How to Bleed Brakes Properly

It’s essential to have your brakes in top condition to keep both you and your passengers safe on the Frazee roads. Servicing your brakes includes paying attention to various components of the braking system, while you’re keeping your vehicle running smoothly at the same time. In the event that there is air in your brake lines, it’s essential to know how to bleed brake lines properly. Learn more with the experts at the Norseman Motors, Inc. service center, and contact us for more information.

Why Should You Bleed Your Brakes? 

Although it may sound complicated, learning how to bleed brakes yourself is actually quite simple. After many years of traversing the Perham roads, moisture begins to build up inside the brake lines, causing the brake fluid to wear down and begin absorbing water which reduces their performance. Furthermore, air can also enter the brake lines, and you might notice that the brake pedal feels soft. Learning how to bleed brakes yourself could help you remove any excess air from the system, therefore, getting rid of the spongy feel. 

How to Bleed Brakes By Yourself 

So, now you might be wondering how to bleed brakes by yourself in Detroit Lakes. It’s actually quite easy, and you’ll only need a few tools, such as a box-end wrench, brake fluid, brake fluid holder and tubing, and someone to help you. Let’s learn how to bleed brake lines below:

Step 1: 

You should first consult your owner’s manual to ensure that you have the manufacturer recommended brake fluid. The manual should also let you know when to replace the brake fluid.

Step 2: 

Make sure your vehicle is level, and jack up the car. You can then carefully remove each wheel.

Step 3: 

You should then find four caliper bleeding screws which need to be loosened. It’s important to note that if these screws do not loosen right away, you should not twist them hard with the wrench. You should instead spray the caliper bleeding screws with penetrating screws, and wait half an hour. If you notice that this screw is stripped, be sure to bring it to the Norseman Motors, Inc. service center to prevent any further damage. 

Step 4: 

Once you’ve loosened the screws, you can go ahead and tighten the back up. This process could take a while. However, it’s essential to make sure that your braking system is in top shape. 

Step 5: 

Next, open up the hood and check how much brake fluid is in the master cylinder, as it’s critical to ensure your vehicle has the proper amount of fluid. While you’re bleeding the brakes, it’s important to make sure that the master cylinder cap is unscrewed, but still on the top of the reservoir. It’s essential to first bleed the brake cylinder that is the furthest away from the master cylinder.However, you should check your owner’s manual, as this varies depending on the type of vehicle.

Step 6: 

You should then place a piece of clear tubing around ¼ in diameter over the first bleeder screw. You can then place the other end of the tube inside a bucket or plastic bottle. It’s critical to make sure that the tubing is long enough to reach the catch container, which should be above the height of the screw. If you’d like, you can also purchase a kit from your local auto parts store.

Step 7: 

Now this is where your assistant will need to step in, as they need to pump the brake pedal a few times until they feel the pedal pushing back up. You should also have the engine turned off during this step. They should keep putting pressure on the pedal while you open the bleeder screw just a little. Fluid should now be moving through the tube, and your assistant should notice that the pedal is almost reaching the floor. Your assistant should also continue to apply pressure to the pedal throughout this process.

Step 8: 

You should also ask your assistant to let you know when the pedal hits the floor, as you should then immediately close the bleeder screw. You can now check to make sure the fluid level is at the correct level in the master cylinder. If not, you might need more brake fluid. 

Step 9:

You should then carry out these same few steps at least five times on the same bleeder screw, or until there are no more bubbles in the fluid. 

Step 10: 

You should then do steps 7,8, and 9 for the three other bleeder screws. However, ensure you are doing this in the correct order, from the screw farthest from the master cylinder to the closest one.

Step 11: 

Now that you know how to bleed brakes, and have completed the process, ask your assistant to hit the brake pedal and then release it quickly. If there are bubbles inside the fluid, you still have air in the system. If there are no air bubbles present, you’re ready to head out to the Callaway roads!

Step 12: 

For the last step, you should tighten each bleeder screw before putting the wheels back on. You should use just enough strength to ensure they are secure.

Schedule Service Today at Norseman Motors, Inc.

Now that you know how to bleed brake lines, you know that it’s a time consuming process. While it’s doable from the comfort of your own home, sometimes it’s just better to left the experts at Norseman Motors, Inc. to take care of it for you. Schedule a service appointment today, so that you can get in, get out, and back on the road in no time.