How often do you bleed brake fluid and how do you do it? Air is essential for power production in the engine, but it is equally harmful when it gets into other parts of your truck. The engine requires air to burn the fuel in the combustion chamber effectively. On the other hand, air can be harmful when it gets into the braking system. When there is air in the braking system, your brake pedals will feel squishy, and the brakes will not be able to work. Thus, it is essential to remove any air molecule that may exist in the braking system through bleeding.
Initially, the process to bleed brake fluid was hectic as you needed someone to pump the pedal. But you can now perform this procedure without involving a second party. All you need is a vacuum pump with hand-operated triggers or connectors that you attach to the air compressor, making the bleeding process easy.
Process TO Bleed Brake Fluid Using a Pneumatic Vacuum Pump
You need a floor jack, jack stands, vacuum brake bleeder, air compressor, line wrench, and wrench set to begin the process to bleed brake fluid. After having all the necessary tools, follow these steps.
Lift Your Truck And Remove the Wheels
Before lifting your truck, ensure it is on a level surface. Lift the truck using a floor jack and remove the tire. You can perform this procedure on one corner after the other until all the wheels are removed.
Attach All the Parts of the Vacuum Cleaner
Ensure that all the hoses are attached to the vacuum pump and that the pump itself is attached to the air compressor hose. At this point, consider turning on the air compressor. Identify where the bleeder port is. Usually, it is at the rear side of the caliper, and remove the dust cap.
Attach the Vacuum Hose to the Bleeder Port
When doing this, consider starting with the wheel away from the master cylinder. The master cylinder is usually in front of the driver’s side. This means you should start working on the rear wheels.
Attach the hose to the bleeder port and ensure the catch canister is tightly screwed so that no air can access the system.
Drain all the Fluid from the Reservoir and Replace It
Open the hood of your truck and locate the brake reservoir, usually within the engine bay. Open the lead of the reservoir and drain the contaminated fluid. In this step, you can use tools such as a handheld turkey baster and fluid extractor. Refill the reservoir with new fluid and keep the cap on top of the reservoir. Do not tighten it to allow airflow.
Flush the Brakes
Loosen the bleeder screw a quarter turn using a wrench or socket. The screw is at the brake caliper. Turn the attached vacuum on the bleeder valve to suck out all the fluid.
Close the Bleeder Valve
If the fluid looks okay, remove the hose and tighten the bleeder valve using your wrench. Reattach the cap and fit the wheels. This is how to bleed brake fluid with ease.
Conclusion
When looking to bleed brake fluid using a pneumatic vacuum pump, check the brake fluid reservoir as the fluid level will go down and consider topping it up. Never allow the levels of the fluid to go down as this can let air into the system.