How to Bleed Brakes
Drivers near Hyannis, Barnstable, and Yarmouth, MA, know how to keep their vehicles in great shape. Doing so sometimes means that they need to bleed their brakes. If you’re curious about what this process entails, the Ira Toyota of Hyannis team outlines it below.
Although this service is often performed by professional mechanics as part of regular car maintenance, it is possible to bleed brakes on your own. Read on to learn how you can bleed your vehicle’s brakes or skip to scheduling brake service.
What Is Brake Bleeding?
Brake bleeding is the process of removing air from a hydraulic brake system. Air can get in if there is a leak or a crack somewhere in the system. It can also cause your brakes to be less effective.
You’ll notice the following signs when your brakes need bleeding:
- The brakes feel spongy.
- The brake pedal goes all the way down to the floor.
- You feel like you need to pump the brakes to stop.
Bleeding your brakes will get the air bubbles out and restore strength to your brakes.
Preparation
Before you can start bleeding your brakes, you’ll need to get some supplies and make sure that your car is in the right position. You will need:
- A flexible hose
- Clean empty jars or bottles
- A car jack
- Clean brake fluid
- A box wrench
Make sure to wear protective gear, like gloves and safety goggles, since brake fluid is corrosive. Having towels or rags on hand will also help to clean up any spills that might occur.
Once you’ve collected your supplies, either jack up your entire car and prop it on jack stands or jack up at the wheel that you are working on. Then, remove the tire of the brake you are working on and you’re ready to start the bleeding process.
How to Bleed Brakes
Before getting your hands dirty, first check the level of brake fluid in the master cylinder. Make sure that it is at least about the minimum level.
Begin bleeding at the wheel farthest from the master cylinder and work your way toward the wheel closest to the cylinder and follow these steps:
Locate the brake bleeder screw behind the brake of the wheel.- Loosen the screw but don’t remove it.
- Attach one end of the flexible hose over the end of the screw and the other end into a jar or a bottle with enough brake fluid to submerge the end of the hose.
- Have a partner press on the brake pedal while you open the screw—you should see brake fluid flow out along with air bubbles.
- Tighten the screw while your partner is still holding down the pedal.
Repeat the loosening and tightening process until there are no more air bubbles. It is also important to keep checking on the master cylinder to see how much fluid is inside. You want the fluid level to stay above the minimum line.
Tighten the bleeder screw all the way and move onto the next wheel. Repeat the whole process for each wheel until you are done. After you have bled the brakes from each wheel, put the tires back on, take your car off the jack stands, and fill the master cylinder to the maximum line with brake fluid.
Schedule Your Brake Bleed with Us!
While bleeding your brakes is a necessary procedure, the professionals at Ira Toyota of Hyannis are happy to do it for you. If you live around Hyannis, Barnstable, or Yarmouth, MA, you can easily make a service appointment with us whenever you notice that your brakes are feeling spongy.
Call our service center today!