trailer brake bleeding
 

How do you guys bleed the brakes on your trailers??
cravity bleeding or any other tricks??

I loosen each bleeder valve one at a time and run a clear hose (3/8" if I remember properly) that attaches over the valve and the other end goes into a container. I partially disassemble my hitch, stick a large pry bar against the piston/actuator and begin pumping. Make sure you have pleny of fluid to keep the reservoir full as the fluid bleeds. It also helps to have someone to assist you so they can open the valves as you begin pumping and close them after they observe that no more bubbles are coming through the hose. Make sure they close the valve as you are in the middle of a pump so you dont get any air into the system. If you're doing it alone just make sure that there is pleny of fluid in the hose so that when you go to shut off the valve, it only sucks fluid into the system after you lay off the pump, you can then close the valve with confidence that there is no air in the system.

just did this. one man system, 3 axle surge drums (Dexter).

siphon out the master cyl. first and fill with fresh fluid (all the less old fluid you have to bleed thru).

I put the tounge up some (boat was on it)

started w/rear axle. clear plastic bottle half full of new fliud, five oz or so (dump the bottle after every wheel cause it is now contaminated!), clear vinyl hose from bleeder nipple stuck in the bottle deep in the fluid. (bottle was up on a block so it wasn't such a distance).

pry apart and stick something (I used the fat end of a 3/8 extention) in between the front of the lock sheaths/bracket for the breakaway lever so you can stroke the breakaway lever fully without it catching.

I used a crescent wrench on the end of the lever for a handle

pump/fill pump fill. go side to side axle to axle. self explanatory.

I used 60 oz. of fluid by the time my system was completely flushed and full.

the fluid in my trailer was original (six years old...I know, my bad). I had never changed it. It was nasty!!!

I have had drums hanging up (BIGTIME heat). so boiled I'm sure at least at the wheel cylinder, old, black, moisture contaminated (petroleum brake fluid attracts moisture and then boils at a lower temp), sediment, rust....just a horrible scene.

I would have used synthetic (I like the Castrol Syntec) but it was a pressing issue (having bad brake problems) and I just used STP cause it was available at the convenience store on the corner. also I just wanted to see if it would help my problems. it did and it didn't...but needed to be done anyway. surge drums suck!

I will flush in synthetic in the spring wether I convert to discs or not!

Mechanics have a power bleeding system that attaches on top of the reservior for surge brakes.

I have an electric over hydraulic system on my Eagle trailer. All I have to do is pull the safety cable to activate the pump, then hit the all bleeder valves.

Start with the farthest valve from the resservior first and work toward the reservior.