Brake bleeding
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3rd Gear
Joined: Apr 2019
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Brake bleeding
I’ve got a ‘21 F250, can I bleed the brakes manually/old school style of pumping and holding? I’ve searched and read that I need a tool to open the abs modules, but what if I don’t have access to the tool? Any info is appreciated.
4wd Low
Joined: May 2023
Posts: 12
Likes: 8
Bleed them normally, then find a gravel road and activate the ABS system a few times (low speed). Then bleed them again. Assuming you did some repair that opened up the system to air (broken brake line etc)
More Turbo
Joined: Jun 2023
Posts: 622
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Trick we have used in the past to clear air from the ABS system after replacing brake parts/lines.
Bleed them normally, then find a gravel road and activate the ABS system a few times (low speed). Then bleed them again. Assuming you did some repair that opened up the system to air (broken brake line etc)
Bleed them normally, then find a gravel road and activate the ABS system a few times (low speed). Then bleed them again. Assuming you did some repair that opened up the system to air (broken brake line etc)
The boat trailer has EOH and I use that pump to bleed and replace the fluid in the trailer brakes periodically.
More Turbo
Joined: Jun 2023
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 7,308
Likes: 250
From: Hartford, WI
Prices seem to be getting better and better for the scan tools that can do ABS pumping. Maybe invest in one of them? Consider that cars are getting more and more sophisticated so would owning such a tool for the cars you own be a bad thing? I flush my brakes for all the vehicles every 2 years. I bought the Motive bleeder. On that day, all cars, trike and anything with brake fluid gets flushed. Flush car with garden hose, take it to the car wash for undercarriage wash and drive it home and redo procedure.
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More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 654
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From: Weirton WV
True, just make sure the pressure bleeder is clean & brake reservoir is clean before starting.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 1,143
Likes: 269
From: Southwestern Pa.
I've been using an inexpensive, air operated vacuum bleeder with good success.
On the bikes, where there's no ABS involved, I use a big animal syringe from TSC and pressure back bleed from the bleeder screw on the caliper to the reservoir. I do the same with the bike's hyd clutches
On the bikes, where there's no ABS involved, I use a big animal syringe from TSC and pressure back bleed from the bleeder screw on the caliper to the reservoir. I do the same with the bike's hyd clutches
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 7,308
Likes: 250
From: Hartford, WI
I've been using an inexpensive, air operated vacuum bleeder with good success.
On the bikes, where there's no ABS involved, I use a big animal syringe from TSC and pressure back bleed from the bleeder screw on the caliper to the reservoir. I do the same with the bike's hyd clutches
On the bikes, where there's no ABS involved, I use a big animal syringe from TSC and pressure back bleed from the bleeder screw on the caliper to the reservoir. I do the same with the bike's hyd clutches
Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 1,143
Likes: 269
From: Southwestern Pa.
It is lower, and air bubbles have a tendency to rise, so they evacuate when being pushed upward. If you clean out the bleeder screw first, dirt intrusion is a non-issue. Some bikes like Yamaha YZs were notorious for being tough to bleed because the front caliper had an S curve in it where it passed under the fork, by the caliper. To bleed it properly you had to unfasten the caliper and hang it up higher than the bar mounted master cylinder...or just pressure bleed it back into the master cylinder until there were no more bubbles coming back into the MC.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 7,308
Likes: 250
From: Hartford, WI
Do you have more than 1 vehicle? If so, I would get the Motive Products bleeder and the adapters for all the vehicles you own. Do like I do. Every couple of years. I did that because that was the MB standard and I had a couple of them so I flush every 2 years.