buix893

Just put the brake line in that runs from the proportioning valve to the axle. I pumped the brakes and everything is nice and tight! So I filled a coke bottle up with brake fluid and attached a rubber hose to each nipple on the rear/front wheel cylinder. I had my brother pump the pedal five times then hold the brake all the way down. As he held the brake down I opened the nipple and air came out into the coke bottle, then I closed it...so I repeated until it was just fluid coming out. I did this on both the rear brakes and the front brakes.

Problem: Almost have to put my foot all the way down to the floor to stop the truck........this is driving me crazy, would hate to go to midas and have them charge me $100 to bleed the brakes

99 Purple XJ

Make sure all of your lines are tight double check them all and re bleed them going right rear left rear right front left front you work furthest to closest

Coastal

when you had the brake line disconnected from the master cylinder did you have a plug in the master to hold the fluid in it? or did you let it empty?


if the master cylinder was emptied it will need to be bled to get rid of any air bubbles inside it, and then the brakes will need to be re-bled at each wheel.

also did you touch the rear brakes at all? If you changed out the shoes and didn't adjust them properly the pedal will go to the floor.

buix893

I disconnected the line from the proportioning valve, but nothing came out and the fluid remained full in the master cylinder. Also the rear shoes were never touched.

I bled the rear driver twice, then the rear passenger twice and the same for the front.

Tylerball72

Id still say try bleeding the master cylinder.

buix893

How do you bleed the master cylinder?

Coastal

Master cylinder bleeding kits are available at any parts store for a few bucks.

If you've got two people and can get the jeep sitting so the master cylinder is perfectly level you can bleed it in the jeep. Otherwise pull it off and clamp it in a vise.

Unscrew one brake line at a time and turn in the proper sized fitting with a hose from the bleeder kit, the lose ends of the hoses go in the master cylinder. The kit will usually come with a little clamp thing to hold the hoses. Make sure the end of the hoses stay submerged in fluid.

In jeep method - have a helper slowly push the brake pedal to the floor while you watch the hoses for any air bubbles. Wait 10-30 seconds between pedal pushes. Continue until no air bubles come out. Reconnect brake lines, bleed brakes.

bench method - clamp master in a vise, make sure it's level. Use a screw driver as a pushrod and push it in the end. Same as above.

Sometimes the bleeder kit will just be some plugs that thread into the master. The method is the same, but air bubbles will be coming from the holes inside the fluid reservoir. Once all air has been bled from it the screw driver will barely push in at all, maybe 1/16" and no bubbles.

Make sure to protect any painted surfaces from brake fluid spills, the stuff has the same effect as paint thinner.


Once that's all done and everything has been bled you should be good to go. If not check that the booster is holding pressure and pull the drums to make sure your rear wheel cylinders aren't leaking any fluid.

Tylerball72

Could have not said it better myself. That is a well written response.

rrich

I used to get that all the time at my shop.
YOU are causing it.

Ever try to wash soap bubbles - foam - down the sink? Not easy!

DON'T PUMP IT! Pumping turns the fluid to foam - impossible to bleed.
Wait 30 minutes for the bubbles to go away. Then push down and hold ONCE, open the bleeder. Repeat. You won't get much the first few times but you are moving the air down. Keep repeating that, eventually you'll get air and fluid! REPEAT until you get clear fluid! Get clear fluid at least 4 times.
Do the next wheel same way - do all of them, then go back and recheck - you'll be surprised.

NEVER PUMP THE PEDAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I used to get $75-100 to properly bleed the brakes.

Coastal

Thanks



I agree with the above post as well. No need to pump the brakes 3 times to build pressure like a lot of people tend to do. One push is all it takes to force fluid through the lines unless your booster is not holding pressure, in which case bleeding won't help.

freegdr

pumping is ok just slowly and wait 5 second between times you open the bleeder also dont try and push the pedal thru the floor board when pumping pump...pump...pumphold open bleeder.close bleeder.release pedal.....repeat....

buix893

So I should have someone push the pedal and hold it once, then as they are holding it, open and close the valve? repeat 4 times per wheel?

How about gravity bleeding?

rrich

You - underneath
Helper up top

You yell "push" - helper pushes the pedal down and holds it down. do not pump it - only push down once!
You open the bleeder. Leave open till just a dribble.
close bleeder.
helper has to hold the pedal down while you have the bleeder open - else it draws more air in!

You yell OK helper lets pedal up - waits a moment (so MC piston gets another gulp of fluid - not air!

you yell "push"
helper pushes and holds it down

again, open the bleeder till just a dribble, then close it.

repeat as many times as needed till you get clear fluid with no bubbles several times! May take 4, may take 25 or more times - depends on how much air is in it.

Next wheel do the same.
do same for all 4 wheels!
then recheck all wheels.

it's not rocket science!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Or take to a shop where they know how to do it.

most folks pump the pedal to make foam, and they don't bleed it enough!

We probably only did about 1000 brake jobs a year!
do not pump the pedal, not once, not 100 times! Unless you don't want to get the air out!

brake fluid foams up real easy, almost like soap!

Biohazed

Alos if your sure that your brake are correctly bled ... check your adjustment on your rear brakes ... if they are off too much then is will give a light pedal as well.


If you pump your brakes a few times then stop does the pedal come back? if so then they are incorrectly bled.

rrich

Improper brake shoe adjustment does not give a soft pedal. It gives a LOW pedal.

Lift up the wheel. Spin it, tighten the adjustment till the wheel won't turn anymore. Have someone step on the pedal, then release it. Probably the wheel turns now - they centered the shoes!

Tighten adjuster again, step on the pedal momentarily to center again.

Keep doing it till it won't turn.

If you don't center the shoes you will fool yourself.

Now - back off 4 clicks - still won't turn? Center it by stepping on the pedal. Still tight? Back off 3 more clicks, then ALWAYS CENTER!

Do it until the wheel turns with only a slight drag. But always center the shoes by stepping on the pedal.

If you don't, you'll adjust them waaaaay too loose!