So good to see that Red Forman has a successful YT career after that 70s show

It seems a lot of people do not understand the how and why of this process and a number who have commented say to pump the brake pedal that more often than not will cause problems and this is why. Under normal operation the pedal only travels a certain distance and if you attempt to bleed brakes pumping the pedal it travels much further, Fine with new components but with an older Master Cylinder it usually has some wear and that creates a wear ridge inside the master cylinder so when you push the pedal and move the piston with it's seals past that wear point that is when you can damage the seals as they pass over the wear ridge. That usually means a new master cylinder is required hence why Gravity bleeding works so well because the piston is never going to travel over that wear ridge. One little tip I use a Coke bottle say 600 ML in size thoroughly cleaned and fill that with fresh brake fluid then you carefully turn it upside down with the open neck in the master cylinder under the fluid level and it will not overflow and keep the master cylinder fluid level topped up so avoiding the scenario of running out of fluid in the system because if that happens then gravity bleeding will no longer work and more conventional and expensive methods are needed. Gravity bleeding is a good method but does not work in every scenario, Probably the hardest system I have ever had to bleed was my Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV, Master cylinder under the front floor two seperate brake boosters for the four wheel disk brakes and all too easy to get airlocks in the system but that was before either Pressure bleeders or Vacuum bleeders were invented. Many modern brake systems are actually filled from the Brake caliper up in the factory as Air naturally rises so starting at the lowest point means a quick successful brake bleed but bear in mind New Car New brakes and very fancy equipment that puts exactly the correct amount of fluid in the system, Not something easily done at home or even in most dealership workshops either. Another point to mention so many miss it does not matter how well you bleed your brakes they can still feel spongy especially so with the cheaper sliding type calipers that only have hydraulic pistons on one side and rely on the caliper body sliding across on pins to bring the opposite side brake pad to bear on the disk, If these pins or special bolts are seized then the caliper cannot move freely to allow the pads proper contact with the disk and as well often the brakes drag sometimes slightly often quite a lot so always make sure the caliper pins are free to move with brake caliper specific grease or nickel never seize just enough and not too much is the trick.

When gravity bleeding, I find it helpful to keep the end of the plastic tube higher than the bleeder screw (but below the master cylinder). This helps to ensure that the bleeder screw is under pressure rather than vacuum. If the bleeder screw is under vacuum (which would be the case if the end of the tube is below the bleeder screw), this vacuum can easily suck air into the system past the bleeder screw threads. This will cause a constant stream of air bubbles in the tube, which makes it impossible to know whether the system is bled.

I've used gravity bleeding for my motorcycles and car. One main advantage, especially on old vehicles, is not needing to depress the brake pedal. Doing this with the bleeder open means the pedal will go all the way to the floor and this means the master cylinder piston seals are pushed all the way to the end of the bore in the cylinder. Old vehicles, where there may be lots of debris/corrosion etc along the unswept section of the bore, could damage the seals on the piston. This will make for loss of braking pressure when using the car from then on. A rebuild kit will be necessary to correct. Gravity bleeds avoid this risk. Yes, they take longer, typically 15-30 min per wheel. But you can open two or all the wheels at same time to save some time. Most classic car restorers may use gravity bleeds for this reason, but any commercial shop will not due to time constraints.

Thank you for sharing this. I like your no-nonsense approach to the issue! No BS! No music! Just get right to the point! Thanks again.

If this will eliminate my wife from the equation, I'm in.

I prefer this: first attach clear bleeder hose to the fitting of choice. Route it up/use a hangoff point of some kind then drop it down to your bottle. That loop being higher than the bleeder [6" seems to work well enough most systems] is going to trap air bubbles and prevent them from returning to the system being bled. Then open the fitting with a flare wrench. Do not remove tubing while bleeder valve remains open.

I did this many years ago and worked great. You may want to put some brake fluid in the waste bottle and have the end of the tube submerged in the fluid. It should show any bubble but also prevents any air being drawn back into the brake line. Good video

I always do a two person job. The air gets purged quickly. Having your child or wife or friend help will build a lasting memory. I still remember when my dad asked me to press the brake pedal to bleed it.

