12 replies to this topic

[cliffs911]

Anyone have any comments on using speed bleedersto help bleed brakes? Good, bad, indifferent?

[Duncan]

I just gravity bleed mine. No special equipment needed, just a little extra patience.

Duncan

[Keith Novak]

Tried em. Switched back to stock bleeders.

[Mike Colangelo]

Anyone have any comments on using speed bleedersto help bleed brakes? Good, bad, indifferent?

I use Speed Bleeders on my Honda CRX ITA car. I installed them about two months ago and, after two track days, haven't had any issues. I'm using the stainless steel ones and not the regular version. SS costs a bit more but I think it's worth the extra few bucks.

I'll also add that I've used a Power Bleeder system before and while that works well for most of the cars I've used it on (except Hondas), I didn't like that I was wasting a lot of perfectly good brake fluid.

[HoneyBadger - BrianW]

I use Speed Bleeders on my Honda CRX ITA car. I installed them about two months ago and, after two track days, haven't had any issues. I'm using the stainless steel ones and not the regular version. SS costs a bit more but I think it's worth the extra few bucks.

I'll also add that I've used a Power Bleeder system before and while that works well for most of the cars I've used it on (except Hondas), I didn't like that I was wasting a lot of perfectly good brake fluid.

If you use the power bleeder to just apply pressure on the system you don't waste any brake fluid. i.e. don't put fluid in the actual pressure bleeder, just make sure the cylinder is topped off all the way like you would when you are 2 man bleeding the system. It is also a whole lot easier to clean up afterwards.

YMMV

[davecarama]

If you use the power bleeder to just apply pressure on the system you don't waste any brake fluid. i.e. don't put fluid in the actual pressure bleeder, just make sure the cylinder is topped off all the way like you would when you are 2 man bleeding the system. It is also a whole lot easier to clean up afterwards.

YMMV

That is what I do. Works great! And you can use it on more that one car. Motive Bleeder.

Speed bleeders worked fine on my 97. But you do need to get the thread sealer, and you do need to re-apply it occasionally.

[fishguyaz]

If you use the power bleeder to just apply pressure on the system you don't waste any brake fluid. i.e. don't put fluid in the actual pressure bleeder, just make sure the cylinder is topped off all the way like you would when you are 2 man bleeding the system. It is also a whole lot easier to clean up afterwards.

YMMV

+1
easy one person operation at the shop or the track.

[john mueller]

Tried em. Switched back to stock bleeders.

Same with me... Now I just gravity bleed.

[davew]

This has been discussed several times on the old site. First time here.

I will never use them. First they break easy. Stainless helps, but they are easy to break.

I have cured several bad brake pedal issuees by removing the speed bleeders and installing stock type bleeders and rebleeding. Believe me or not.

Buy a brake bleeder bottle, and use this method.

Install bottle on bleeder screww, open bleeder screw. Pump pedal several times SLOWLY. Close screw, remove bottle. Go to next wheel and repeat. One person, no mess, no waste.

Every time I post this method, I get comments that it won't work. Try it, it really does work.

Dave

[Cy Peake]

I haven't had luck with SB's on racecars (where the brakes get HOT). The metal walls of a SB are much thinner than a reguilar bleeder screw to accomodate the internal ball. This has resulted in several SBs snapping in half when tightening and requiring some effort to remove the snapped bit from the caliper with a drill bit. I also didn't have any luck with the Motive Bleeder on my SM so I've gone back to the old fashioned two person method and have been good to go since.

[Glenn]

This has been discussed several times on the old site. First time here.

I will never use them. First they break easy. Stainless helps, but they are easy to break.

I have cured several bad brake pedal issuees by removing the speed bleeders and installing stock type bleeders and rebleeding. Believe me or not.

Buy a brake bleeder bottle, and use this method.

Install bottle on bleeder screww, open bleeder screw. Pump pedal several times SLOWLY. Close screw, remove bottle. Go to next wheel and repeat. One person, no mess, no waste.

Every time I post this method, I get comments that it won't work. Try it, it really does work.

Dave

Just get a bottle that breathes or it will build up pressure and blow off the hose!

[FTodaro]

I use the gravity system also but to answer the question, I put speed bleeders on my car and I had one start to leak. I just do not trust them. Give me a good old solid seal any time.

[Lee Tilton]

This has been discussed several times on the old site. First time here.

I will never use them. First they break easy. Stainless helps, but they are easy to break.

I have cured several bad brake pedal issuees by removing the speed bleeders and installing stock type bleeders and rebleeding. Believe me or not.

Buy a brake bleeder bottle, and use this method.

Install bottle on bleeder screww, open bleeder screw. Pump pedal several times SLOWLY. Close screw, remove bottle. Go to next wheel and repeat. One person, no mess, no waste.

Every time I post this method, I get comments that it won't work. Try it, it really does work.

Dave

+1. In addition, at least for me, I could not get the Motive system to work with speed bleeders. 15 psi wasn't enough to overcome the speed bleeder check valve.