1991 ford explorer. rear brakes

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Philip Browning - 20 Mar 2007 00:59 GMT

so we are trying to bleed the rear brake line. and it seems like it dosnt
want to hit the floor when we try to do it. might it be because of the RABS?
Caus we are currently checking that if we have it. but any suggestions?

Reply to this Message

Jim Warman - 20 Mar 2007 07:57 GMT

First guess is a bleeder screw that is bunged off..... But it certainly
shouldn't be because of the RABs..

> so we are trying to bleed the rear brake line. and it seems like it dosnt
> want to hit the floor when we try to do it. might it be because of the
> RABS? Caus we are currently checking that if we have it. but any
> suggestions?

Reply to this Message

Old Mechanic - 20 Mar 2007 21:01 GMT

On Mar 19, 7:59 pm, "Philip Browning" <PhilipB...@sbcglobal.net>
wrote:

> so we are trying to bleed the rear brake line. and it seems like it dosnt
> want to hit the floor when we try to do it. might it be because of the RABS?
> Caus we are currently checking that if we have it. but any suggestions?

If you have the bleeder valve open and you are pressing on the brake
pedal it will stop without hitting the floor because of the back
pressure in the front brakes. This is a safety feature adopted in the
late 60's. Older cars had single chamber master cylinders so when you
lost pressure you lost all braking. In modern cars you only loose the
front or back. When this happens, the brake pedal will be close to
the floor when the braking action starts.

JG

Reply to this Message

Philip Browning - 20 Mar 2007 23:22 GMT

so how do i go about bleeding or bypassing to bleed the brakes?
do i need to bleed the back and front at the same time?

> On Mar 19, 7:59 pm, "Philip Browning" <PhilipB...@sbcglobal.net>
> wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>
> JG

Reply to this Message

Old Mechanic - 21 Mar 2007 14:42 GMT

> so how do i go about bleeding or bypassing to bleed the brakes?
> do i need to bleed the back and front at the same time?
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>
> - Show quoted text -

No, you can't do the back & front at the same time. If you want to
bleed the back brakes, you open the bleeder valve on the wheel
cylinder and have someone push the brake pedal down as far as it will
go. It will stop fairly close to the floor. When the pedal is doen
as far as it will go, you close the bleeder valve. Then your
assistant releases the brake pedal and repeat the process. No NOT
release the pedal while the bleeder valve is open and do NOT pump the
pedal. This should be done slowly and carefully. Sometimes you can
just leave the bleeder open and the fluid will slowly ooze out of the
bleeder purging air from the system. Make sure there is sufficient
fluid in the master cylinder before you start.

JG

Reply to this Message