I just changed 10 year old brake fluid out of my Honda and used new Honda brake fluid. Both were almost the exact same color. I have trouble telling when I have cleared out all of the old. I just kind of "guestimated" based on the length of line, so I'm not sure I got a perfect replacement. I wish they would make it clear or at least put some kind of dye in it that will fade away in time. Good video. I used this gravity method last year on a Ford but this time I had a helper. I was careful to tell him not to press all the way to the floor. Later I read a YT comment someone said- keep one of your (shoed) feet under the brake pedal while pressing with the other one. Sounds like a good idea.

Until I watched your video I had never hear of 'gravity brake bleeding'. Your explanations and video work are terrific. What is equally impressive are your concise straight forward directions. Reading the comments from others testifies to a very worthwhile video that should help a lot of folks. Thanks.

Yor videos are always shot, clear and to the point. Thanks for respecting my time

Great video. It worked perfectly on my Ford Probe. You could actually see air bubbles leaving in the brake fluid. My road test with cars power assist and 4 wheel disc brakes stopped the Probe perfectly. Now my brake pedal is same hight as my clutch. A new master cylinder was installed but needed a brake bleed. Thanks Red.

If when you've finished and start your engine, don't worry if you feel the brake pedal sink under your foot a little, this is just the brake booster / servo adding it's power to the pedal.

Straight forward. This is proves that expensive tools are not required for every job

I don't see what you mean when you say watch for air bubbles - How are you going to see that when the fluid is not filling the tubing because the drip is so slow? Without a solid column of liquid in your 5/16th line, how do you know you have air or not?

Great video, I have learned that bleeding brakes at least every two years will remove moisture from the system. That moisture can build up at the wheel cylinders/calipers and cause the caliper to stick which causes damage to the brake pads and rotors.

Excellent video. I've been using this practice for 30+ years. Your tip on using a socket to break loose the bleeder screws is spot-on, as-is the recommendation to use a flare wrench (which I leave on the nipple's hex, then slide the tubing over the end). About the only hard part of doing this fluid replacement/bleeding is doing the passenger side: walking back and forth from the collection bottle (to monitor the fluids color) and the master cylinder (to add more fluid). So really not that difficult if you're patient. For the drivers side it's pretty easy to see what's going on at the bottle and at the master cylinder at the same time. About the only issue I've had is keeping the collection bottle upright as sometimes the hose is exerting a sideways force on the bottle. To get around that, I duct tape the hose to the bottle (but not 100% sealing it, the air has to escape) and "block" the bottle in with some scrap 2x4 or whatever. Blocking and taping helps if you have a tippy bottle and it reduces the chance of spillage. The one thing I would have liked to have seen is the installation of caps on the bleeder screws when you're done. When those little guys get corroded the hose doesn't seal as well and some cleanup with a green scotch pad is often required.

I usually place a length of wood between the front of the drivers seat and the brake pedal and then slide the seat forward a bit, placing it under pressure and then open bleeder for a short time. works good when working without a helper. might be a better way to go when replacing hydraulic parts.

It works for bleeding of a full hydraulic system with air at the wheel cylinders or near them. If you have to replace the master cylinder or ABS modulator or air is captured at the ABS modulator (where the brake lines are at their highest level) it won't.

i drilled a hole in my brake fluid reservoir cap and threaded in a fitting. i use a garden sprayer and pump it up. does a fine job at getting it all sorted. most of the time those bleeder screws are hell. ive spent hours getting one unstuck.

Honda always recommends their brand fluids over any other. Dealership parts manager said that brake fluid is not a specialty item & that any good fluid will be fine. Ed c

A good video and well presented. However, without using the push pedal method air can still be trapped in the brake lines. It is possible with the gravity method for an air bubble to be present and for the fluid to seep by it.

I saw a video with an interesting idea take strainer out of way in master cylinder and open a fresh bottle of brake fluid open it and put it upside down into master cylinder, so it acts like a water cooler and fills cylinder to level of neck of bottle. of course, this will only work in some master cylinders but seems like a great idea to not have to keep filling cylinder and might add a smidge more pressure to brake fluid coming out

I'll never forget the first time I tried this years ago- I was so amazed that it actually worked! Sure beats the way I used to do it (By pumping up the brakes and then using a dried-out bag of cement to hold the pedal down while I'd go and close the bleeder screw....That way is faster...but a lot of running back and forth..and lifting). I always hated bleeding brakes...but now I actually don';t mind it.

