bleeding brake lines
Thread Starter
|
Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
bleeding brake lines
Is there a special way to bleed the brakes on my 97 f150? Just wondering, I'm putting new pads on and thought I should bleed the brakes since this is it's first brake job, 65,000 miles.
Moderator
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 22,436
Likes: 17
From: Louisville,Ky.
bleeding brake lines
Unless you have opened a line or had a leak and emptied the master cylinder, I wouldn't touch it. They say that braked fluid should be changed every so often, but I do not know the recommended interval. I would think that if the system is never opened, it shouldn't go bad.
Jimmy
Oh, Yeah, Welcome to FTE!!
Jimmy
Oh, Yeah, Welcome to FTE!!
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 113
Likes: 3
From: Mpls
bleeding brake lines
If you haven't changed your pads in 65,000 miles, you will need to either bleed the brakes or suck fluid out of the reservoir after compressing the pistons, to make the new pads fit over the rotors. If you don't, the fluid level will be too high.
You can use the gravity method to bleed the entire system, if you have time. Your only concerns are that you don't want air sucked into the system through the open bleeder valve and you don't want to run the reservior dry. The only way air will be sucked into the bleeder valve is if you step on the brake pedal with the bleeder valve open and then release it. It's not complicated, at all.
If you don't want to bleed the entire system, just use a 1/4" piece of plastic tube to drain the excess fluid. The bleeder valve is 10mm. After the pads are replaced and everything is back together, open a bleeder valve, connect the 1/4" tube to the valve and allow the excess fluid to drain into a cup.
You can use the gravity method to bleed the entire system, if you have time. Your only concerns are that you don't want air sucked into the system through the open bleeder valve and you don't want to run the reservior dry. The only way air will be sucked into the bleeder valve is if you step on the brake pedal with the bleeder valve open and then release it. It's not complicated, at all.
If you don't want to bleed the entire system, just use a 1/4" piece of plastic tube to drain the excess fluid. The bleeder valve is 10mm. After the pads are replaced and everything is back together, open a bleeder valve, connect the 1/4" tube to the valve and allow the excess fluid to drain into a cup.
Moderator
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 22,436
Likes: 17
From: Louisville,Ky.
bleeding brake lines
This would be true if fluid has been added over the life of the truck, which at one point, it probably has. This will also keep from making a mess under the hood from the fluid spewing out of the cap after the calipers are squeezed back together.
Jimmy
Jimmy
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 796
Likes: 1
bleeding brake lines
brake fluid is hydroscopic, meaning it attracts oxygen. Oxygen will degrade braking fluid performance and protection against corrosion. Old brake fluid is more prone to boiling which reduces braking efficiency. Good idea to change our fluid according to the owners manual.
Thread Starter
|
Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
bleeding brake lines
I'm acquinted with the need to replace fluid due to moisture, but was wondering if having an ABS system requires any special attention. Or should I just do as usual and have someone pump the brakes while I open the bleeder, same as non ABS.
Trending Topics
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 12,679
Likes: 15
From: BC, Canada
bleeding brake lines
Theoretically you are supposed to use a scan tool to activate the ABS when bleeding the system but as long as you dont let it run totally out of fluid you should be ok without doing that.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Top 6 Best Deals Available on New Fords & Lincolns Right Now
Brett Foote
This Hennessey Takes the Expedition Tremor's Off-Roading Capability to the Next Level
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Fords at 2026 Carlisle Ford Nationals
Joe Kucinski
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,673
Likes: 0
From: Chicago Area
bleeding brake lines
Yeah, if you let it run dry its a b**** to get the air out of the ABS pump without the scan tool, but otherwise its no problem.
I should add that ABS gives you another big reason to change the fluid: you want to protect those very expensive ABS parts! It's so cheap and easy; why not do it with every brake job?
I should add that ABS gives you another big reason to change the fluid: you want to protect those very expensive ABS parts! It's so cheap and easy; why not do it with every brake job?
Thread Starter
|
Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
bleeding brake lines
What happpens if you run your resevoir dry and get alittle air in the line. What does a scan tool do? I had to take a line off the resevoir. The brakes felt weired/soft when I put it all together and bled the brakes. I ran a lot of fluid through the lines to insure no air in the lines. The strangest thing happened. I was backing up and appling the brakes firmly to tighten up (self adjust) the rear brakes and when I applied pressure to the peddle something kind of popped and the peddle went way down. It felt like a line had burst. Oddly enough the brakes felt great after that. I mean they feel really nice and firm. The way I thought they should have felt in the first place after putting new rotors, pads, fresh fluid and turned drums. I looked for problems, everything looks fine. I think I need to educate myself alittle more on f150 ABS. Anyone know of a source of referance for Ford f150 ABS.
Last edited by QuickerPickerUpper; Jul 15, 2003 at 07:38 PM.
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 12,679
Likes: 15
From: BC, Canada
bleeding brake lines
The scan tool basically cycles the ABS when bleeding the brakes to make sure that any air trapped in the system is expelled.
I'm wondering if the "pop" you felt was the brake proportioning valve going back into place. It's possible that when you vled it that the valve "tripped" and when you stomped the brakes hard it went back to where it should be. As long as the brakes work well now I think you're good to go. Or is that good to stop?
The best info for working on the system would be in a Ford shop manual. They dont always give good descriptions of how things work though as they figure that we learn that in training courses.
I'm wondering if the "pop" you felt was the brake proportioning valve going back into place. It's possible that when you vled it that the valve "tripped" and when you stomped the brakes hard it went back to where it should be. As long as the brakes work well now I think you're good to go. Or is that good to stop?
The best info for working on the system would be in a Ford shop manual. They dont always give good descriptions of how things work though as they figure that we learn that in training courses.
