Bleeding Brake lines

[causewayskiier]

How do you bleed the brake lines for a Ramlin trailer with disc brakes? I see that there are two bleeder valves on each brake. Do you open both at once or one at a time? Also how do you pump the system? When I pump the lever on the tounge, it doesn't seem to pump fluid through the system. Any help will be appreciated.

[jward]

RE: Bleeding Brake lines

Had to redo mine on my trailer I had last year. Open the driver side first (works best with one person on the valve and one person doing the pumping) Push the tongue in several times until you get all of the air out, then move to the other side.

[causewayskiier]

bleeding brakes

My brakes have two bleeder valves on each brake which one to I open? So you actually push the tongue inward to force the fluid through? Do you have to do that with a vehicle or can this be done by hand/

[BombWake]

RE: bleeding brakes

I use a Vacula vacuum bleeder to bleed my trailer brakes! That way I can do it by myself and dont have to worry about pumping the tongue. It was definitely worth the investment since I can also use it to suck out tranny and v-drive fluid as well. Here is the website link http://vacula.com/. I bleed my brakes twice a year since brake fluid has an affinity for water.

[jmo]

RE: bleeding brakes

I swapped out the drum brakes on my trailer for disks, and this is the procedure I used to bleed the brakes:

1. Get yourself a $5 one man brake bleeding unit from your local auto parts store (basically a piece of hose with a one way valve) and a quart of new fluid.

2. Lower the front of your trailer down such that the actuator/master cylinder is below the brake calipers.

3. Follow the brake line back to the nearest disk brake (on my ramlin it is the starboard side).

4. Place the bleeder hose on the top valve (because air bubbles naturally go up)and put the other end in an empty glass container to catch the excess

5. Open the bleeder valve, then start actuating the piston manually with a large screw driver (be sure to keep topping off the master cylinder as you go) until all the bubbles or old fluid is out.

6. Tighten up the bleeder valve on the first caliper and now move to the second brake - repeat the same procedure, and your done. Brake fluid is nasty stuff so make sure you were gloves and put down cardboard to catch any spills. I also put something heavy enough to hold the bleeder hose pointing into the glass waste container as the pressure will cause the hose to lift up each time you activate the master cylinder and you end up with brake fluid all over.

Its pretty straight forward once you get the idea. The brake calipers have two bleeder valves to support installation in multiple positions, if they only had one and it was the lowest point in the system you wouldn't be able to get all of the air out.

HTH's

JMO

[bobchris]

RE: bleeding brakes

if your not closing the bleeder before you release pressure on the master cylinder then your sucking air back into the system each time. so really it's a two man operation to do it manually. Rent borrow or pay someone that has a vacuum bleader.

If you have to do it yourself then top off master cylinder with fluid, drop the tongue to the ground so that it is below the caliber or wheel cyclinder and then just crack the bleeder and wait and watch for an air bubble might take several minutes even let it drip for some then tighten the bleeder and do the otherside, raise the tongue add fluid again and repeat you should get fluid dripping emendiately and if so tighten it and do the other side. If not wait and look for an air bubble then repeat.

[causewayskiier]

bleeding brakes

I have a vacuum pump for changing oil, will that work? If so will I pump until brake fluid just begins to come out of brakes and into reservoir. I don't imagine there is a lot of fluid in there so I don't think I would want much fluid to come out.

[jmo]

Re: RE: bleeding brakes

if your not closing the bleeder before you release pressure on the master cylinder then your sucking air back into the system each time. so really it's a two man operation to do it manually. .

Actually, the one man brake bleeder hose I bought has a one way check valve in it that prevents this from happening...

[93nautique0710]

RE: Re: RE: bleeding brakes

when your all alone and all your friends are nowhere to be found and dont feel like going to the parts house a windex or any spray bootle pump works ok for a one time deal do what you got to sometimes open the bleeder put a vacume hose on it the end of the sprayer in there and start pumping u be suprised how good it works lol and put some teflon on the threads of the bleeder so it doesnt suck air past them