Brake Bleeder Tool Decision

[JeepYJ]

Looking at some one man brake bleeder tools to use for brake fluid replacement. I see the Power Motive tool get some good reviews. Harbor Freight has a Hoyt version. Then there is the Mity Vac pump. Any others to consider?
Vehicles it will be used on 2006 Toyota, 2023 Honda, 2012 Jeep and some 1980s and early 2000 Fords and Jeeps.

 

[turner66]

Speedi-Bleed…
pressurized from the master cylinder reservoir via the speedi-bleed reservoir bottle and adapter. no chance of air entering the system unless you completely use all fluid in both reservoirs and don't stop to refill...

 

[RickyPetite]

Mityvac MV6840 is a great system. It has 7 master cylinder adapters, hangs on the open hood and makes 1 person bleeding a breeze. It can also be used to dispense other fluid such as in the rear differential etc.

 

[Chipm]

Pressure bleeders are the way to go. I use Mityvac. Keep it for brake fluid only; I don't use the same unit for oils and brake fluid.

 

[gizardlizard]

I second the Speedi bleed. Have had it a few years now and it works awesome. I have all Toyota/Lexus vehicles and the adapter fits perfectly. Never had a leak.

 

[BrandonV]

I like my pressure bleeder. About to list one on the Classifieds here since I inherited another one.

 

[Jeepster04]

Ive had the Mityvac vacuum bleeder for many years and its never let me down. Some people dont like them b/c its hard to seal around the bleeder threads but I can typically get some thick silicone to seal. Most often I dont worry about it though, I just bleed it for 30 or so seconds and shes good. It does require a good sized air compressor, so thats a downside.

Its nice being able to quickly **** the fluid out of the reservoir on both the master cylinder and the power steering pump.

 

[Shadowdog500]

I used the harbor freight vacuum bleeder for years and liked it.
I eventually switched over to a motive pressure bleeder to do the brakes in my 53’ Willy’s Jeep and like that even more.

 

[Squankum]

Ive had the Mityvac vacuum bleeder for many years and its never let me down. Some people dont like them b/c its hard to seal around the bleeder threads but I can typically get some thick silicone to seal. Most often I dont worry about it though, I just bleed it for 30 or so seconds and shes good. It does require a good sized air compressor, so thats a downside.

Its nice being able to quickly **** the fluid out of the reservoir on both the master cylinder and the power steering pump.

Ditto! Except, mine's by CAPRI. And I love to use it remove fluid from various things. A little scrap of the right diameter copper tubing and you can remove brake fluid from a reservoir, power steering fluid, motor oil from a filter housing (say, modern BMW), with a not-too-small diameter tubing, differential oil. Or anything else you used to spend too much time with a turkey baster doing.

As for air that sneaks past the bleeder screw's threads and goes down in the hole and comes back as bubbles, you can goop some grease or antiseize around the perimeter of the bleeder screw, or learn to spot the difference between what those bubbles look like and the brake bleeding bubbles you're looking for.

 

[toddmorr]

Speedibleed, very pleased with the adapter for toyota, it works no issues.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I bought a speedi-bleed pro kit, which has been great. Mazda Miata 90-97 chassis and a saturn Vue they didn't have an adapter for. The universal fit adapter ***** and just makes a mess. Vacuum works better for that. I don't put any fluid in the bottle, just flush the master cylinder volume.

 

[mikey03]

I only ever bled two brake lines in my life older cars without ABS and honestly I just used my foot on the pedal. Connected a tube to each bleeder one at a time, pumped the brakes until the fluid came out clear and then stopped and thread bleeder back and moved to the next. Passenger rear, driver rear, passenger front, driver front, for cars that had master cylinder in drivers side of car.

i heard about these pressured ones idk if they’re just faster or if you need them for ABS systems

 

[Wamsutta]

Sometimes the design of the tool is fantastic and its failure is totally based on the master cylinder cap design.

 

[Rusted Nut]

I bought the Capri vacuum bleeder. Why i didnt buy one a long time ago, I don’t know. Works well and no adaptors needed. Great value.

