What is bleeding?

      Bleeding is a procedure where the air bubbles are removed from the brake fluid (used in brakes) in a hydraulic braking system. The brake bleeding process is generally done while changing the brake fluid or in case of bubble formation.

Is brake bleeding really necessary?

      Yes, the Braking system consists of several parts like rubber in the valves of the master cylinder, calipers, and wheel cylinders which are destructible, so those tiny flakes will end up in the fluid. These come out only if we bleed our brakes.

What are various brake bleeding methods?

  • Reverse Brake Bleeding Method

        Reverse Bleeding Brakes inject fluid at the low points. Reverse Bleeding Brakes takes advantage of the “laws of Physics” that the air rises in the fluid. The complete system is bled by forcing the air up and out from the reservoir of the master cylinder So that the brake fluid then fills the reservoir.

         Reverse bleeding is the best single brake bleeding method. It is effective at removing trapped air.  It works well with ABS-equipped vehicles. It is the fastest method of any bleeding method.

  • Pressure Brake Bleeding Method

         Pressure bleeding is a very common bleeding technique. It keeps the brake system under pressure and is the best brake bleeding method for flushing dirty fluid from the system.


  • Vacuum Bleeding Method

        The vacuum Bleeding method is the least effective bleeding technique. However, it is the most common technique used. But this procedure is tricky as air sometimes gets in around the bleed screw threads and creates a tube full of bubbles. So you need to be more careful by keeping some heavy bearing grease around the bleed screw base which can help stop deceptive bubbling.


  • Bench Bleeding Method

          This is a complex process you need to remove your master cylinder to perform this technique.

To bench bleed your brake you will need;

  1. Fresh brake fluid,
  2. Workbench or table with a fixed vise,
  3. Strong rod (wooden or plastic).

Which bleeding method is the best?

             In my opinion, "Reverse bleeding" is more efficient but trying different methods is good.

Why does it work well with ABS?
 
              As we all know,  ABS manipulates braking pressure and then allows fluid to easily return to the master cylinder. The bleeding also takes place in the same valves so it works well with ABS.

How often should I bleed my brakes?

               I recommend you to have a check at the first signs of a brake problem. Or else you can go through your vehicle’s owner’s manual, where you can find the list of specific brake inspection intervals.