old medical syringe to suck out the old fluid from the MC.

If you have a lot of time gravity bleeding works (but I never have that much time).

 

[lout]

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awesome bit of kit, i got the one with the brake bleeder hose and runs off of compressor or manual pump

 

[losh1971]

I use a old medical syringe to suck out the old fluid from the MC.

If you have a lot of time gravity bleeding works (but I never have that much time).

This ^^^^ is what I normally do. I've never gravity blead a car with ABS though. Not sure if that makes any difference? Agree it takes ages to do the rears. The fronts you need to keep an eye on the resi.

 

[BlackVXGTS]

I use a old medical syringe to suck out the old fluid from the MC.

I use a turkey baster to suck out the old fluid, it's better and faster than using a syringe.