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hhf12345 Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2022 Posts: 1 Location: Maryland
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Posted: Sat May 28, 2022 5:20 pm Post subject: Pressure Brake Bleeding - Easy and Cheap |
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I'm in the process of replacing most of the braking system on my '67 Beetle and read numerous posts about the time and effort required to bleed after replacing the master cylinder, wheel cylinders and lines. I saw the various methods of using vacuum pumps, garden sprayers, gravity bleeding and the traditional pump-the-pedal-forever. Here's what worked for me, virtually no-cost:
- Plastic air pump used for sports balls
- Cap from a bottle of brake fluid (or other similar cap)
Drill a hole in the cap (1/4" worked for me.) Use the tapered plastic nozzle on the air pump (the one used for blowing up a beach ball.) Fill the reservoir, attach clear plastic tubing to the bleeder screw with the other end in a bottle. Open the bleeder screw 1/2 turn.
Insert the pump nozzle into the hole in the cap and pump 10-15 strokes. No sealer on the cap is necessary, since the nozzle is tapered. Check the tubing at the wheel to see if you're getting fluid and/or bubbles. Keep pumping until you get only fluid, checking the reservoir every so often to make sure the fluid level is sufficient.
I bled in the sequence suggested, RF, LF, RR, LR. It took about 20 strokes for each front wheel and 30-35 for the rear wheels. Very easy and used about 2/3 of a quart of brake fluid.
I put teflon tape on the threads of the bleeder screws to keep fluid from seeping out while the screw is open. Just don't cover the little hole near the bottom.
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Cusser Samba Member

Joined: October 02, 2006 Posts: 32483 Location: Hot Arizona
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Posted: Sun May 29, 2022 7:00 am Post subject: Re: Pressure Brake Bleeding - Easy and Cheap |
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hhf12345 wrote: |
I'm in the process of replacing most of the braking system on my '67 Beetle and read numerous posts about the time and effort required to bleed after replacing the master cylinder, wheel cylinders and lines. I saw the various methods of using vacuum pumps, garden sprayers, gravity bleeding and the traditional pump-the-pedal-forever. Here's what worked for me, virtually no-cost:
- Plastic air pump used for sports balls
- Cap from a bottle of brake fluid (or other similar cap)
Drill a hole in the cap (1/4" worked for me.) Use the tapered plastic nozzle on the air pump (the one used for blowing up a beach ball.) Fill the reservoir, attach clear plastic tubing to the bleeder screw with the other end in a bottle. Open the bleeder screw 1/2 turn.
Insert the pump nozzle into the hole in the cap and pump 10-15 strokes. No sealer on the cap is necessary, since the nozzle is tapered. Check the tubing at the wheel to see if you're getting fluid and/or bubbles. Keep pumping until you get only fluid, checking the reservoir every so often to make sure the fluid level is sufficient.
I bled in the sequence suggested, RF, LF, RR, LR. It took about 20 strokes for each front wheel and 30-35 for the rear wheels. Very easy and used about 2/3 of a quart of brake fluid.
I put teflon tape on the threads of the bleeder screws to keep fluid from seeping out while the screw is open. Just don't cover the little hole near the bottom. |
Seems good to me.
I had used a small air compressor set to low pressure to do similar bleeding on my 1971 last year. _________________ 1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297 |
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vwtrey Samba Member

Joined: May 18, 2004 Posts: 589 Location: NM
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Posted: Sun May 29, 2022 7:04 am Post subject: Re: Pressure Brake Bleeding - Easy and Cheap |
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I was thinking about this the other day, probably on the 1 millionth pump on my vacuum pump. Glad it works. |
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74 Thing Samba Member

Joined: September 02, 2004 Posts: 7582
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Posted: Sun May 29, 2022 11:42 am Post subject: Re: Pressure Brake Bleeding - Easy and Cheap |
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That is thinking outside of the box!
I have used anti seize on the bleeder screw threads so that air will not get sucked back in when bleeding and so of course they don't seize for the next time you want to bleed your brakes. |
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Cusser Samba Member

Joined: October 02, 2006 Posts: 32483 Location: Hot Arizona
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Trikeman72 Samba Member
Joined: April 16, 2008 Posts: 42 Location: Lake Havasu City, Arizona
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Posted: Sun May 29, 2022 4:45 pm Post subject: Re: Pressure Brake Bleeding - Easy and Cheap |
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I may do something like this if I have to bleed my brakes more.
I got a marathon thread for my rail brakes been kicking my donkey.
I actually had way too much gap between push rod and mcy piston. Now it’s properly setup. Waiting on my helper to get back from Ohio 😞 |
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Heiferman Samba Member

Joined: February 28, 2024 Posts: 205 Location: Georgia, USA
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Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2024 4:24 pm Post subject: Re: Pressure Brake Bleeding - Easy and Cheap |
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For the win. I was screwing around with a master all day and saw this thread. I bench bled it, have new lines, blah blah, even cracked lines between the metal lines and hoses and got fluid but nothing from the front bleeders. Put a valve stem in a plastic Coke bottle cap. Used a bike pump and it worked well to get some fluid to the front cylinders on my Thing.
The rears were no problem.
Thanks for the post! |
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zerotofifty Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2003 Posts: 3098
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Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2024 5:12 pm Post subject: Re: Pressure Brake Bleeding - Easy and Cheap |
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74 Thing wrote: |
That is thinking outside of the box!
I have used anti seize on the bleeder screw threads so that air will not get sucked back in when bleeding and so of course they don't seize for the next time you want to bleed your brakes. |
Use brake system compatible grease, the same stuff that VW called "brake paste" regular antiseize can ruin the rubber bits in the brake system. Brake compatible grease is harmless to the rubber bits. I also use this brake grease for assembly if the cylinders, coating the bores and piston sides with it to prevent corrosion on the non wetted surfaces. Never use brake fluid for this purpose as doing so will promote corrosion as the fluid absorbs moisture. |
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