This man is like chirstfix, but your video are different and I love the content keep it up and thank you for helping me fix my airbags 🙏

I keep a sacrificial Shop Vac, the $30 Wally special, for slurping out fluids. stick a plastic tube in the vac end, wrap tape around to seal the two different size ends together, and instantly empty the reservoir. You can even add a little fluid back in and slurp again in case you cant get all of the fluid on the bottom due to reservoir design. Refill with new fluid, put a hose on the bleeder and crack it. If you have a helper, they can push on the brake pedal, which is the most powerful brake bleeder made. watch the dark coffee colored fluid come out, turn to light yellow, close the bleeder, and refill the reservoir and go to the next wheel. If you don't have air in the lines, it isn't as important to start with the wheel that is the farthest from the reservoir.

The Scotty Kilmer accent and actions does it for me. Priceless!

Thank you so much for your time. Very concise and to the point. Very clear speaking voice and good volume. Many people can take many good points from you. All the best and may God bless.

One time I was putting all new stainless line on my 99 Silverado which were rotting out. We were having a hard time getting the brake fluid through the lines, so we cut a small hole in the master cylinder cap and forced air from a air compressor into the master cylinder. It worked, just had to get a new cap.

If you bleeders are rusty tapping around the bleeder with a hammer and punch will help free the rust bond. If you live in New England you may want to do this before trying to open the bleeder

This is a great video. It not only gives us an easier option but removes the risk of damaging seals, etc. Thanks so much for sharing this method!

I have done a similar method for years. However I put a nut on the outside of the end of the tubing in the bottle and put enough brake fluid in the bottle to make sure the tubing end stays in the brake fluid so it cannot suck air. Then loosen the bleeder screw a bit. And then slow pump brakes until no air bubbles come down tube into bottle. tighten bleeder screw and repeat on other 3 wheels. Fast and easy for one person. I have found that silicone air line tubing for aquariums works best for the tubing. I also cut 2 holes in the jar I am using. 1 for the main tuber and another to let the jar breathe but I poke the bleeder end of the tubing down in the extra hole to keep the whole setup clean while stored until next use. Also do not loosen the bleeder screw so much that it sucks air between pumps of brake. And of course top up reservoir after each wheel is done. I likd eto use a plastic peanut butter jar and drill 2 holes in lid sized so that the tubing fits snugly in them.

Seems to me that this gravity feed method would work best with earlier cars that do not have ABS braking systems. I personally like using a Mityvac vacuum pump on each bleeder.

Some gravity bleed real good, just did my 91 cherokee, even flushed the whole reservoir and all lines, almost does the job itself. I started with RR and just let run until dry then refilled and kept full as I bled them all. Some of the other cars I have tried worked and some don't.

Look. I'm an old man. I don't have 11 hours to bleed my brakes!

If you bleeder valve / screw is stuck be sure to use a six point wrench or socket. A twelve point will strip much easier. Also do not torque hydraulic valves or bleeder valves shut. They seal by the way they are designed with an angular seat. They do not need to be torqued to keep a good seal. People think it is a high pressure hydraulic safety issue, so it must be very tight. But that is not the case, just a very light finger tight will do. This is a common misunderstanding when people use jacks or bleeders and it will cause the part to stick when the next guy has to loosen it. Or it can destroy the hydraulic cylinder if it breaks when being removed.

Before removing any wheel cylinders or calipers , I put something behind the brake pedal . This seems to cut the fluid loss . Usually an empty plastic container works , from anti freeze , etc. And if you want to go further , remove the bleeder screws , wire brush or wire wheel and put a THIN coat of anti seize on . They loosen easier the next time .

I never do a gravity bleed. Add a bottle with hose and a one way valve just before the bottle top. Pump the brakes 3/4 to floor so you don't over extend the brake cylinder. By pumping the brakes (over gravity feed) you pump a lot of crap out that a gravity bleed will never touch. The only exception to this is if #1. you never bleed your brakes before and #2 is if your calipers are ancient or supper old and cylinder corrosion is well under way. But in all cases, if you bleed your brakes once a rear, than the pump the brake peddle method is going to keep those calipers way cleaner and last a long time before they need replacement or rebuild.

Fantastic video, very clear and comprehensive, thank you!

