DIY Brake bleed and flush.

[RUM4MO]

ciclo, do you remember if the banjo bolts are the size "size" for the rear Lucas/TRW callipers and the ATE front callipers? I've bought new aluminium sealing washers to use when I service the rear callipers, I've had one rear calliper off to replace it so I know the size of the aluminium sealing washers for the rear banjo bolts.

I've bought many sizes of "one use" syringes, blunt needles and sealing caps - but I can't seem to comply with "one use" - so tend to get annoyed when I next use them! Equestrian or "Country" supply stores tend to sell them, the tubing I probably bought online with Haldex fluid changing kits.

Turkey basters are very useful for removing the old fluid from the reservoir quickly.

[RUM4MO]

Wolfie, I'm not too sure about swopping to stainless steel bleed nipples, they will not be as strong as the original ones, and that might lead to them snapping off under the conditions that allowed a bit more force/torque to "crack free" the original ones.

The original ones will not be corroded very much "below the surface" ie further down the tapped holes, they will mainly only have a rust build up above that area. I've started applying a suitable assembly grease to bleed nipples mainly to stop air getting sucked in if I use vacuum bleeder kit, but also to minimise moisture getting down the threads, but also doing this will minimise the amount of trapped fluid above the actual sealing point, that can bleed out via the threaded areas.

Being a fussy old buggar, I tend to blast some brake cleaner and/or air duster down the closed bleed nipple before fitting the dust cover back on - again really to avoid a suspicious damp stain/mark appearing at the area of the bleed nipples due to trapped fluid weeping out initially.

[amer6R]

Cheers for the walk through and advice all really helpful. Thanks all.

OK. I now have a revised cunning plan!

I was going to bleed the brakes first and then do my discs and pads. However, as mentioned above it makes more sense to do those first, then bleed/flush everything through. Pressure bleeder was delivered this morning. It's identical to this but I picked it up for £25 off Ebay. I'm surprised how decent the quality is for the price.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bleeding-Bleed ... d_source=1

I picked up 2L of DOT4 at the weekend so should be good to go. Also printed off the destructions from ErWin "just in case"
With seized bleed nipples being mentioned It crossed my mind that you may be able to get stainless steel alternatives. So I'll have a Google later.

usually 11 mm, but prepare a 10 mm also. Ah i see you probably ask for thread size and pitch.

There is part number on the etka. I wouldn't swap if they are not rounded off

[2226]

Cheers for the walk through and advice all really helpful. Thanks all.

OK. I now have a revised cunning plan!

I was going to bleed the brakes first and then do my discs and pads. However, as mentioned above it makes more sense to do those first, then bleed/flush everything through. Pressure bleeder was delivered this morning. It's identical to this but I picked it up for £25 off Ebay. I'm surprised how decent the quality is for the price.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bleeding-Bleed ... d_source=1

I picked up 2L of DOT4 at the weekend so should be good to go. Also printed off the destructions from ErWin "just in case"
With seized bleed nipples being mentioned It crossed my mind that you may be able to get stainless steel alternatives. So I'll have a Google later.

Lol.. "destructions".

Not a bad price that. I was looking to get that off temu as they have the same thing there, but the price jumps all over the place from $38 to $50. That site is madness, but, hey, free shipping.

Stainless can still rust, depends on the stainless alloy grade. Ask Elon. Stainless might be harder, but harder things are often more brittle. Ask Elon.

Spray some penetrator oil (Q20 or something) around the bleed nipples the night before and it'll have time to work in.
(Speaking of penetrating oil, best name for one so far "CRC Knock'er Loose". Would've loved to be in the marketing meeting )

I used to put some grease onto them to seal up the threads while bleeding. Shouldn't need to, but I had a tough time bleeding brake drum cylinders where it would constantly suck air in past the threads and a dab of grease did the trick. Can't remember if it was silicone grease or just some general grease I had.

[ciclo]

ciclo, do you remember if the banjo bolts are the size "size" for the rear Lucas/TRW callipers and the ATE front callipers? I've bought new aluminium sealing washers to use when I service the rear callipers, I've had one rear calliper off to replace it so I know the size of the aluminium sealing washers for the rear banjo bolts.

I've bought many sizes of "one use" syringes, blunt needles and sealing caps - but I can't seem to comply with "one use" - so tend to get annoyed when I next use them! Equestrian or "Country" supply stores tend to sell them, the tubing I probably bought online with Haldex fluid changing kits.

Turkey basters are very useful for removing the old fluid from the reservoir quickly.

I couldn't tell you what size sealling washer or banjo bolt you need.

My little story about it:
I did not change the banjo bolts or the sealing washers, I left the same brake lines installed for both models of brake calipers. Erwin does not indicate that the banjo bolts or the sealing washer need to be renewed, both are attached to the banjo union and supposedly it should not be possible to remove them from it. In case of damage, the entire brake line/hose must be renewed. There is no part number on the ETKA for the banjo bolt or sealing washer.
I consulted with VW experts and they told me that there is no problem reinstalling them.

In short, I bought the four new original brake lines , but I reinstalled the factory ones because they were in perfect condition. I tightened them to the indicated torque (35 Nm) and everything is fine/perfect after a few thousand km.

I'm sorry I can't help you clarify it.

[RUM4MO]

I couldn't tell you what size sealling washer or banjo bolt you need.

My little story about it:
I did not change the banjo bolts or the sealing washers, I left the same brake lines installed for both models of brake calipers. Erwin does not indicate that the banjo bolts or the sealing washer need to be renewed, both are attached to the banjo union and supposedly it should not be possible to remove them from it. In case of damage, the entire brake line/hose must be renewed. There is no part number on the ETKA for the banjo bolt or sealing washer.
I consulted with VW experts and they told me that there is no problem reinstalling them.

In short, I bought the four new original brake lines , but I reinstalled the factory ones because they were in perfect condition. I tightened them to the indicated torque (35 Nm) and everything is fine/perfect after a few thousand km.

I'm sorry I can't help you clarify it.

I had to quickly replace a rear calliper, so I bought a refurbished one and it came with 2 new copper sealing washers, now maybe I'm fussy, but as, in this case TRW, had chosen to use aluminium sealing washers on what is an aluminium alloy calliper body, I felt the need to do the same and so avoid using the copper washers - which are probably okay to use on iron or aluminium alloy callipers.

So, I played safe and removed the 2 aluminium alloy sealing washers and carefully "refaced" them before refitting them - but I did tight that banjo bolt a lot more than it would have been originally, which is not something that I'd want to do again especially as these rear callipers are aluminium alloy. So, I measured up these sealing washers while they were off the hose and bought in some new ones - for the next time - and the next time might include the front callipers if/when I get round to removing the pistons and cleaning them up and fitting new seals and dust covers (car is 9 years old now), and doing the same for the remaining original rear calliper.

I did try to get pro-active, and when the first rear calliper started to seize, I quickly replaced it with a refurbished calliper, that worked well, so I ordered up a refurbished calliper from the other side, again an official "rebuilt" Pagid calliper - but I rejected that one before fitting it as it had been very crudely repaired where in it's previous life it had ended up getting its bleed nipple threaded hole wrecked - so after getting a refund for that one and getting the sales person saying to me "the next one I get for you might be the same!" I changed my plan and ordered up a set of seals and covers to refurbish at least the piston end part of the other rear calliper.

[amer6R]

I put copper washers on mine when i swapped. It was 2 yrs ago i think. no issues what so ever