Speed Bleeders - Used Them?

[john_pifer]

Had to pull rear brakes to replace wheel bearings and axle seals on my Tacoma, so I'll need to get the brake system bled after everything goes back together, and I figure it's a good time to go ahead and replace all the brake fluid, since the current fluid's about 6 years old.

Well, I have a Mityvac, which is great. But, when I've used the Mityvac in the past on the truck, and with my motorcycles, I've found it to be necessary to do a final bleed "the old fashioned way", in order to get all the stubborn, remaining air out.

Well, I don't really have anyone to help me do that unless I called a friend to make a special trip over, and I really would rather just get it handled myself on my own time, and I've heard about these Speed Bleeders.

So, the question is, does anyone here have them installed on your vehicle? How do you like them? In your experience, do they do as good of a job as doing it the old fashioned way, with 2 people?

The truck is sitting in the garage on jacks right now and the axles are at the machine shop until Monday having new hub/bearing assemblies installed. And I'm not in a rush to get everything back together, so I have time to order some of these and put them on. I just figured I'd get some opinions on them from some folks who have them, before ordering them.

Thanks.

 

[buck91]

Had speed bleeders on my motorcycle before I sold it. They did work great. That said, for the cost of outfitting one vehicle, you could pick up the Motiv Powerbleeder and be all set. Bought one a few years ago and it has been a real boon to brake work for me. Very fast and easy to do a full flush.

 

[CharBaby]

I would just stay with the Mityvac. Those "stubborn" bubbles you mention are just a character of the Mityvac's seal/fitting around the bleeder valve and are meaningless. To do your "final bleed" after the Mityvac, just do a quick gravity bleed and close up the bleeder valve, proceed to the next brake and call it a day.

 

[LeakySeals]

I bleed by myself on all vehicles in the family with a gatorade bottle half full of fluid and a clear hose. The fluid never backs up when I crack the bleeder. Sometimes I leave the bleeder cracked and walk away. Let the fluid drip for a while. Even the final push, nothing goes back in. You can tell looking through the hose. So I don't think they are necessary if you get your mityvac bleeder set up right.

 

[skyactiv]

Had to replace the clutch on my GTI once. I bought it new. It has a speed bleeder on the clutch slave cylinder from the factory which made bleeding it a snap.
The brakes don't have them however.

 

[wings&wheels]

I like them and they work as advertised, but I prefer to vacuum bleed brakes and clutches as opposed to possibly cycling the brake or clutch master piston beyond its normal travel, but I deal w/ some weird old vehicles.

 

[JMJNet]

I have them. Just remember to move it over when replacing the brake caliper or cylinder.

It is convenient and fast.

 

[das_peikko]

They do not work. Why ? Because it's easier for the fluid to go out through the threads of the speed bleeder than it is for it to go up against the resistance of the spring loaded one-way check valve. Path of least resistance is through the threads. Now if it were possible for the bleeder to be left tight, than the fluid would have no choice but to go through the one-way check valve.

 

[LeakySeals]

Originally Posted by das_peikko
They do not work. Why ? Because it's easier for the fluid to go out through the threads of the speed bleeder than it is for it to go up against the resistance of the spring loaded one-way check valve. Path of least resistance is through the threads. Now if it were possible for the bleeder to be left tight, than the fluid would have no choice but to go through the one-way check valve.

Thanks for that info

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

Installed them in 2008 and use them every two years when I replace brake fluid. Don't have to ask my war department to assist as all you have to do is open the bleeder and pump the brake pedal. The one thing I would recommend when using these is to put a fillet of silicone paste around the bleeder screw threads to prevent air ingress. The Russell units I have came with a sealant on the threads, but over time I believe that product dries out and might allow air into the system. I will be using speed bleeders again in the spring if I,m still around.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Speed bleeders are awesome!

 

[Rhymingmechanic]

Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
Speed bleeders are awesome!

I put a set on my Chevy pickup and have flushed the system three or four times.

I do wipe some silicone grease around the fitting in case the sealant has stopped working, but never had any problems. The pedal always feels better after bleeding.

 

[john_pifer]

I looked on Russell Speed Bleeder site, and they don't have the 2nd-Gen Tacoma listed. I'll call them tomorrow - it may well be that they have the correct size.

In the mean time, I ordered this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MXW2EM/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1TFBK3C7LO58P&psc=1

 

[BubbaFL]

I put a set of these on my 'vette - https://amzn.to/2TSPf3t - they are awesome.

I used to avoid any brake work that would require bleeding the brakes because of the hassle. These things make it painless.

 

[JamesBond]

Originally Posted by skyactiv
Had to replace the clutch on my GTI once. I bought it new. It has a speed bleeder on the clutch slave cylinder from the factory which made bleeding it a snap.
The brakes don't have them however.


Can you buy this bleeder screw and install it in the caliper? Is it a normal size?