I've never been able to bleed my brakes properly. I tried many methods but the end result has always been less than perfect. I'm a lapping day hero (in my own mind) and I have stainless lines - I want firm brakes. Today I finally got them thanks to the Motive Products Power Bleeder. It's a positive pressure system, basically a do-it-yourselfer version of what a brake shop uses. Best of all it doesn't require any pedal pumping.

I ordered the system through Motive directly but they spec'd the wrong master reservoir cap. I found this out after I'd jacked the car and taken off all the wheels... I was ****ed. It turns out you have to use Motive's general purpose adaptor cap (model 1101). Which they sent me at no charge.

I don't want this to sound too much like an ad, I'm just happy to finally be able to quickly bleed my brakes 100%. Plus I feel guilty about being a bit of a jerk when I found out they sold me the wrong part. Check them out if you need to bleed your brakes.

 

Sounds pretty cool, how much?

 

It's a bit too much for what it is - after all the tool's nothing more than a pressure jug and an adaptor cap. However for what it does, it can't be beat at any price, at least as far as I'm aware.

It's $57.95 for the "UNIVERSAL POWER BLEEDER" which you can find here; http://www.motiveproducts.com/02bleeders.html

 

That's not too bad if it works, I hate bleeding brakes. I may have to get one, I'm upgrading to eradispeeds and ss lines soon.

 

I don't know. Aside from pumping the pedal, 4 speed bleaders did the trick for me. Do it yourself in just a few minutes.

 

I agree 100% ... It's a great tool to bleed brakes. I too joined a lapping club a year ago and bleed my brakes every two weeks (and change pads every 6 !). Hey Hubec, where are you lapping ?

 

The last placed I lapped was the Mosport driver development track. That was in the early spring. Meaning that yes, I've had horribly soft brakes for 2 - 3 months now. No suprise that I'm happy to finally have them sorted. Other priorities have come up so unfortunately the stang won't be getting the regular workouts it has in the past.

 

So what do the instructions read like? How much do you pressure it up before you start to bleed.

 

Bleeding the brakes every two weeks seems kind of obsessive. What makes you think it needs changing that often?

 

I have to side with RadBOSS here, why so often?

 

Keeping the pressure between 7 and 10 psi worked well for me.

Holy may be wanting to bleed the brakes before/after each lapping day which is definitly a good idea. He may also be running a racing brake fluid which may degrade quickly. Or he may just be an obsessive neurotic.

 

What part number did you use for the speed bleeders for your 06 Mustang? Or what dimensions did yo uuse to order the right ones? I checked with NAPA and they told me they don't have them listed by application, only by size. And I can't remove them and drive the car to NAPA to compare them at the counter

 

No need to bleed THAT often. Heck, my wife and I are instructors and we drive my track car back to back during weekend schools. As long as you're not boiling your fluid you really shouldn't need to bleed except when flushing or opening lines. If your pedal is getting soft or going to the floor you need to either upgrade your fluid or run better pads. What are you running? Hawk blacks are a nice aggressive pad that's not too over the top or hard on rotors. I like Hawk blues for the extra bite, but they eat rotors alive. Any street pad will gas early and fade leading to a week pedal. Also, as a rule of thumb every car should have the fluid completely flushed/replaced every two years as OEM fluids are hydroscopic (absorb water) ultimately leading to lower boiling points and corrosion. I run ATE Superblue which is a great hightemp street/track fluid. Oh, and I replace pads every EVENT and rotors every two if I'm lucky. We won't even talk about fuel and tires.

I've used a vacuum bleeder for years with great results, but this piece looks decent to use here at home in the garage to save some time and trouble. Nice find!

 

Hey Rob, thanks for the info regarding pad differences.... I'd like to pick your brain sometime.

 

No prob, though I'll warn you the pickings are getting slim these days! I've used them all over the years on my various cars. I've used Hawk exclusively for about the last 10. I use their HPS street pads on my more "pedestrian" cars as well.

 

Does the power bleeder come with a bleeder bottle to drain the old fluid into or do I have to order that as well?

 

Here you go. I bought four of them and they fit well. A vendor on another site cross referenced the stock brake bleeder bolt to the Speed Bleeder part number, giving the proper Speed Bleeder size (32mm x 1.0 x 31.35mm).

The Earl's part is 0.65mm longer, but it's been confirmed it is correct for our application after a call to Holley Parts (parent company of Earl's). I've blead my brakes with them and they work perfect.

http://www.byunspeed.com/product_inf...d738cbd5ed0493

 

While glycol based standard / high performance brake fulids are hydroscopic, it does serve a purpose ... it keeps the H2O in suspension. If you change over to synthetic, you will still get condensation in the system, as it breathes, except then the H2O is not in suspension and it settles in the lowest points in the system (brake calipers). You also have a softer pedal because the fluid compression modulus is less than glycol based fluid.

 

I've used the motive system as well. The catch bottles are sold separately for about $24 bucks for a pair. They are cheap enough that even though I COULD build the same thing for less, I not GOING to because I value my time more than my money (at least when we are talking about $24...)

Using these products, it does make it a LOT easier to bleed the brakes! It also makes it VERY easy to completly flush your brakes. You can keep your eye on the fluid coming out and when it is clean and clean, you know you are there. It is definitely worth the money to me.

 

I also run Ate Super Blue with Gransport GS3 pads. The track i run on is very short and not very friendly with the Mustang ( it accelerates to greater speed but I always have to brake, they never have a chance to cool down in straights), so yes my brakes get mushy pretty early. Besides it is so easy to bleed them now, and my brakes are always better after I bleed them, so...

2 weeks represent about 3 hours of track time for me, and I just went thru my GS3s in a matter of weeks, my rotors cracked within 3 weeks of that abuse. I run the stock brake components besides pads, lines and fluid.

Thanks for the tip about the Blacks, I was told the Blues were too much for street use, but never heard of the Blacks before ! Would you have the part # by any chance ?