Speed Bleeders (love them)

[Donald]

Decided to install the SS Speed Bleeders I had bought for my pickup. All four of the old ones came out (good sign) and I screwed the Speed Bleeders in. Since I was there and these are Speed Bleeders I decided to do a brake flush since it would only take a few extra minutes per wheel and I had already sucked out the old brake fluid from the master cylinder reservoir. Was very easy.

I do have two questions:

1) on one or two of the old bleeder screws, the end that goes in the caliper was not nice and cone shaped, rather it looked like the very end was ground flat. So mostly cone shaped but the very end was ground flat.

2) How hard should the pedal pressure be to overcome the spring & ball one way valve? Should I even notice I have Speed Bleeders vs just a partially open regular bleeder screw? The reason I ask is one some of the wheels I had to press pretty hard to push old fluid out and on others it was very easy. I tried to open each one 1/2 turn.

My Motive brake bleeder is still in the box. One advantage to the Motive is you would actually be at the caliper seeing the fluid get pushed out. And could see it change from dirty to clean.

 

[wings&wheels]

I've seen both shapes of bleeder screws. Odd that you would have different types on the same caliper though.

One note of caution; if the master cylinder is old or the vehicles maintenance history is unknown, I would not push the pedal, and the master piston, much past its normal stroke. Any corrosion, crud, etc. that has collected on the normally unswept portion of the cylinder may damage the seals.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Yeah, speed bleeders are awesome

You won't need a lot of pressure, just the normal amount of force you'd hit the brake pedal with. You won't even notice you have a speed bleeder. You open the speed bleeder the same amount you'd open a regular bleeder screw.

 

[Donald]

I've seen both shapes of bleeder screws. Odd that you would have different types on the same caliper though.

One note of caution; if the master cylinder is old or the vehicles maintenance history is unknown, I would not push the pedal, and the master piston, much past its normal stroke. Any corrosion, crud, etc. that has collected on the normally unswept portion of the cylinder may damage the seals.

I did not push it farther than normal.