Gravity Bleeding Your Brakes
Gravity bleeding can be the slowest, but least harmful to the brake system. Depending on how your system is routed (high spots will hold more air bubbles), you may also consider power bleeding or manual bleeding the system.
NOTE: This procedure will always require the master cylinder to be mounted higher than calipers or wheel cylinders.
- Simply leave the lid off of the master cylinder and top it off with fluid. Be sure never to let the reservoir go empty, checking the level of fluid frequently is important.
- On a typical Street Rod application you will start by loosening the caliper or wheel cylinder farthest from the master cylinder, the passenger rear, then the left rear, right front, and left front. It’s helpful to attach clear tubing onto the bleeder valve to route the fluid away from the wheel into a bottle to observe any air bubbles coming out. On other applications, you may consider referring to the manufacturers recommendation for the bleeding sequence.
- The amount of time you leave the bleeder open may vary, but a general rule of thumb is to let it bleed until the fluid runs clear and free of bubbles. Re-tighten and repeat this step at each wheel.
- Before test-driving, check the pedal, it should feel firm when depressed and it should hold constant pressure without dropping.
