Bleeding brakes

[VanCampFarm]

Hi all!

I just install some new rotors on my Thor Ace. They were due but also I have to get in there cause my dog ripped the soft lines from my calipers and drained all my fluid out.

So now I’m in the bleeding process. I’m assuming I’m literally bleeding all the air out of the lines considering they were busted and pretty sure they gravity fed out.

I’m having issues with the bleeding. I’m using a vacuum hand pump and starting at the passenger side rear first. I’ve been at it for awhile now to no success.

Is is because the lines are so long? So it’s just going to take a while?

I did fill the reservoir once but haven’t had to fill it again since. So I feel like I either ran it too low and ran air into the lines, or I’m running into a whole other issue.

Please help!

[ducksface]

The brakes haven't a single thing to do with thor.
Have you tried a Ford truck or a brake repair forum?
Wha did they say that we can add to?

[Lt Keefer]

What I would do is fill the reservoir and then open all the bleeders. Let each bleeder gravity bleed. Once each has gravity bled, then try your vacuum thingy.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by VanCampFarm

Hi all!

I just install some new rotors on my Thor Ace. They were due but also I have to get in there cause my dog ripped the soft lines from my calipers and drained all my fluid out.

So now I’m in the bleeding process. I’m assuming I’m literally bleeding all the air out of the lines considering they were busted and pretty sure they gravity fed out.

I’m having issues with the bleeding. I’m using a vacuum hand pump and starting at the passenger side rear first. I’ve been at it for awhile now to no success.

Is is because the lines are so long? So it’s just going to take a while?

I did fill the reservoir once but haven’t had to fill it again since. So I feel like I either ran it too low and ran air into the lines, or I’m running into a whole other issue.

Please help!

Can you say "ABS" module? There is a procedure and OBDII function to bleed a system with ABS. This isn't your father's 65 Rambler.

[VanCampFarm]

Originally Posted by ducksface

The brakes haven't a single thing to do with thor.
Have you tried a Ford truck or a brake repair forum?
Wha did they say that we can add to?

I understand that, but since Thor’s have a Ford chassis and this is the maintenance forum of the ThorForums I figured it was worth a post…

[VanCampFarm]

Originally Posted by Lt Keefer

What I would do is fill the reservoir and then open all the bleeders. Let each bleeder gravity bleed. Once each has gravity bled, then try your vacuum thingy.

Thank you sir, I’ll try that for sure as well.

I think the issue is I have a giant air bubble in the lines. The vacuum pump with 20 pounds of vacuum isn’t enough to pull the bubble through the long line I believe.

I’m going to try the old school two person method with pumping the brakes, hold, bleed, and repeat. If that doesn’t work I’ll use positive pressure to feed the new fluid from the caliper back to the reservoir. I’ve performed that on large diesel trucks before when running into a similar issue.

I wasn’t sure with these rigs if I had to bleed from the distribution block if there was one first or not.

Ill keep the thread updated hopefully with good news

[VanCampFarm]

Update:

Pushed all the fluid and air bubble out the old fashion way. Was a one man show so wasn’t able to get it done that way at first but my daughter came home early and was able to help me.

So lesson learned. With these long brake lines the simple vacuum hand pump won’t suffice. Old way are proven, and it worked.

[mytimeyet]

Glad to hear the rotor job wrapping up for you. Indeed, I did the old school 2 person method as well. Used cell phones on speaker to communicate the step/release procedure. To me the hardest part was getting the new fluid in the master cylinder reservoir. Resorted to a hose/can/air regulated down to super low pressure to push the fluid 'around the bend' to the reservoir.

[HMCSW]

Originally Posted by VanCampFarm

Hi all!

I just install some new rotors on my Thor Ace. They were due but also I have to get in there cause my dog ripped the soft lines from my calipers and drained all my fluid out.

So now I’m in the bleeding process. I’m assuming I’m literally bleeding all the air out of the lines considering they were busted and pretty sure they gravity fed out.

I’m having issues with the bleeding. I’m using a vacuum hand pump and starting at the passenger side rear first. I’ve been at it for awhile now to no success.

Is is because the lines are so long? So it’s just going to take a while?

I did fill the reservoir once but haven’t had to fill it again since. So I feel like I either ran it too low and ran air into the lines, or I’m running into a whole other issue.

Please help!

When you say reservoir is that the RVs/ I use this for bleeding the brake lines on my vehicles.
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Motiv...%20(Feb28_2020)

[HMCSW]

Originally Posted by VanCampFarm

Hi all!

I just install some new rotors on my Thor Ace. They were due but also I have to get in there cause my dog ripped the soft lines from my calipers and drained all my fluid out.

So now I’m in the bleeding process. I’m assuming I’m literally bleeding all the air out of the lines considering they were busted and pretty sure they gravity fed out.

I’m having issues with the bleeding. I’m using a vacuum hand pump and starting at the passenger side rear first. I’ve been at it for awhile now to no success.

