Help - do the brakes need bleeding??

[georgemason]

Hi all,

I'm getting ready to set off back across Europe in the Disco - it's had a new clutch and cambelt (clutch was dead, cambelt was a precaution as it had been sat for 2 yrs) and new fluid in the brake system.

All seems ok - except the brakes. Spongy doesn't do them justice, I think they probably need bleeding, but since I haven't done that before I don't know what's involved. Could anyone give me some tips? Is it easy to do without any special equpt? Do I need to buy a load more brake fluid (resevoir is obviously full at the moment)

Thanks in advance!

[georgemason]

I guess what I'm really asking, is #1 how do i tell whether it's air in the brake fluid, and #2 could anything else in the braking system be causing spongy brake pedal syndrome?!

[DeanV8]

If the pedal gets "better" if you quickly pump it a few times, then there is air in the fluid.

Because of the weight of the vehicle the brakes take a bit of a pasting, the fluid gets heated through the pads/calipers and the result is air, and sometimes moisture, becoming incorporated into the system.

Bleeding is quite straightforward, and you're better off completely changing the fluid whilst you're at it.

Cheers

Dean

[georgemason]

This sounds compleltly like my situation. I bled the brakes earlier today, and they seem a bit "better", but still not great. I think I'll flush them completely tomorrow.

I have some fluid (sealed, as new) but it's quite old (i.e. possibly over 10 years). Is it safe to use, or should I chuck it and get new stuff? Any idea how much I need to flush the whole system?

Thanks.

[DeanV8]

A litre should be more than enough - If yours is that old, even though it is sealed, I would probably not use it and get some new stuff.

It's not worth having to do it all over again for the sake of eight quid, or so, for a new litre.

Cheers

Dean

[bilge rat]

you could clamp all the fexis off carefdully as not to damage them then try the pedal, remove one at a time and re try the pedal, iff you find one makes considerable difference bleed that one . unless you want to do the whole lot. alan....

[Spanner110]

you could clamp all the fexis off carefdully as not to damage them then try the pedal, remove one at a time and re try the pedal, iff you find one makes considerable difference bleed that one . unless you want to do the whole lot. alan....

Ugh! i hate the thought of clamping flexi's, i always feel that the structural coefficient of them doesn't lend itself to crushing forces. Besides if he's flushing the system, why bother. start at the back and follow the order- N/S rear, O/S rear, N/S front, O/S front just to be anal for the hell of it! Oh! and before anyone suggests it, don't bother with those one man bleeding kits, i've tried them and they're all ****.:eek:

[bilge rat]

yeah iff hes flushing no need , as far as clamping flexis go, as long as your carefull , never had a problem over 20 years of being in the trade. alan.....