When I bought the truck, like 3 years ago, the previous owner said the front left brake needed to be bled. But I didn't get around to it since I never drive it except for around the property and to the convenience store and back.

So a few months ago the brake master cylinder went bad and I replaced it, and figured it was time to bleed the front brakes. Well I wasn't able to bleed the front left for some reason.

When I crack the bleeder screw and push on the pedal, very little fluid comes out (whereas the right side squirts out.)

So is this just a clogged brake line? Anything else I should check?

Thanks!

 

Sounds like your brake hose has collapsed on the inside.

 

Thanks. Just looked and they're only $14 each at Auto Zone; so I guess I'll just replace the hose and see what happens.

 

you could try bleeding the hose at the caliper, by cracking the nut holding the brake line on.

do it as part of a standard bleed procedure... pump the brake pedal three times, then push to hold pressure, while cracking the nut slightly.

close the nut before the brake pedal hits the floor, so no air gets in.

see if you get more fluid there, than you did at the bleeder screw.

 

I knew I was forgetting something. It's been a few months since I did this. Yeah, I was thinking (back then) maybe the caliper was frozen. The procedure you described would answer that question. I'll try it.

 

The first thing I would do, before anything suggested above, would be to remove the bleeder plug. That way you can see if it's clogged. And you can see if there's any kind of blockage just behind it. What you wouldn't necessarily want to do is stick any kind of foreign object into the bleeder plug to try to clear it out while it's still installed. That would probably just force whatever might be stuck in there deeper into places that it shouldn't be. Same basic theory applies to any blockage that might be found just behind it once it's removed. Don't try poking through it, try gently picking it out.