Is is because the lines are so long? So it’s just going to take a while?

I did fill the reservoir once but haven’t had to fill it again since. So I feel like I either ran it too low and ran air into the lines, or I’m running into a whole other issue.

Please help!

there is zero chance you got all the air out the way you described. Need to bleed the entire system starting with the brake the farthest away from the reservoir and work your way closer. good luck.

[MCP]

Originally Posted by HMCSW

there is zero chance you got all the air out the way you described. Need to bleed the entire system starting with the brake the farthest away from the reservoir and work your way closer. good luck.

Are you saying the “old fashion way” as noted in post 7 (and 8) wouldn’t work? Pump, hold, release and repeat, keeping reservoir full and going from furthest to nearest.

[Beau388]

Having changed the bake fluid in my Hurricane last spring ---
Access to the fluid reservoir is limited. I was able to remove about 75% of the fluid with a suction gun from the reservoir. Not wanting to get a air bubble, I used the suction gun to refill the reservoir with DOT-4 brake fluid. Starting with the right rear, I found no suction was needed, as the fluid drains by gravity quite well. I had to remove just over a quart before it ran clear. The old fluid was a dark brown color. I removed another quart of fluid from the left rear. It was much harder to reach the front bleeder screws because of clearance issues. I decided to raise the coach on jacks and used my 6 ton jack stands just in case. A pint out of each side and the fluid was clear. I started out with a gallon of DOT-4 and used all of it plus another quart to top off the reservoir.

[VanCampFarm]

Originally Posted by MCP

Are you saying the “old fashion way” as noted in post 7 (and 8) wouldn’t work? Pump, hold, release and repeat, keeping reservoir full and going from furthest to nearest.

No I wasn’t implying that it wouldn’t work. I just couldn’t do it cause I was by myself and didn’t want to keep crawling back under the coach after pumping it and say putting a block on the pedal to hold it.

My daughter was eventually able to help me and I did it the d fashion way with her on the pedal

[VanCampFarm]

Originally Posted by HMCSW

there is zero chance you got all the air out the way you described. Need to bleed the entire system starting with the brake the farthest away from the reservoir and work your way closer. good luck.

I stared with the passenger side rear first.

I was able to bleed it on my own through a vacuum hand pump all the way to the manifold to the rear calipers.

Turned out I didn’t crush the crush washer on the soft line to the drivers side caliper so there was a small leak. Once I crushed the washer I was able to vacuum all the air out with the hand pump then bleed all new fluid in with my daughters help the old fashion way with her on the pedal

[VanCampFarm]

Originally Posted by mytimeyet

Glad to hear the rotor job wrapping up for you. Indeed, I did the old school 2 person method as well. Used cell phones on speaker to communicate the step/release procedure. To me the hardest part was getting the new fluid in the master cylinder reservoir. Resorted to a hose/can/air regulated down to super low pressure to push the fluid 'around the bend' to the reservoir.

Thank you!

[VanCampFarm]

Originally Posted by Beau388

Having changed the bake fluid in my Hurricane last spring ---
Access to the fluid reservoir is limited. I was able to remove about 75% of the fluid with a suction gun from the reservoir. Not wanting to get a air bubble, I used the suction gun to refill the reservoir with DOT-4 brake fluid. Starting with the right rear, I found no suction was needed, as the fluid drains by gravity quite well. I had to remove just over a quart before it ran clear. The old fluid was a dark brown color. I removed another quart of fluid from the left rear. It was much harder to reach the front bleeder screws because of clearance issues. I decided to raise the coach on jacks and used my 6 ton jack stands just in case. A pint out of each side and the fluid was clear. I started out with a gallon of DOT-4 and used all of it plus another quart to top off the reservoir.

Thank you for your input! I was able to get it all done using a suction pump while I was a one man show but once my daughter showed up I had her on the pedal and finished the job with all new fluid.

[Pete'sMH]

Dang, that must be some kind of a dog!!

[MCP]

Originally Posted by VanCampFarm

No I wasn’t implying that it wouldn’t work. I just couldn’t do it cause I was by myself and didn’t want to keep crawling back under the coach after pumping it and say putting a block on the pedal to hold it.

My daughter was eventually able to help me and I did it the d fashion way with her on the pedal

I absolutely understand what you were saying and I agree. My question was directed at HMCSW where the comment was made that you had “zero chance” of getting all the air out. I was curious as to what his reasoning was.

Anyway, you got it done! Aren’t daughters great?!

[VanCampFarm]

Originally Posted by Pete'sMH

Dang, that must be some kind of a dog!!

It was my fault haha. I held my Rottweiler back while there was a rabbit on our property and got her all hyped up and sent her out to get it. Dang rabbit run between the dually tires and the dog tore everything around the tire to get the rabbit. Rabbit eventually escaped and won haha