How to Bleed your Brakes by Yourself

In this video 1A Auto shows you how to bleed or purge the air from the system by yourself

00:00 How to Bleed Brakes By Yourself
00:52 Building the Bleeder Tool With Household Items
1:51 Prepare the Bleeder Tool and Brake Reservoir
2:51 Decide Bleeding Order
4:26 Bleeding Procedure
6:47 Refill Brake Reservoir and Repeat Procedure For Each Caliper
8:12 Dispose of Waste Fluid Properly

🔧 List of tools used:
• Drill
• Rubber Vacuum Hose
• Wire Ties

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⚠ DISCLAIMER:
While 1A Auto strives to make the information provided in this video as accurate as possible, it makes no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or applicability of the content. No information contained in this video shall create any expressed or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. All do-it-yourself projects entail some risk. It is the sole responsibility of the viewer to assume this risk. 1A Auto is not responsible or liable for any loss damage (including, but not limited to, actual, consequential, or punitive), liability, claim, or any other injury or cause related to or resulting from any information posted in this video.

[AAuto]

√  *Watch the Video*
√  *Do it Yourself*
√  *Save Money*

[natethegreat]

For a person with no friends, I especially thank you for this video because I could not figure out anyone to help me bleed my brakes but if there’s a will there’s a way-and my brakes are gonna get done this weekend!!

[TheKramer]

Whenever I do a repair and have to get YouTube certified or take the YouTube refresher. I get a sy of relief everytime 1a auto pops up! I've used about 20 or 30 of ur videos to make sure I don't forget the t's and i's of mechanics work. The videos you guys do gives me confidence in repairs compared to the Haynes books . You are appreciated. All of you. From the vehicles to the mechanics and from the videographers to the editors... Thanks again 💯

[MissionFailed]

Thanks, man! Almost wasted $90 on a "brake bleeder kit". Forever alone team unite!

[AllanGabstonHowell]

Just a friendly suggestion...if the vehicle happens to be your own property, replace all the caliper bleeder screws with Dorman SpeedBleed bleeder screws (which have one-way check valves built into them); and fit lengths of 3/16" vinyl tubing onto each bleeder screw and open them all up at the same time. Place the free ends of the vinyl tubing into the same container, and invert your brake fluid container onto your open master cylinder, and leave it there.

Pump your brake pedal slowly and consistently, until clean fluid is seen in all hoses, and all hoses are free of air bubbles. Remove your brake fluid container from the master cylinder and re-cap the master cylinder.

Give the brake pedal a few more pumps if the master cylinder fluid level is too high, then close all bleeder screws and remove the vinyl tubing from each and replace the protective caps.

Purge the brake fluid from the lines into your container, and dispose of it properly.

You will have bled the entire system in the same time it would have taken you to bleed only the longest brake line, and be done on less than half the time it would take you to bleed each line individually--fantastic when you need to do a full system flush.

[edwinherrera-nieto-]

probably one of the best videos on bleeding I've seen, much appreciated. I've been turning wrenches since I was 17, mostly because I didn't have the money to take it to a mechanic and I don't believe I had ever seen this method, totally makes sense though, I'm 52 now.

[opensage]

I was in a pickle after doing work to my car and during the test drive afterwards the brakes were super spongy. I knew I let a very little amount of air into the system, but was not sure what the impact would be. Wow, just a little bit of air made my vehicle so dangerous to drive. I don't have any friends close to me, so I searched YouTube for "remove air from brake lines without bleeding" hoping there was a way. I found your video, went to the hardware store, picked up clear vinyl tubing. Went to the auto parts store, picked up brake fluid. Did this to my rear brake calipers and problem was solved. So simple and easy. Thank you very much for making and sharing this video. Have a great day and cheers.

[chrisgraves]

Worked like a charm! My roommate actually pumped while I hooked this up, no mess, no constant tightening and loosening. 10/10 definitely recommend! Ps. I just saw this video an hour and a half ago, ran to oriellys, back home and done

[brianslocum]

Man I can't even tell ya, it's priceless that you guys share your years of experience to help us out at home. I've saved myself a lot of money by doing it myself with the help of your videos. No way can I afford a mechanic, I spend too much on tools!!

[shojay]

I greatly appreciate your video. Out of all the videos on here, yours was the best one. I just finished a rear brake job on my 06 HHR and it was a horrible experience. I don't ever want to go through that ever again. The worst part were the main springs. Took two days to finish. Thank you for all your help!

[jamesfennell]

Absolutely the best method for bleeding brakes! After purchasing two vacuum bleeder tools your method released the air from my brake system. I replaced the master cylinder on my golf cart (without bench bleeding the new master cylinder) this method successfully solved my problem. Empty soda bottle and tubing! Many thanks!

[novi]

Brilliant..God bless we old timers (pre interweb) have been doing this since 1986 ..
Thank you for making a video !

[simoncossettini]

I had good success with this technique but I still had some air in system - possibly due to bleeder valve undone more than needed... I added my own variation by pumping the brake 4 times and then using a cut 2x4 and the electric seat forward to do the final pump and hold it in place.... then tighten up / release as you would 2 person technique. This additional step fixed the the pedal from being sloppy / soft/ long travel which is a sign that there is air in the system.

[JayWalkerOnline]

Absolutely phenomenal tutorial. Things to help note for newbies (that I had to learn via the school of hard knocks) are:
1) Make sure the container with your clean brake fluid is ABOVE the brake bleeder valve. This ensures that you're not just dumping in a ton of liquid, and that air is for certain being released.
2) Gotta gotta gotta make sure that master cylinder cap is on and SCREWED ON (unlike other styles of brake bleeding that take it off or rest it on the top).
3) Some brake fluid is gonna fill into the container. I'm not 100% sure this isn't my own personal error, but I can also see fluid flowing into our mechanic's bottle as seen in this video, so I'm assuming that is to be expected. If you've got old, dirty brake fluid in there that you're bleeding, it'll contaminate the new brake fluid. This is really just best for air, at least in my experience/opinion.
Of course if any old pros or mechanics have corrections for an apprentice like me I'd love to hear them. Thanks so much to all you at 1A Auto for your supremely helpful and informative videos!

[shelbyesters]

Been fixing my junk for years. No money to take it to a mechanic. Took off work today to put new pads/calipers on the front. Just got them installed and need to bleed the lines now. Thanks to whoever uploaded this.

[Petesworkshop]

The time my wife was pumping the gas pedal was the last time I did a two man brake bleed.

[drumskas]

Best video eeveeeer! As far as bleeding the brakes, thank you so much 1A auto and thank you so much for explaining slowly and patiently. Love 1A auto DIYs. Hands down the best.

[davidalbers]

i have made one of these in the past with a magnet attached to the side of bottle to hold to frame. I also use a couple of folding make up mirrors so i can watch the fluid/bottle from in the car so you dont have to keep getting out to check..works great

[rolandotirador]

1A Auto your videos are literally the ones I always watch now whenever I have a doubt or want to figure out a different solution to making repairs. Seeing that I live pretty remote having friends over to help is pretty much not gonna happen; this video gave me a solution to my brake problems! Thanks

[tommcdaniel]

I love it! What a great way to bleed brakes. No mess at all...I've done it many times but it always leaves a mess all over and a sore throat.
Sore throat you ask? Yep, that comes from yelling back and forth to the other person in drive seat as to when to press down pedal and/or allow it to come back up. :)