I'm about to replace the pads out of my '94 and was just wondering if bleeding the brakes was required. I thought you only have to bleed them if you open the line. From what I see, you just take the spring off, then pins and take out the old and put in the new. Just wondering before I tackle this job next weekend.

Salue

 

You have to compress the caliper pistons back in so there is enough room to put the new thicker pads in. I just use the old pads to give me something to bite on and press the pistons back in using big slip joint pliers. Someone on here though said that doing it that way might force dirt or bad fluid backwards into the master cylinder. It does force fluid back into the MC, but I had never thought about that the fluid could harm the MC if there were some contamination in it. Might need to let it bleed out the bleeder as you compress the pistons. As long as you close the bleeder back, you should not suck in any air. The way I have done it wont allow air into the lines though.

 

If you crack bleeder I would bleed them for sure. Even if they still feel solid you could have gotten and air bubble in the line. You don't want a bubble in the line that one time you have to slam on your brakes trust me.. It's the worse feeling in the world to have the pedal hit the floor when you really need to stop!

 

you should crack the bleeder and purge it that way because if you were to just press the calipers back it could send any contaminents toward the master cyl. cracking the bleeder at the caliper will let it get out there, just make sure the reservoir doesn't get empty or you'll have to bleed the master cyl. too. even if you don't crack the bleeder, it is a safe thing to do after doing the front brakes. rears should be ok since the adjustment is in the auto adjusters. my opinion again.

 

can any one suggest the order in which the brakes should be bled? or will it make no difference?

 

passenger rear
driver rear
passenger front
driver front..

I just finished bleeding my brakes using the Motive Power bleeder...cool toy..check out my write-up on my website under "maintenance"

 

good rule of thumb is (like dukestr listed) start with the wheel furthest from the master cylinder and work your way to the closest.


dukestr: Those power bleeders are pretty cool. I was thinking about picking one up. do you know if you can also flush the power steering and clutch fluids with this? I thought I read that you could but I was wondering if anybody else has done it.

 

I don't think the motive power bleeder is designed to flush power steering and clutch fluids. I don't see it on their website that they carry any other adapters except for brake fluid reservoirs. I know I've seen one online that can do that, I'll send you the link once I find it.

 

Preeshee-ate it.

 

Actually you want to start w/ the driver side rear. It's the farthest from the master cylinder since the line for it runs across the rear axle housing. Don't forget to bleed the LSPV too.

 

hmm...I'm pretty sure the passenger rear is the farthest from the master cylinder on my '99....maybe it is different from the '86

 

I think you are right. maybe we are just mirror images of ourselves so everything appears opposite of what it really is?? I think I need some more 'shroom juice. glug glug glug, look the paisleys are fighting with the aligator on my shirt..... give me some more of that stuff, halucinating is, wait a minute, I'm having an acid flashback now....

 

Assuming his model has one of these.

 

IMHO.. if you are going to change pads.. Don't just bleed them, flush them with new fluid.. The Motive bleeded is amazing for this.. ( I got one free at the EC4RJ02 ) Really though, it is the best time to do a flush job.. as for the clutch. if you can get a seal there should be no problem at all using one...

 

LSPV? not sure i know what that is ? any one knoe what it stands for , i might just be thick.

also would being right hand drive make a difference i am guessing not , as it should be drivers side regardles of which side it is.

thanks for the info.

mark

 

Load Sensing and Proportioning Valve.

it senses when you have a heavy load in the rear, you know what I mean!, and compensates by shifting the braking power appropriately. If you have one it will have a long rod extending from a manifold looking thing that the brake lines go into and then out to the rear wheels usually it's mounted on or near the rear axle. mine doesn't have one, I think they only come on the leaf sprung ones because my wife has a '99 taco 4x4 and it has one. you should bleed that first so you don't push the air from it into the rear lines and have to expunge more fluid to get it out.

 

cool thanks for that.i will have to look for that

 

It should be installed on any vehicle with a variable rear weight differential, not just a leaf spring supension if that's what you mean.

Second, everyone has given great info and I swear all of you could take the ASE test and pass ...just one little thing and I missed a point for this, is the LSVP is actually the last thing you should do, not first. My class manual didn't explain this, but it did clearly say that.

If you are going to do the two man method of bleeding brakes, our instructor also told us to bleed the ABS (if you have it) although this sometimes is not practiced in the industry, but to tell you the truth, I had a problem with a spongy pedal (on my Runner) and even though we bleed the brakes at least twice, I found out (of course after three dealer visits) that the ABS had air trapped coming out after it was bleed, needless to say my brakes where once again vibrant, unfortunately it was on the market for sale a week later .