Bleeding inside brakes

davids2toys · #1 (**permalink**) 10-08-2018, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanEC

I have the Girling rear, in-board brakes and I've been able to bleed them from underneath with a bit of dexterity involved. I installed speed bleeders early on which makes it simpler. I just have to crack them open, stick a hose on them to a jar and then simply pump the pedal until I'm satisfied all air is gone.

I also installed the speedbleeders a few years ago when I had the access panel removed for the rear pinion seal issue I had. I am now able to bleed the brakes from underneath (with a lift) without removing the back panel. The back panel is a hassle to remove because I believe everything (seats, tunnel, carpeting, fire extinguisher )needs to be removed first. As Dan said, requires a little dexterity but very doable. Finding the perfect shaped wrench also plays a role. I think I remember bending one of my wrenches for this job.
That said, it is a snap with the access cover removed!

patrickt · #2 (**permalink**) 10-08-2018, 03:26 PM

Speaking of access covers, I'd like to see an access cover on the tunnel adjacent to the front u-joint for easy servicing. Jaguars have 'em, I think we should get one too.

strictlypersonl · #3 (**permalink**) 10-08-2018, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickt

Speaking of access covers, I'd like to see an access cover on the tunnel adjacent to the front u-joint for easy servicing. Jaguars have 'em, I think we should get one too.

I'm going to digitize the tunnel pieces soon. (We're making them by hand now.) I'll see if there's a reasonable way to do that without going crazy with the carpet, etc. I would prefer to come up from the bottom, but the X-member and the ERA emergency brake linkage might be in the way.

Maybe just a flat rubber plug that you could glue carpet to?

patrickt · #4 (**permalink**) 10-08-2018, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strictlypersonl

Maybe just a flat rubber plug that you could glue carpet to?

Any access is better than what you have to do right now for an ERA outboard braked rear with the emergency brake. To grease the front u-joint, you have to rotate the drive shaft to just the right spot, release the e-brake, and the little brass circular thing slides back and gives you just enough room to get a pistol grip lube fitting up in there. No where in the manual does it tell you that you have to release the emergency brake in order to even see the zerk. It took me a while, and mostly luck, to figure that out. If the emergency brake handle is up, you don't stand a chance and it looks absolutely impossible. I now can do it pretty quickly, but I would still prefer a little lift up carpet flap, with a rubber plug under it that you pull out, and then you can lube it from the side. I can see that for complete u-joint change out you're going to have to pull the tunnel.

davids2toys · #5 (**permalink**) 10-09-2018, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickt

Any access is better than what you have to do right now for an ERA outboard braked rear with the emergency brake. To grease the front u-joint, you have to rotate the drive shaft to just the right spot, release the e-brake, and the little brass circular thing slides back and gives you just enough room to get a pistol grip lube fitting up in there. No where in the manual does it tell you that you have to release the emergency brake in order to even see the zerk. It took me a while, and mostly luck, to figure that out. If the emergency brake handle is up, you don't stand a chance and it looks absolutely impossible. I now can do it pretty quickly, but I would still prefer a little lift up carpet flap, with a rubber plug under it that you pull out, and then you can lube it from the side. I can see that for complete u-joint change out you're going to have to pull the tunnel.

Don't know anything about the outboard brake setup but that front yoke grease is no picnic on the inboard brake cars either! I like the idea of a rubber plug that has carpet glued it. If done right, you would never see it

patrickt · #6 (**permalink**) 10-09-2018, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davids2toys

Don't know anything about the outboard brake setup but that front yoke grease is no picnic on the inboard brake cars either! I like the idea of a rubber plug that has carpet glued it. If done right, you would never see it

Here are two pics of the elusive front u-joint zerk fitting. The first is with the emergency brake pulled up in to the "on" position. I don't know how many times I had my car up in the air, and I stared at it and stared at it and stared at it, and thought "damn, I'm going to have to pull the tunnel just to grease the front u-joint." And then, one day, I had her up in the air with the emergency brake off and lo and behold I looked at it and said "WTF? How did that happen?"

It's still a PITA to grease even now.

davids2toys · #7 (**permalink**) 10-11-2018, 12:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickt

Here are two pics of the elusive front u-joint zerk fitting. The first is with the emergency brake pulled up in to the "on" position. I don't know how many times I had my car up in the air, and I stared at it and stared at it and stared at it, and thought "damn, I'm going to have to pull the tunnel just to grease the front u-joint." And then, one day, I had her up in the air with the emergency brake off and lo and behold I looked at it and said "WTF? How did that happen?"

It's still a PITA to grease even now.

That is wild. I am going to have to check this out on my car! If this is the front yoke which is what I think we are talking about, would it matter which rear end, inboard brakes or outboard brakes is in the car?