Gravity bleed trailer brakes
 

Pretty sure my trailer brakes just need to be bled. I saw this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVq7sAFJTpI

Seems pretty simple. Do you think this will work with trailer brakes?

Top off the fluid in the master cylinder and make sure the master cylinder is higher than the bleed ports.
You might need to actuate the cylinder a couple of times if you don't get any flow at first, but other than that, just make sure you keep the cap off the master cylinder and keep it full while it bleeds.

I didn't watch the video but I used to gravity feed my brakes. I just used a tube and a pop bottle, sucked on the tube to get it going and when I saw the fluid (clear tube obviously) draped it over a bunk and let it gravity bleed into the pop bottle for awhile. I have surge brakes with a Titan/Dico actuator with discs.

I have a gast vacuum pump I use now with a catch chamber.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]523885[/ATTACH] $20.00 Home depot pump up spayer, extra master cylinder cap. Little modification, fill with brake fliud and pump up. While cap is screwed on master of course.

I don't know for certain that gravity feed will work with trailer brakes, but that all depends on the routing of your brake lines. If you have any "loops or humps" in your brake line routing that are higher than your bleeder valves, I would think air would trap in there sans pressurizing all the way against a slightly opened bleeder.

I did not know about those Russel Bleeder Valves. Good to know.

For those with EoH, you can use the manual activation button in the truck (with a second person) to push fluid through the system.
I too have a pump system as shown above, but I bought it many years ago; as it was specifically a 1-man bleeder system made for such.

Local mechanic let me borrow his vacuum bleeder, works great. Surge/Discs.

Thanks for the info guys.

might get close that way but going to need pressure, by pump shown or block the trailer wheels and back the tow vehicle back a couple of times...

Ahhhh..... I just remembered that I have one of these collecting dust in my attic. This should do the trick. I haven't used it since I got a motor with a drain hose attached to the pan.



[ATTACH=CONFIG]523921[/ATTACH]

I like this kit from HF. http://www.harborfreight.com/brake-f...der-92924.html

The reservoir bottle is nice since you don't have to worry about sucking air or refilling.
I know there are ways to rig up stuff but this is too cheap and easy to grab and go!

I tried bleeding both sides with my vacuum pump. First try, NO brake fluid would come out either side.

So, I bypassed my reverse solenoid and fluid flowed from both sides. When I put the truck in reverse I could here the solenoid click, but It's obviously still bad.

I was pumping a steady stream of brake fluid and air. After going through almost a whole container of fluid I noticed I could still see air bubbles going through the line downstream of the connections where the solenoid was.

I ran out of daylight before I could double check those fittings. I'm hoping it's the fittings and not an issue with the actuator.

The good news is that I purged all the old fluid out of the system.

Is it recommended to use teflon tape on brake fittings?