I'm planning to install some braided steel brake lines and will need to bleed the system. I've read up, and from what I can tell you either need the Hawkeye diagnostic tool to do it through the ABS system or you need two people.

I have this one-man brake bleeder from AB, though: One Man Brake Bleeder Kit - W155

The instructions say to attach it to the wheel well above where you're bleeding and then pump the brake until there's no air. I'm assuming air can't get back into the system because it's positioned above the caliper, so you just come back after pumping the brakes and shut off the bleeder. Anyone ever done this? Will it be sufficient to get a good pedal without messing with the ABS?

 

Not familiar with that particular one but in the past I have used the pressure sprayer through the master cylinder where you depress and hold the brake pedal with a stick, with brake fluid in the sprayer, pressurized and going into the master cylinder. Then you simply crack open the bleed screw at the wheel and let it flow until no bubbles. Repeat for each wheel.

That one just looks like it has a one-way valve at the overflow bottle so that as you pump the pedal and push air and fluid into the bottle, the air cannot back-flow back into the caliper. Does that sound right to you? In which case the instructions will tell you if that bottle needs a certain fluid level inside to work or not.

Keep us posted.

 

I've never had great luck with one man bleeding, at least not consistently. If the system is already fine and you're just replacing the fluid, then most of them work OK. But if you've had some component out of the system, and too much fluid is lost, none of them seem to work very well for me. I always end up getting a friend to come and I do the two many job until I get good pressure, and then I might go back to the one man.

I've done it with nanocom and hawkeye and even that has situations where I needed a second person before I could get it to work standalone.

I've thought about trying these: Speed Bleeder Bleeding Brakes Bleeding Motorcycle Brakes Automotive Bleeder Screw Brake Bleeder

 

The Motive pressure bleeder is the best I've used. It's basically what Jamieb is talking about except it threads right on to the MC cap threads. Pump it up, crack the bleeder, drink a beer, close the bleeder. Repeat 3 more times.

 

Thanks for the advice, folks – I'm going to just dive in and will report back. I'm just swapping brake lines, so am hoping not to be draining too much fluid. It'd be nice to do a full bleed of the system at the same time, though.

 

I didn't know they had a Land Rover version. That's awesome, and certainly the best way to do this. I just HATE using the universal fitting with the chains.

 

Why not hire or buy the proper kit to run the ABS motor correctly and with this you can bleed both the A & B brake circuits properly and also power bleed the brakes to ensure all the old fluid is evacuated.

The different tools are:

1. Britpart Lynx
2. Hawkeye
3. Nanocom

Having bought the Britpart Lynx I can honestly say it is an excellent diagnostic and system activation interface. Not cheap but well worthwhile.