How to Bleed Brake Lines With Only One Person
The brakes on your vehicle need to be maintained properly to ensure flawless operation. The brake pads should be replaced at the first sign of wear. The brake fluid also needs to be replaced. The standard procedure for bleeding the brake fluid and replacing it with clean fluid, requires two people. One person needs to apply pressure to the brake pedal while the other manages the bleed valve. If you need to replace your brake fluid and are without the assistance of another person, you can still properly change the fluid.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Tire iron
- Lifting jack
- Jack stands
- Brake fluid hand pump
- Adjustable wrench
Instructions
-
-
1
Open the master cylinder cap. The master cylinder is under the hood of the vehicle, on the driver's side, near the windshield.
-
2
Loosen the lug nuts on the right rear wheel first, using the socket end of the tire iron. Lift the vehicle with the lifting jack, and place jack stands beneath the frame of the vehicle.
-
-
3
Remove the lug nuts and pull the wheel from the lug nut bolts.
-
4
Place the hose of the pump over the brake fluid bleed valve. The valve is located near the upper-most caliper bolt. Squeeze the pump to form a seal on the valve.
-
5
Open the bleed valve with an adjustable wrench.
-
6
Squeeze the handle on the pump to pull the fluid from the valve. After a few pumps, check the master cylinder to make sure the fluid is not emptied from the reservoir.
-
7
Fill the container with brake fluid as needed. Repeat until the fluid being drawn from the bleed valve does not have bubbles in the stream.
-
8
Close the brake fluid bleed valve with an adjustable wrench. Remove the brake fluid pump tube from the valve. Replace the wheel and the lug nuts.
-
9
Lower the vehicle and tighten the lug nuts with the tire iron.
-
10
Replace the cap on the master cylinder.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
The brake lines at each wheel needs to be bled. Start at the right rear wheel and then the left rear wheel. Next, bleed the valve at the right front wheel and end by bleeding the brake line at the left front brake.
Check the owner's manual for the appropriate brake fluid.
