[Shotimes] brakes

[James White]

I always just attach a pvc tube glued into a plastic bottle over the bleeder
and open it.  Gravity starts fluid flowing, but slowly.  Then once the air
bubbles are out of the hose, I start pushing and turning the brake piston.

I have had a sized rear piston, but AutoZone stocks these, so I went and got
a rebuild.  Switched the caliper quickly, letting the brake fluid flow and
keeping the master cylinder resouver full seemed to keep air out of the
system.

Parking brake cables are a pain, but that is a whole 'nother story...

regards, Jim White - greensho@crown.net

----- Original Message -----
From: Donald Mallinson <dmall@mwonline.net>
To: <shotimes@autox.team.net>
Sent: Saturday, February 14, 2004 9:45 AM
Subject: Re: [Shotimes] brakes


> Adam,
>
> Just a few notes:  When pushing in the piston with the
> bleeder open, you are pusing brake fluid out, and the chance
> of getting any air in the system is minimal, plus, it is
> always good advice to bleed the system anyway when putting
> in new pads.
>
> holding upen the proportioning valve on the LR suspension
> and taking off the master cyl cap will have no effect on
> ease of pushing in the pistons.  It is the valving in the
> master cyl and all the plumbing that makes them hard to turn in.
>
> To prevent damage to the pistons, and high blood pressure,
> the best way to get those rear caliper pistons back in is to
> open the bleeder valve.
>
> As for tools, even the best tools I have seen that are
> specifically meant for this job, won't work as well as one I
> made long ago.  I took and old, cheap 1/2" drive shallow
> socket that matched almost the OD of the piston.  Then I
> used my bench grinder to grind down the sides leaving two
> squared off points sticking up.  Now I can use my 1/2"
> ratchet and push in while turning the pistons.  Makes the
> job easy, and that socket won't pop out of the slots in the
> piston like the tools that are sold.
>
> It really isn't necessary to support the LR suspension to
> bleed the rear brakes either, the difference between
> supported and not is minimal.  I used to jack up the LR
> suspension, but one day I got lazy and tried it without, and
> virtually no difference.
>
> Don Mallinson
>
> Adam Parrott wrote:
>
> > Steve has some good points here.  Only thing I would have to disagree
with
> > (and this is IMO) is the opening of the bleeder valve.  If you plan to
or
> > are already bleeding your brakes, then it's a moot point.  If you're not
> > bleeding your brakes (i.e. just changing the pads or rotor), then I
would
> > just open the filler cap on the master cylinder.  If you open the
bleeder
> > screw as a means of escape for the fluid, then you "open" yourself to
the
> > high possibility of drawing air and dirt back into the lines.  By
utilizing
> > the filler cap on the master cylinder as well as the proportioning valve
> > trick Steve mentioned, you lower your chances of contamination.
> >
> > I also highly recommend the use of a proper caliper "push-in" tool.  I
> > believe I purchased mine at Napa for around $20-30.  I don't have the
part
> > number handy, but I do recall it being one of those multi-application
> > doohickeys (i.e. it works on a whole slew of cars).
> >
> > Adam P.
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