The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Brake Bleeders

Ok I just bought a set of bleeders so I can do it myself. How do these guys work?

BIG CHEVY 3600 Here is some information from their web site Features

I got a set of the Speed Bleeders but have not put them on as yet... I am going to have an all new brake system when done... Hopefully you post your results here...

What brand did you buy?

http://www.speedbleeder.com/
http://www.speedbleeder.zoovy.com/category/easy_installation/

http://www.russellperformance.com/mc/speed/domestic.shtml
http://www.russellperformance.com/mc/speed/img/instructions_lg.jpg

Thanks for the links guys. I bought them for my son's new project, a 74 International Scout II. I got a few extra to put on the 3600.

You might want to find rubber caps to cover the opening in the bleeders (to keep out, dirt, salt, debris).

Speed Bleeder is just down the street from me. When I bought mine I went out to their site and managed a tour of the shop. It's a (young) mom and pop operation and they have a bunch of old Brown & Sharp screw machines clattering away in a poll building out back on a farm just outside of Newark, IL.

I installed a set on the '50 when I rebuilt my brakes. Simple principle, they just let the juice out on one dirctioon and that's down, the ball check shuts them off on the up stroke. Just do one at a time, follow the simple instructions Tim posted and make sure your master cylinder doesn't run dry.
True it can be a one-man operation but it's a pain in the ars getting out of the truck and checking for bubbles every time you pump the peddle. So in the end it helps to have a spotter (my "big old wife") to watch for clear fluid which makes it a two man operation after all.
I still like my pressure bleeder best. http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/115378741/large That truly is a one-man operation.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

I had to get a pressure bleeder for my COE with hydrovac (Motive 0102 ~$60), so I also prefer that. It is then an easy matter of taking the drain hose and collection jar from nipple to nipple.

I use one of these. http://www.branick.com/core/products_brake_bleeder.php I think Moog is made my Branic. I didn't buy any adapters from them. I just use an old MC cap and drill and tap it for a quick connector. I have known guys that had the check valve type bleeders, but either they they didn't know what they were doing or something went wrong. I finally blew the air out of their system with my Branick so they got a hard pedal. I think a Branick is almost a must with hydrovac.

I made a pressure bleeder using a ten dollar plastic weed sprayer from Home Depot. Only extra needed was buying a spare master cylinder cap then drilling and tapping it to accept a barbed hose fitting which plugged those tiny vent holes. Fortunately, all my trucks use the same master cylinder cap, fits all. Adding an air hose fitting to a tank is optional with a pump-up weed sprayer type.

For my GMC 3 ton, with hydrovac, pressure bleeding is the only way which works. Probably true of most big trucks.

Years back, tried a vacuum bleeder on many different vehicles, small and large, total joke, nothing but frustration and a mess.

Billyray

An old timer once taught me a trick for one man brake bleeding on a dry system. I've refined it a bit by using Teflon tape to seal the treads on the bleeder valve. FWIW, here it is:

Supplies:
Brake fluid - 1 small bottle and 1 large
Teflon plumbers tape
1 Small cardboard box ~ 12"x12"
1 Six pack of beer (longneck bottles)
Handtools and a pocket knife

1> Brush any dirt or gunk from the area and remove all four bleeder valves
2> Clean the threads and surrounding area
3> Wrap 2-3 layers of Teflon plumbers tape around the threads and install the bleeder valves finger tight
4> Determine how much aquarium hose you need to go from the bleeder valve nipple to a 1/2" off the ground
5> Cut four lengths of hose to length
6> Empty four beer bottles (fun part) and add ~2" of brake fluid to each bottle
7> Drop the hoses into the bottles and set them next to the wheels
8> Crawl under the truck and attach the hoses to the nipples (dirty part)
9> Cut a piece of cardboard slightly bigger the master cylinder cover
10> Cut a 1" hole in the middle of the cardboard
11> Shove a small cardboard box under the master cylinder to catch any spillage
12> Fill the master cylinder
13> Stick the top of the brake fluid container thru the hole in the cardboard
14> Upend the brake fluid container onto the master cylinder
>> NOTE: Same as mounting a new bottle on a water cooler
15> Balance a medium size bolt on the edge of the brake fluid bottle
16> Get in the truck and pump the brakes until you hear the bolt fall in the box
17> Crawl under the truck and close all the bleeder valves

If you are lucky - You have a hard pedal

Let the beer wear off before driving

Back in the 60's I carried a rigging like you describe made out of a Hudson sprayer on my cabover International. It had a hydraulic clutch which I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. I used it for brakes too. I would probably still be using it or one like it if I hadn't bought a Branick at an auction and no one else knew what it was. The vacuum type bleeders are worthless in my opinion.

Ok but what about 1/2 ton - 1 ton?

What about 1/2 ton to 1 ton?

Bleeders are the same as on bigger trucks (for A-D/ND years).

Vacuum bleeder and pressure bleeders work the same. For the pressure bleeder, same master cylinder cap size on my 54/55 2-ton GMC COE as is used on my 1/2 ton 54 Chevrolet 1/2 ton.

Now that's the best suggestion I've heard yet! lol