Trailer Bleeding issues
#1
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From: Thousand Islands area
Went from Drum to disk surge brakes. Bought the Kodiak 7000lbs axel set. After pulling my hair out on install, tried bleeding the brakes and more hair pulling.
I took the actuator apart its a DICO and took out the valve in the bottom that's used for drum brakes, installed everything back as it was. Also installed a reverse lock out solenoid. After pumping the actuator fluid comes out in a nice stream through the lockout solenoid, so I know its good to that point. Once I start pumping the actuator gets real tough and will barely move like the brakes are bled, and when I do pump it a stream of break fluid wants to shoot out of the actuator almost like there is back pressure. I can get nothing but a spatter at the bleeder valves, even went and tried a vacuum bleeder no luck. I don't know if theres an air leak or air lock or something else. The old brake lines never changed, the only I replaced was the flex hose. The old brake lines didn't leak and didn't have any kinks or bends.
I was thinking about hooking it up and running down the road hitting the breaks to make break the an air lock.
Any other suggestions.
I took the actuator apart its a DICO and took out the valve in the bottom that's used for drum brakes, installed everything back as it was. Also installed a reverse lock out solenoid. After pumping the actuator fluid comes out in a nice stream through the lockout solenoid, so I know its good to that point. Once I start pumping the actuator gets real tough and will barely move like the brakes are bled, and when I do pump it a stream of break fluid wants to shoot out of the actuator almost like there is back pressure. I can get nothing but a spatter at the bleeder valves, even went and tried a vacuum bleeder no luck. I don't know if theres an air leak or air lock or something else. The old brake lines never changed, the only I replaced was the flex hose. The old brake lines didn't leak and didn't have any kinks or bends.
I was thinking about hooking it up and running down the road hitting the breaks to make break the an air lock.
Any other suggestions.
#2
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Joined: Jun 2011
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From: Thousand Islands area
I did drill out the hole to be bigger on the orfice on the master cylinder as well.
I was reading you should loosen the bolts that hold that hold the accuator in the tongue, but I did not try that.
a few more thing Ive tried making the tongue lower than the rear and level.
I taped off the threads on the bleeder screw as to not get air. The system is pressurized as I have the vacuum bleeder hooked to the top bleeder and if I loosen the bottom bleeder the air comes out. So there the system must be air tight.
The only thing I can think of is if I look down in the accuator the hole that lets fluid from the reservoir to the portion below I can see the little ram which I would I am supposed to but when the trailer tongue is all the way open you can see brass quite a bit, so maybe the plunger is block the hole to much I don't know.
I was reading you should loosen the bolts that hold that hold the accuator in the tongue, but I did not try that.
a few more thing Ive tried making the tongue lower than the rear and level.
I taped off the threads on the bleeder screw as to not get air. The system is pressurized as I have the vacuum bleeder hooked to the top bleeder and if I loosen the bottom bleeder the air comes out. So there the system must be air tight.
The only thing I can think of is if I look down in the accuator the hole that lets fluid from the reservoir to the portion below I can see the little ram which I would I am supposed to but when the trailer tongue is all the way open you can see brass quite a bit, so maybe the plunger is block the hole to much I don't know.
Last edited by soldier4402; 05-24-2013 at 01:02 PM.
#4
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From: Between A Womans Leggs in IL
if you took out the little doo hicky in the master the fluid should run out of the master with out pumping it,if it dont then you have to dril out the end where the little pim hole is from where you took out the little doo hicky..if its leaking out of the master with the cap off then just crack the bleeders are the calipers and let it gravity bleed and keep a eye on the master and keep if full..like mentioned after you bleed them start closing the bleeder the furthest from the master..
#5
Which flex hose did you replace? The one at the master cylinder? Or did you add flex hoses at the calipers? Are you sure your flex hoses aren't swelled shut? I don't recall from your past threads but are you sure your existing hard lines aren't corroded and plugged up? Do they run through the frame rails or are they external where you can see them?
I would suggest you use your vacuum pump at the closest caliper, pull a vacuum then start cracking the fittings open on the path back to the master cylinder, that's one way to try and find your blockage.
When I converted mine I had the new calipers on, new master cylinder, I was ready to go. Start trying to bleed the system and nothing. Eventually found that the existing hard line inside the framerail (the last thing I hadn't replaced) was broken and rusted shut, and thus I had to run a new hardline. After that, good to go.
I would suggest you use your vacuum pump at the closest caliper, pull a vacuum then start cracking the fittings open on the path back to the master cylinder, that's one way to try and find your blockage.
When I converted mine I had the new calipers on, new master cylinder, I was ready to go. Start trying to bleed the system and nothing. Eventually found that the existing hard line inside the framerail (the last thing I hadn't replaced) was broken and rusted shut, and thus I had to run a new hardline. After that, good to go.
#6
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From: Thousand Islands area
Yeah drilled out the orfice already on the master fluid comes out of that fine. The flex hose at the master. And all caliper hoses are new. How do you get them unswelled. The lines are old and outside of the frame inspected and didn't see any kinks or rust. Gonna look for the bleeder that lets you push from caliper to the master. To me doesn't seem like a blockage or air lock. But maybe swelled hoses is the problem but they are all new



