At the wheels? No. Unless the fluid is old, then I will.

When I bleed a master cylinder, I tend to use a pressure bleeder because you only need one person. Once hooked up, I go to the brake line at the master cylinder and crack the line. Air tends to come out. I will pump the brake pedal a few times when this is happening to bleed the cavity between the two pistons. If the pedal feels right, I ship the car. Sometimes it does not and then I go to the next fitting and crack that loose. Is the next fitting at the wheel? Usually not, it's at the ABS controller. Sometimes the air will bleed out there. 99.9% of the times, that is where I stop.

But I know what I am doing and I know you do too, so I feel comfortable with my experience and knowing when the system is working right. Not everyone here should learn the short cuts with no experience. I do know when I first started out over 40 years ago, I bled everything when the master cylinder was replaced and that is how I feel all rookies should learn. Start by doing it the right way and when you master that, go to the next step.

It's a lot like a torque wrench. I know what tight is, but I feel it's best to recommend a torque wrench to someone that is looking for advice.

You are not wrong, but the extra step I am suggesting is not wrong either. If anything, it gives you the knowledge that there is no air vs thinking there is no air.

 

I see that you have a Mercedes with the SBC brake system. Good luck bleeding the brakes without the SDS. The slightest amount of air will shut down the system. Been there/done that. There is no real shortcuts with that system. Thank God, they no longer offer that system.

 

That is near $100 now?

Pretty sure local Ford dealers do them, 10th Gens have that and Expedition too...could snag a used one for probably chump money at junkyard

 

No, I did not know that about my Mercedes\
Doesn't surprise me though
They are morons after all
The old hydraulic suspension problems and the air ride that fails
They sure got nothin' on our Lincolns IMO

 

No comment about the 'morons' but I was able to retire at 52 because of them.

You probably know that the SBC system is a brake by wire system. All that pedal feeling is no different than the drive by wire throttle. You're really doing nothing. They did up the warranty to 25 years.

I tend to think that the Airmatic suspension systems do not fail, they just wear out. Normally on sedans, the problems start around 150k miles but I've seen many last well past 200k before any issues. Rubber air springs do not last forever and the compressors do not last forever too. SUV's start to leak at 100k and normally everything will need to be replaced by 130k.