How To: Bleed Your Vehicle's Brakes

Knowing how to bleed brakes (flush brakes) is essential to most brake repairs. We'll demonstrate how to properly bleed brakes by yourself. It’s possible for air to get into brake lines, and the result is spongy braking. This can happen any time you work on a brake booster or brake master cylinder, wheel cylinders or brake calipers, or any time the brake lines of your vehicle have been open. Brake bleeding, or brake flushing, is necessary to remove the air from brake lines.

View the full job and shop supplies here: https://www.oreillyauto.com/diy-how-t...

Supplies Needed for This Job:
1. Safety Glasses: https://urlzs.com/hbwc
2. Gloves: https://bit.ly/2GvfwAm
3. Shop Towels: http://bit.ly/2GDgwm1
4. Brake Fluid: http://bit.ly/2VpQfzT
5. Siphon Tool: http://bit.ly/2VhJJeF
6. One Person Bleeder Tool: http://bit.ly/2XHgDTc
7. Box Wrench: http://bit.ly/2XK1Mrt

0:00 Welcome Back
0:43 Tips
0:55 Bleeding Order
1:23 Siphon Brake Fluid
1:39 Refill Brake Fluid
2:13 Bleed Your Brakes
3:18 Close the Brake Lines
3:31 Refill the Master Cylinder
4:00 Test Your Brakes

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First you’ll need to determine in what order the lines will be bled.
In most cases, it’s recommended you bleed the brake line farthest from the master cylinder first and work back toward it.
The position of the ABS system can affect this, so always bleed the lines according to the manufacturer’s specifications for your vehicle.
In the case of our Nitro, we’ll go: right rear wheel, left rear wheel, right front wheel, left front wheel.

You’ll notice we’re starting with the Nitro raised with the wheels off. For details on how to do this safely, see our video on how to jack up your vehicle.

[under hood]
Before you start, use a shop towel to wipe down the master cylinder and cap to keep any contaminants from getting into the master cylinder when you take off the cap.
It’s a good idea to siphon most of the old brake fluid from the reservoir… leave a small amount in the bottom.
A simple siphon tool can be used for this.
The old brake fluid will be dark-colored, and the new fluid will be clear.
Starting with new brake fluid in the master cylinder ensures the fluid going from the master cylinder to the caliper or wheel cylinders is new, fresh fluid.
Check your owner’s manual for the recommended fluid-change interval… brake fluid should be changed regularly.
And be sure to clean up any spilled brake fluid immediately… remember, it’s highly corrosive.
You can use the old, siphoned brake fluid in the bleeding tool bottle.

Once you’re done siphoning, top off the master cylinder with new brake fluid, and put the cap back on.
It’s important to make sure the master cylinder never sucks air or runs dry… fluid should always cover the holes in the bottom of the reservoir.
And only use the brake fluid specified by your vehicle’s manufacturer.
Go to your first bleeder valve and remove the cap… attach your box wrench… then attach the hose of your bleeder tool.
We’ll be using a simple, one-person bleeder tool to demonstrate this process.
Situate the hose and bottle so that the hose runs above the bleeder valve and down into the bottle… and make sure the end of your hose is submerged in fluid before you open the valve.
Turn the box wrench to open the valve… you’ll see fluid starting to move into the hose.
Inside the vehicle, push all the way down on your brake pedal with slow, steady pressure.
If you have a friend with you, have them apply the brake pedal pressure… and close the valve again before the pedal is released each time.
The bleeder valve must be closed before allowing the brake pedal to lift.
Be sure your friend in the vehicle is clear on when to let up on the brake.
The brake pedal can be pumped to create pressure, but only before the bleeder valve is open.
Never pump the brake pedal with the bleeder valve open.

View video for full instructions