One of our senior tech at Nissan did this and it was amazing to watch😊

What else works is park on a steep hill. Had a car just couldn't get air out of new line after several times. Looked after buddies Island for a long weekend ahead parked on a fairly steep hill. After returning to car I was coming out to highway and went to pump brake twice (as had done because of air in line) almost put my head through windshield as air had bled itself

I dump the old master cylinder fluid into the "Gatorade" bottle and run the tube to the vary bottom. Press the brake pedal a couple times but only half way down. This fills the clear tube with fluid. Since the end is submerged, no air can enter the blead valve or the clear tube. This also creates a syphon effect that helps pull the fluid through the system. Slow shallow pumping will speed up the process.

Clear and concise. Well done

This was awesome! I used this on my motorcycle and works fantastic. I used silicone tubing instead of plastic. Thanks so much for sharing!

While always having fluid in reservoir to max line. Need to put fluid into waste container in case of back flow and raise it above bleeder valve just like gravity let's fluid drip raising it up will let air bubbles out you will then see if line is filled with only fluid that way you know you are done. If changing all fluid for clean one then keep at it untill clear fluid comes out.

You're right. I only use this method and it has always wirked. Crack open the bleeder and let it drip for 30 min each. Keep the resivouir topped up. Have a few beers and wait. Works every time!

Awesome video. Thank you for posting this. I needed to do a gravity bleed due to accidentally pressing the brake pedal at one point while changing my brakes that caused the piston to come out. This video is excellent education for doing the gravity bleed and getting me right back into business.

This brother is a fantastic teacher Thanks Sir

Pneumatic bleeders also work by gravity. You need compressed air and a 30 dollar kit from Harbor Freight. They work fast and the velocity helps flush out the system.

Wow, this is such a great tip sir! Have always thought the brake pedal needs to be pumped throughout the procedure. Thank you very much dear proclaimliberty2000.

With my old junk, it is never perfect after a bleed job, so park on a steep hill overnight pointing up hill & that helps.

I find it easier just to drive and not even use my brakes at all

Wow, it works, I just did it 😊

I suspect this slow drip, drip would allow brake fluid to slip past any air bubbles trapped in the line. So I would opt to have 2nd person pump the brake, have enough tubing to have a high spot above the bleeder to help trap air bubbles, keep end of tubing submerged to avoid air drawn in when brake pedal is released.

:Very detailed with a lot a subtle nuances. Kudos.

I keep a big bottle of break fluid upside down in the master cylinder

Great speaker I'm old school although I have cracked right rear left over night o one I found impossible to bleed b160 ihc most remember to close first thing. I enjoyed your presentation

LOL I appreciate that bit of silly humor at the end haha

Thank you for making & posting this video. (Very nicely done). Thank you again.

Nicely explained thanks! I found a hand vacuums pump for $30 tahr can accelerate the process too.

If you are gravity bleeding it just let most of the old brake fluid drain out of the reservoir before topping it off. Your turkey will taste better. Use a coolant system pressure tester, press down against the round top and pump 3 or 4psi of air against the fluid. It moves the fluid over 10 times faster and moves it uphill if needed.

I am a young mechanic and have been in the trade for 5 years so far. I have been in workshops using vacuum bleeding on brakes but I do enjoy gravity bleeding. Seeing how workshops, especially ones I work at, have been go-go-go, I do not get to gravity bleed. I only gravity bleed if I have to disasemble calipers or replace calipers as I find that gravity bleeding is the most effective for this Love the video!

Additional process is to add a little brake fluid into the waste-catch jug to level just above drip tube..

"Done by one person" SOLD! Thank you!

Shouldnt that tube be submurged in brake fluid in the bottle?

Thanks for not making it a 30-minute lesson.

Been my go-to procedure for 45 years.

Well demonstrated & explained & I echo the comments of another guy who said " No BS & no music ! "

Using a different colour fluid (eg from amber to blue) you can easily see when it is fully flushed.

This is just a low buck fluid flush, which I like but NOT an air bleeding procedure. Gravity bleeding is only really useful if you are changing calipers or wheel cylinders, it almost always never works on a master r&r. If you are installing a bench beld master the quickest way to finish the job is pump bleeding it, in my experience. Can't tell you how many people have came to my shop because they changed just one or 2 and then tried to bleed the whole system and jacked it up. But you also have the people that think you have to crack the hydraulic system open to do a normal brake job so...

It doesn't always work but it is worth a try. Certain vehicles require a scan tool to properly bleed brakes. Others are just a bear.

I have been doing this for years in my Toyota aygo and corolla. No problem, just need little bit of patience. The biggest advantage is that there is no need to worry about air being suckled in. It starts slowly and then picks up speed so it is not that slow. Use the plastic tube like in the video, so no spilling on the ground. Don't forget to fill the reservoir.