Vacuum Brake Bleeder

The Capri Tools Vacuum Brake Bleeder works by using compressed air produces a vacuum to bleed and flush the hydraulic brakes and clutches.

capritools.com

 

[Squankum]

I bought the Capri vacuum bleeder. Why i didnt buy one a long time ago, I don’t know. Works well and no adaptors needed. Great value.

Vacuum Brake Bleeder

The Capri Tools Vacuum Brake Bleeder works by using compressed air produces a vacuum to bleed and flush the hydraulic brakes and clutches.

capritools.com

Yeah, that's the one! I forgot to include a link in my post. I have many tools that I call "**** O MATIC" and it's one of them.

I started of a long time ago with a small pressure bleeder by Gunson. Oh, looky, it still exists!

Amazon.com

Lowered LF tired to 22 psi, screwed onto master cylinder reservoir, have my eyes bug out almost as much as the reservoir ballooned out, but it worked. My only issue in those days was not a lot of brake fluid volume, and having to put air in my tires. (It was long ago but after the era of gas stations with real air hoses was 99% over. I was an apartment complex parking lot mechanic.)

 

[JeepYJ]

After looking at a few of these recommendations (thank you to everyone!) there seems to be two styles. One pulls fluid through the brake system from the bleeder screw and the other pushes fluid through from the master cylinder. Any noticeable benefit to either style? This is just for home maintenance use so it will see infrequent use so budget is obviously a high priority

 

[Rusted Nut]

I think the pressure bleeders are a bit better, but I went with the Capris vacuum bleeder because I didn’t want to have to get a bunch of different adapters for the pressure style bleeders. Works very well, no complaints.

 

[Skyman]

I've been happy with this one. I use it dry (empty, providing air pressure only), so that I don't have drips and don't need to clean it out.

 

[mikey03]

Excuse me sir but a SAE 13/16 seems to have gotten into your metric sockets which also seem to be missing a 20 mm. I’m sorry but I got to report you to the no skips police

 

[2ndGearRubber]

After looking at a few of these recommendations (thank you to everyone!) there seems to be two styles. One pulls fluid through the brake system from the bleeder screw and the other pushes fluid through from the master cylinder. Any noticeable benefit to either style? This is just for home maintenance use so it will see infrequent use so budget is obviously a high priority

A vacuum bleeder typically needs compressed air. Pressure bleeders can be hand pump style, air fed, or use the air in a tire. Of course you then need compressed air to refill the tire.

I would typically pump the brake pedal while using a vacuum bleeder which sped up results. Pressure bleeding you just open the bleeder. Vacuum is much noiser, no noise from pressure bleeding as there isn't 100+ psi running through a venturi.

 

[tjansson]

The Capri vacuum bleeder has been great for me. I have used Motive pressure bleeders in the past, and while they have their benefits, I find them messy, wasteful of fluid, and slow to use. The vacuum bleeding is quick and the waste fluid goes into the big reservoir which only occasionally needs to be emptied.

Edit: I see OP wants something for flushing, pressure bleeder is probably better for that. I'd say vacuum bleeders shine for quick caliper replacements.

 

[Skyman]

Excuse me sir but a SAE 13/16 seems to have gotten into your metric sockets which also seem to be missing a 20 mm. I’m sorry but I got to report you to the no skips police

That photo was taken years ago, so that glaring error (but not so glaring that I noticed it) has likely been remedied by now. But, thanks for the heads-up about it. I'll go check to make sure everything's now in its proper place.

 

[JeepYJ]

That photo was taken years ago, so that glaring error (but not so glaring that I noticed it) has likely been remedied by now. But, thanks for the heads-up about it. I'll go check to make sure everything's now in its proper place.

I noticed that too

 

[Maui]

I've used this type of one man bleeder kit for years with very good success:

https://www.amazon.com/OEMTOOLS-25036-Bleed-One-Man-Bleeder/dp/B000CMDP44/?tag=atomicindus08-20

And it only costs $8.00. When the tapered nozzle wears out, I just buy a new kit for another $8.00. They work very well when used correctly.

