Brake bleeding sometimes in necessary when brakes are repaired. The purpose is to remove all air from the system. Air in the system will not allow the brakes to work. Unfortunately, brake bleeding is one of the harder jobs in brake servicing. Unlike most vehicle repairs, brake bleeding usually requires two people if you do not have the specialized tools for the job. Bleeding brakes is almost impossible to do without a helper or a brake vacuum pump, so you really need one or the other.
Bleeder Breaks Off
One major problem is the bleeder nipple breaking off in the caliper or the cylinder. You place a wrench on the nipple and turn. Because it hasnt been opened in years, its frozen shut. You attempt to open it, and it breaks off internally, below the surface of the caliper. To avoid this, use a penetrating oil on the nipple, and tap gently with an aluminum or soft faced mallet. If you apply pressure on your wrench but it doesnt open, apply more oil and keep tapping gently. You may have to repeat this until it loosens up. Popular Mechanics Magazine recommends using the box end of the wrench on the bleeder, so the wrench doesnt round off the hexagon part.
Brake Fluid and Paint
Brake fluid will "eat" and dissolve car paint. Be very careful when filling the reservoir on the master cylinder. Clean up any spills immediately with a dry towel.
Ground Clearance
Ground clearance is a problem. If you are working on a truck, there is plenty of room for you to crawl underneath. On a car, this is a different story. Some cars make it very difficult to crawl underneath to reach the bleeder nipples. You will have to raise the car. The solution is to rent some car ramps at a local tool rental facility or buy some. You and helpers must push the car up the ramps slowly, since you have no brakes to stop the car if driven onto the ramps. The car and ramps must be on hard, level ground. After the car is up on ramps, place it in park, set the parking brake firmly and use wheel chocks.
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