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Lee R. Byrd (Mobile)
Member
Username: Mobile

Post Number: 85
Registered: 07-2003
Posted on Sunday, February 15, 2004 - 10:33 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

I was curious if anyone has ever used a similar vacuum to bleed brakes. It's only $9 locally.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=3952

I was considering using it to bleed the brakes fast and solo. Figured I would get a BIG mason jar and drill two holes in it for the tubes (fluid and vacuum). Have the vacuum on a switch and set the jar where I could see it from the master cylinder area with fluid in hand. I was just worried about the amount of vacuum it would pull. I have not had chemistry in a long time so "28.3" of mercury at sea level" means very little to me. I don't want to suck the system dry in 2 seconds.

Any thoughts, comments?
 

Bill Bettridge (Billb)
Dweb Lounge Member
Username: Billb

Post Number: 1485
Registered: 02-2002
Posted on Monday, February 16, 2004 - 08:35 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

If you're serious about a good powerbleeder - look no further than this:

http://www.motiveproducts.com/

A bit more expensive, but works wonderfully well. It makes all other vacuum and power bleeders look like crap.

Bill
 

Axel Haakonsen (Axel)
Moderator
Username: Axel

Post Number: 970
Registered: 02-2003
Posted on Monday, February 16, 2004 - 09:42 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

I like that one, Bill. Do you have to order Rover adapters separately, or does it come with everything you need included?

- Axel


 

Mike Rupp (Mike_rupp)
Senior Member
Username: Mike_rupp

Post Number: 309
Registered: 02-2002
Posted on Monday, February 16, 2004 - 10:54 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Axel, the one that I bought fits the brake resevoir on the Disco without any other adaptor. You will also want to have small clear hose to connect to the bleeder screw on the caliper.

I've used mine a couple times to bleed the brakes and I have been very happy with it.
 

John Lee (Johnlee)
Dweb Lounge Member
Username: Johnlee

Post Number: 912
Registered: 03-2003
Posted on Monday, February 16, 2004 - 12:21 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

I want one of these:

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/pro_det.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=65146&group_ID= 1672&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

I have a manual vacuum bleeder and I hate pumping it.


 

michael burt (Mikeyb)
Senior Member
Username: Mikeyb

Post Number: 665
Registered: 03-2002
Posted on Monday, February 16, 2004 - 12:56 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

right on! i love reading the "damn you, john lee and your snapon tools" threads!

now we need some one to show up with a "hell, i bleed my brakes with an old bicycle pump, 3 rubber bands, my wife's fat ass and a rusty nail."

now i can move on with my monday...;)
 

Nathan Cooper (Cooper)
Member
Username: Cooper

Post Number: 72
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Monday, February 16, 2004 - 01:37 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Don't know about the harbor Freight setup, but if you are doing occasional brake service the Motive setup is very easy to use if you are by yourself, and it is fairly universal- no adapters needed. It is also relatively inexpensive. I believe I bought mine from BP. I used to work in a shop that did work on semi's and dump trucks and the like and we had something similar to the snap-on device and it worked really well.
 

Mike Rupp (Mike_rupp)
Senior Member
Username: Mike_rupp

Post Number: 310
Registered: 02-2002
Posted on Monday, February 16, 2004 - 03:46 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

John, I haven't used a vacuum system. I assume that it is sucking fluid through the system, which would require someone to keep filling the resevoir as it gets low.

What I like about the Motive is that you fill it with fluid and connect it to the resevoir. The air pressure forces new fluid through the system. Its very easy / quick for 1 man operation.
 

Lee R. Byrd (Mobile)
Member
Username: Mobile

Post Number: 89
Registered: 07-2003
Posted on Monday, February 16, 2004 - 06:51 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Apparently the theory is correct about using this vacuum machine for brake bleeding. I looked at Jonh's dream-machine; the air consumption is close but it did not list the vacuum created at sea level.
 

Matt Milbrandt (95discovery)
Dweb Lounge Member
Username: 95discovery

Post Number: 194
Registered: 02-2002
Posted on Monday, February 16, 2004 - 09:45 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Hands down, John's link is well worth the money. Once you start using it, you can't imagine doing it any other way. It is also useful for many other tasks.