 

[Buckaroo5]

If you have a compresser, the Mityvac vacuum system with the universal brake fluid dispenser that mounts on the car brake fluid reservoir is very sweet. You can refill the dispenser in the middle of the job if you have to. Have been using it for years to bleed brakes and flush systems. One thing I will point out is that the pressure bleeders require the correct adapter to fit the brake fluid reservoir you're working on which can be a PITA if you service different vehicles. Plus you can use the vacuum model to evacuate (i.e. drain) the brake fluid/power steering fluid/engine coolant reservoirs.

This is a nice deal on Amazon right now....

Amazon.com

 

[JeepYJ]

If you have a compresser, the Mityvac vacuum system with the universal brake fluid dispenser that mounts on the car brake fluid reservoir is very sweet.

I’m good with air compressors so no issue there.
The extra adapters for different master cylinders isn’t something I’m a fan of for limited home use. Several different makes and ages of vehicles and a UTV makes that a more expensive option. I’m not sure that’s worth the extra cost for the few times it will be used.

 

[Buckaroo5]

I’m good with air compressors so no issue there.
The extra adapters for different master cylinders isn’t something I’m a fan of for limited home use. Several different makes and ages of vehicles and a UTV makes that a more expensive option. I’m not sure that’s worth the extra cost for the few times it will be used.

You do need to understand that you have to ignore the bubbles in the line as the vacuum can draw air in around the bleeder screw and the rubber adapter that fits over the bleeder screw so you can't use that to judge when you are done bleeding. That has never been a problem for me as I typically pull a relatively large volume of brake fluid through the system - has always given me a hard pedal first time.

 

[AEAdam]

You do need to understand that you have to ignore the bubbles in the line as the vacuum can draw air in around the bleeder screw and the rubber adapter that fits over the bleeder screw so you can't use that to judge when you are done bleeding. That has never been a problem for me as I typically pull a relatively large volume of brake fluid through the system - has always given me a hard pedal first time.

+1. ^^^^This^^^^
I think the key to doing a good brake job is actually changing the fluid in the wheel cylinders. I use a Mityvac and pull out a good 250-400ml of fluid, about an entire wheel cylinders worth or more. I've never tried the pressurized systems and I'd like to understand them. With my method, I could be topping off the master cylinder reservoir after each wheel. How would that be with a pressure system? Would you have to disconnect reconnect after each wheel? I think the last thing you want to is to bleed a line dry.

 

[Skyman]

The pressure bleeders are a reservoir that can be filled with fluid that will enter the MC as fluid is pushed out of the MC. I choose to use my reservoir empty, serving only as the source of pressure applied to the MC reservoir to force fluid through the system. Using it this way eliminates any concerns about a faulty seal between the adaptor and MC reservoir, which would otherwise cause a mess, and it doesn't leave any fluid in the pressure reservoir when the job is done. It does, of course, require periodic refilling of the MC during the task. If I were still doing this for my daily bread, I'd do it differently, but for my occasional home-gamer use, it suits me.

 

[Toold_up]

The pressure bleeders are a reservoir that can be filled with fluid that will enter the MC as fluid is pushed out of the MC. I choose to use my reservoir empty, serving only as the source of pressure applied to the MC reservoir to force fluid through the system. Using it this way eliminates any concerns about a faulty seal between the adaptor and MC reservoir, which would otherwise cause a mess, and it doesn't leave any fluid in the pressure reservoir when the job is done. It does, of course, require periodic refilling of the MC during the task. If I were still doing this for my daily bread, I'd do it differently, but for my occasional home-gamer use, it suits me.

I have a motive pressure bleeder and do the same. Fill up the master cylinder with new fluid and bleed the brakes until the fluid is clear. Check the MC fluid level when done.

No fluid in the pressure pot, nothing to clean afterwords.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

+1. ^^^^This^^^^
I think the key to doing a good brake job is actually changing the fluid in the wheel cylinders. I use a Mityvac and pull out a good 250-400ml of fluid, about an entire wheel cylinders worth or more. I've never tried the pressurized systems and I'd like to understand them. With my method, I could be topping off the master cylinder reservoir after each wheel. How would that be with a pressure system? Would you have to disconnect reconnect after each wheel? I think the last thing you want to is to bleed a line dry.