I've always had a nice spray bottle that I use. Stick the tube in (make sure it's on stream so it doesn't take forever) and just squirt it in to the bottle that it came from. It'll take a couple weeks, but if you do it every other day the fluid will be replaced a little quicker. $40 in brake fluid beats $100 or more at a shop for a flush. You should still bleed your calipers to make sure there's no air in the lines.

Curious whether this process couldn't be further simplified slightly by skipping removing all the old fluid from the reservoir with the turkey baster or whatnot (@2:30), instead just go straight to bleeding the furthest wheel, then watch the reservoir, adding new fluid to the reservoir when it is nearly empty? In other words, leveraging gravity for the ENTIRE brake fuild replacement (reservoir as well as the lines)

I have done this many times but I also like to do everything he said but put the hose in a full bottle of brake fluid and then pump them a couple times. I have never had any problems doing that especially when alone

Years ago I stopped by to see a mechanic I knew that worked at a lube/brake shop and he had a car on a lift. He proceeded to open all four bleeder screws at once and just let the fluid fall on the floor! Inside I was freaking out but he told me it was an old trick and closed the screws, let the car down and finished up. I didn't see if he had some way of refilling the master while bleeding the lines...

I tried this method, it worked. thanks!

If you have an air compressor, Harbor freight has a bleeder kit that works great.

I don’t like this method, but I like your enthusiasm, thumbs up

That is really nice thank you sir I forgot about doing it that way I'm old school mechanic too and that way is excellent thank you so much you will help a lot of people God bless you brother bye

gravity NOT recommended by me ..... the easiest way to Adequately bleed brakes is The Re-circulatory Method: 1) get a length on clear vinyl tubing that will reach from the rear right bleeder valve, through the cabin, and into the top of the master cylinder reservoir. 2 ) open the bleeder valve, sit down and pump watching the bubbles go by until they stop, ( but keep the reservoir topped off until you reach re-circulation ) ( the bubbles float up out of the master cylinder reservoir, while the master cylinder pulls down air free fluid ).........3 ) close bleeder, and do the next one.

Nothing wrong with gravity bleeding but it takes quite a bit of time vs the pump and hold or pressure bleeder way. Be aware that an older car with the MC under the floorboards cannot be done by the gravity way. The MC has to be higher then the wheel cylinders/calipers

This works but it is my opinion that gravity bleeding leaves more old wet fluid trapped in "pockets" in the master cylinder and in the calipers near the pistons than does a method that forces fluid through the system rapidly under pressure (thus forcing fresh fluid in all sections of the master cylinder and near the caliper pistons). Also, gravity bleeding is less likely to remove any bubbles that stick to the internal hydraulic surfaces. However, if the system has not been opened (no trapped air) and the fluid has been changed often enough, this might not be a problem. Unfortunately, what the mechanic will usually find is old dark wet fluid. A workaround would be to gravity bleed a second time after driving the car for a while. However, even pumping the brake pedal between bleeding wheel cylinders and bleeding each wheel cylinder twice would be helpful.

Magic man ! Thanks and cheers to you good sir 🍻

it is not enough to press brake pedal once and before you release, bleed connector must be closed otherwise it will surge air on threads, and is better to bleed at least 1dcl of fluid from every brake to get new oil into caliper

I just watched this for fun. Great video !

Thank you 🫡

Works

Great video.

Use Aero-Kroil instead of that PB stuff. Far superior and smells a LOT better

If i change a brake line or master cylinder i always do a initial gravity bleed. Then i do it with an assistant pumping for me.

Are stands supposed to be used on plastic bumpers when on ramps. I understand using stands with a jack but not under a plastic bumper

Nice job😮

Why you need the hose tho

Looks like a Camry. How long do you estimate it would take to bleed all 4 wheels?

Again what do you do if you break off the bleeder screw?????

Thank u brother, Romans 16:16 ,Greet each other with a sacred kiss. All the churches of Christ send you their greetings

I always liked Gravity bleeding, the Only problem I ever had was a frozen bleeder screw, And was hard to find the right size tube or my different site leaders I would be working on otherwise I would just place a rag there

This method only bleeds air from the system, but if your aim is to replace all the old fluid and flush the system, then you need to move the old fluid out by suction or pressure (pumping the pedal), correct?