Instructions needed

[lightningad]

I need to change the brake fluid in my 3rd gen KZN185, but i have never done this before (on any car),

so i was wondering if anyone can point me to some reliable instructions on what to do, not do, etc.

thanks
Adam

[si tate]

Hi mate, seeing as nobody else has replied & im doing nothing, here goes.

Things you need:

Two litres of dot 3 brake fluid.
A self bleeding kit "optional" but its alot easier with one.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VIZIBLEED-ONE-...item563c72e3a8
10mm ring spanner.

To make it a little easier i used a syringe to empty the brake fluid from the reservior before topping it up with fresh stuff, if you don't have a syringe then it will need emptying through one of the nipples. "DON'T" drain it completely or you will get air in the system which can be a pain to get out.

There is no real need to take the rear wheels of either as access is easy but you will prbably need to take the front wheels off to get to the nipples.

Starting from the near side rear, loosen the bleed nipple & attach the bleed pipe from the kit you buy, then pump the brake pedal nice & steady half a dozen times to get the fresh fluid flowing.

Make sure you keep the reservior topped up at all times as you are pumping the brakes.

Once your happy that the fluid coming through is clean tighten the nut & move onto the next wheel which is rear off side, then front near side & finally front off side.

To remember the above sequence just think furthest away from brake fluid reservior first then second furthest & so on.

I think thats it but im sure someone will be along to correct me.

[wishbone]

One thing I might add is that most garages use a pressure system or a vacuum on the nipple to do this. I have been told by a few garages that pumping the pedal to do a manual bleed can damage the seals in the master cylinder as it pushes them past their normal operating range and built up corrosion can damage the seals. Whether this is scare mongering I don't know.

I do know that my local garage charges £35 for a fluid swap which doesn't seem terrible.

Rob.

[si tate]

One thing I might add is that most garages use a pressure system or a vacuum on the nipple to do this. I have been told by a few garages that pumping the pedal to do a manual bleed can damage the seals in the master cylinder as it pushes them past their normal operating range and built up corrosion can damage the seals. Whether this is scare mongering I don't know.

I do know that my local garage charges £35 for a fluid swap which doesn't seem terrible.

Rob.

Now you mention it ive heard that also.
Did my own last year with no issues but £35 is very reasonable.

[lightningad]

thanks - just what i needed to know.

£35 may sound like value, but when you've just spent over £500 on a service, it starts to sound a bit steeper!!

[si tate]

thanks - just what i needed to know.

£35 may sound like value, but when you've just spent over £500 on a service, it starts to sound a bit steeper!!

You'll be fine mate, just take your time with it.

[wishbone]

thanks - just what i needed to know.

£35 may sound like value, but when you've just spent over £500 on a service, it starts to sound a bit steeper!!

That must of been one hell of a service

[si tate]

That must of been one hell of a service

Thought that, but it must be more than just a service, surely.

[wishbone]

Thought that, but it must be more than just a service, surely.

Dunno - they didn't change the brake fluid for a start.....

[si tate]

Dunno - they didn't change the brake fluid for a start.....

[lightningad]

toyota main dealer 100,000mile service + new cam belt - decided to treat the truck as it had not had a "proper service" in six years!!

[si tate]

toyota main dealer 100,000mile service + new cam belt - decided to treat the truck as it had not had a "proper service" in six years!!

Ahhhhh now i see why it was so much.

[trev1968]

ive always been told not to press the brake fully when doing a fluid change just slight pressure to get fluid flowing so u dont over do the seals in the master cyl. u be ok if u take ya time the easy bleed ystems are great the vacume ones even more so 10mins with vacume to do a full change

[Albannach]

All codswallop. The only way to manually bleed brakes is to press the pedal down fully when pumping. In 35 years in the trade, I've never known a master cylinder to be damaged in any way by having the brakes bled.

Next best method of doing them is using vacuum pumps followed by pressurisation (particularly good if you need to remove some paint in the under bonnet area).

Keep your brakes well serviced and either change the fluid every 2 years or, to keep it super clean, flush the system and use silicone fluid. If there are no contaminants (mainly water) there can be no contamination of parts.

There will be someone who'll disagree with the above, there always is, but I stand bt what I say.

[stormforce]

What Andy says is the way i always knew how to do it by pressing the pedal.Its been done like that for years as far as i know and these vacuum pump things haven't been about that long (maybe wrong tho) I always found it better pressing the brake pedal and then you can feel the pressure on the pedal straight away.I've known someone to have done his brakes 3 times with one of these vacuum pump things as he kept doing it wrong,so it would of been quicker for him to have someone pressing the pedal for him

All codswallop. The only way to manually bleed brakes is to press the pedal down fully when pumping. In 35 years in the trade, I've never known a master cylinder to be damaged in any way by having the brakes bled.

Next best method of doing them is using vacuum pumps followed by pressurisation (particularly good if you need to remove some paint in the under bonnet area).

Keep your brakes well serviced and either change the fluid every 2 years or, to keep it super clean, flush the system and use silicone fluid. If there are no contaminants (mainly water) there can be no contamination of parts.

There will be someone who'll disagree with the above, there always is, but I stand bt what I say.