Matt
 

John Lee (Johnlee)
Dweb Lounge Member
Username: Johnlee

Post Number: 914
Registered: 03-2003
Posted on Monday, February 16, 2004 - 11:21 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

But Matt, how can that tool be worth the money when it doesn't even list the vacuum created at sea level?


 

Michael Noe (Noee)
Senior Member
Username: Noee

Post Number: 869
Registered: 03-2002
Posted on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 - 07:43 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

I've had the Motive for a while, used it on all our other cars *except* the disco 2. THere is no adapter for the D2 resevoir "threads" and because the reseviour is a "wide" square, the chain/universal adapter will not work either. I was told by Motive I'd have to find my own source for the D2 adapter.

If you don't have a D2, it's a very effective option.
 

Jaime Crusellas (Jaime)
Senior Member
Username: Jaime

Post Number: 254
Registered: 05-2003
Posted on Thursday, February 19, 2004 - 12:03 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

While replacing my wheel bearings, I noticed I needed brake pads. Got an order coming in today, and also got the motive bleeder.

Michael,

I have a D1 and got the Motive from AB, and they also had an adapter set available as an extra cost option. You may want to check with them, maybe this is something recent and they came up with a D2 fitting?
 

Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d)
Senior Member
Username: Deanbrown3d

Post Number: 1451
Registered: 02-2002
Posted on Thursday, February 19, 2004 - 09:34 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Its saying Land Rover / Range Rover 1978-2001 uses adapter 1100. Is someone saying this doesn't work with the D2 or what?
 

Michael Noe (Noee)
Senior Member
Username: Noee

Post Number: 875
Registered: 03-2002
Posted on Friday, February 20, 2004 - 08:49 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Yes, that's what I'm saying. D2 has a "lock thread" opening on the resevoir which the PB threads will not mate with. I've got both the univ adapter (1100) and the one for a Mazda/BMW (1101).

The D2 has a large square resevoir, so the universal adapter, which uses the drop arms and a chain to pull tight below the unit, is too narrow of the drop arms to go around the large square resevoir size. I can put some pics up if you wanna see what I'm talking about.
 

Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d)
Senior Member
Username: Deanbrown3d

Post Number: 1452
Registered: 02-2002
Posted on Friday, February 20, 2004 - 09:27 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Well its a bit late now that I have ordered one! lol. Guess I'll have to get an adapter from somewhere, dammit!
 

Jaime Crusellas (Jaime)
Senior Member
Username: Jaime

Post Number: 257
Registered: 05-2003
Posted on Sunday, February 22, 2004 - 12:01 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Well, I used my new motive bleeder for the first time today....Boy, did I make a mess!!

Lesson learned... do not pressurize more than 16-17 lbs. The plastic threads on the master cylinder reservoir neck are not stiff enough to hold the cap down at that pressure. Whle I was on the ground in the back opening the bleeder screw, I lost about a half quart of brake fluid that leaked from the master cylinder reservoir.

The good news.. the driveway soaked up the fluid.. no cleanup!

Once I refilled the bleeder, and pressurized to around 13-14 lbs, the cap held pressure just fine, and it was a simple matter to go around all the calipers and bleed each one. Actually, I wound up doing a complete flush of the old brake fluid.

I recommend this tool.
 

Brian Dickens (Bri)
Senior Member
Username: Bri

Post Number: 1013
Registered: 08-2002
Posted on Friday, March 12, 2004 - 12:18 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

The adaptor on my motive just applies pressure usng a chain around the resevoir as shown in the link above. Click adaptors. Never leaked a drop and you could easily put that much pressure on. Sounds like you have the wrong adaptor.
 

Peter Carey (Peterca)
Member
Username: Peterca

Post Number: 94
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 12:06 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Brian, the one I got from AB didn't have that chain you mention and just the screw on one I'm assuming Jaime has. Seems the main website has more options than AB.
 

Brian Dickens (Bri)
Senior Member
Username: Bri

Post Number: 1018
Registered: 08-2002
Posted on Friday, April 02, 2004 - 08:29 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Got mine from BP, adapter will fit most anything.

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