Flush master volume with the tool, remove, fill with fresh fluid, rebleed the full volume of the master or wait until the fluid changes color. Change to the next wheel. You can open the bleeders while compressing the calipers, getting rid of fluid you'd need to flush anyway. Then top-off and bleed. I normally don't do this unless I have pre-approval to flush the fluid. I prefer the feel the resistance the caliper offers on compression, with the bleeder open you can miss a sticky caliper or a hose issue because you're blasting the fluid out with zero resistance.

You can also **** all the fluid out and fill with fresh but that takes more time and adds potential for mess. If you're using a system with a ghetto universal cap that would be awful. If you have a nice cap adapter for the pressure bleeder, removing the tool is as easy as taking the master cylinder cap off.

 

[JeepYJ]

@2ndGearRubber how do the pressure bleeders work with the old cast iron two chamber master cylinders? How as in how well do they work using the big flat cap I see in some kits.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

The flat cap in my speedi-bleed kit ***** ***. It just spits fluid around the edge of the seal unless I hold it down and keep the pressure ~5psi. I don't think it's made for plastic master cylinder reservoirs. Or maybe I don't have the balls to crank it down tight enough to seal?

C300 Domestic Brake Bleeder Adapter - Speedi-Bleed

Pressure bleeder adapter for American model vehicles with cast iron rectangular brake reservoir

speedibleed.com

I would have confidence you could get that to seal the "old domestic style" masters. Crank it down all day long.

C100 Universal Brake Bleeder Adapter - Speedi-Bleed

Universal round pressure bleeder adapter - fits master reservoirs with filler neck OD 3 1/8" max

speedibleed.com

That's the flat cap from my speedibleed, and I'm not inclined to crank it down on 1/16" wall thickness plastic master cylinders that are 20 years old.


EDIT: I didn't buy the C300 adapter for cast-iron master cylinders because the last vehicles using those in my area got scrapped 10 years ago.

 

[kabinenroller]

I have these is quite a few vehicles. Simple and effective.

http://www.speedbleeder.com/

 

[MileHighRover]

I have a Motive and I hate it. Every vehicle you work on seems to need a different adapter. So you end up spending a fortune on adapters and then you'll still have a vehicle it doesn't work on. For instance, I bought a universal adapter for my 1999 Land Cruiser because Motive stated they didn't make one for that master cylinder. It didn't work. Spent more time trying to get it to work than it would have taken to manually bleed the brakes.

The other thing I don't like about it is the fact it pressurizes the MC reservoir. I have older vehicles, some 30+ years old. The few times I've used the Motive I've been expecting the MC reservoir to explode while pressurizing the tank. The reservoir absolutely starts to bulge as the pressure builds. It's only 12-15 psi but it still happens. As far as exploding, it hasn't happened yet but that's all I'm thinking about when I use it.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Another nod of approval for the Speedi-Bleed. I did a write up on it a couple of years ago.

 

[Brandon_Lutz]

I've been using a Motive bleeder for the last 12 years and it has never let me down. I use it on everything from my 2012 Camaro down to my 1975 Scout II.

 

[yhprum]

I was having problems bleeding the front brakes on my motorcycle, so I made my own using a large sized pickle jar. I drilled two holes and epoxied two hose barb fittings to the lid. One went to a mighty vac hand pump (with some vinyl tubing) the other went to the brake bleeder ****** via some more tubing. It almost worked too good, on the first use I sucked the master cylinder on my motorcycle dry in about two seconds. The large jar also acted as a reservoir of sorts, on charge would last a long time. Another benefit was that when there was enough vacuum, the lid would pop and I knew to stop pumping tha hand vac.

 

[Ing3018]

Looking at some one man brake bleeder tools to use for brake fluid replacement. I see the Power Motive tool get some good reviews. Harbor Freight has a Hoyt version. Then there is the Mity Vac pump. Any others to consider?
Vehicles it will be used on 2006 Toyota, 2023 Honda, 2012 Jeep and some 1980s and early 2000 Fords and Jeeps.

I have the Hoyt vacuum one. I have had a good experience using it on our vehicles.