Bleeding inside brakes

Omathisen · #1 (**permalink**) 10-07-2018, 10:22 AM

People have discussed bleeding brakes before and Bob Putnam and others have posted "how to" etc. Still, I find bleeding the inside calipers in the rear, with inside brakes (Sierra Wildwood), difficult. Any good way of doing this?
Thanks.

DanEC · #2 (**permalink**) 10-07-2018, 04:17 PM

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.

patrickt · #3 (**permalink**) 10-07-2018, 04:23 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 remember ERAChas used to say that SpeedBleeders were the only way to go with a Jag inboard braked rear. I have the outboard braked rear and bleeding that is no different than bleeding any other simple car.

Omathisen · #4 (**permalink**) 10-07-2018, 05:15 PM

I eventually found the access panel behind the seats. Would have been helpful if this had been in my the manual I received. I have had my ERA for 18 years and enjoyed it all, but every so often I run into these things where somebody is making it more difficult than it has to be.

davids2toys · #5 (**permalink**) 10-08-2018, 11:17 AM

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 · #6 (**permalink**) 10-08-2018, 02:26 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 · #7 (**permalink**) 10-08-2018, 05:47 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 · #8 (**permalink**) 10-08-2018, 06:15 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.

strictlypersonl · #9 (**permalink**) 10-08-2018, 06:42 AM

I'm updating all the manuals to reference the necessity of removing that panel to bleed the rear (Jag) brakes.

Chaplin · #10 (**permalink**) 10-10-2018, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strictlypersonl

I'm updating all the manuals to reference the necessity of removing that panel to bleed the rear (Jag) brakes.

I can't believe you need to put that in the manual. I've had my ERA for 15 years now and it was readily apparent to me the first time I looked at it that the only way to do it was to remove the panel.

AndrewB · #11 (**permalink**) 10-09-2018, 11:20 AM

Anybody try these remote bleeders? I just ordered them so I'll update once I get them installed.

https://xks.com/i-7150468-jaguar-irs...s-06-0003.html

DanEC · #12 (**permalink**) 10-09-2018, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewB

Anybody try these remote bleeders? I just ordered them so I'll update once I get them installed.

https://xks.com/i-7150468-jaguar-irs...s-06-0003.html

Those actually look pretty interesting. But I'm trying to remember - on the Girling rear calipers are there bleeders on both halves of the calipers (like on older Corvettes)? I went back and looked at my old photos and I think there is a fluid transfer tube so we probably wouldn't need 4 of them. The lines have to be routed higher than the calipers to ensure air isn't trapped in the lines so maybe mount them in the wheel wells or inside the trunk.

Kit Coyle · #13 (**permalink**) 10-10-2018, 06:30 PM

Those look very practical and intuitively should work well...please do report back
how well they actually work! It could be an very inventive solution to a potential
PITA. Very smart!

davids2toys · #14 (**permalink**) 10-10-2018, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewB

Anybody try these remote bleeders? I just ordered them so I'll update once I get them installed.

https://xks.com/i-7150468-jaguar-irs...s-06-0003.html

Never heard of them...really interesting for sure!

rads42 · #15 (**permalink**) 10-23-2018, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewB

Anybody try these remote bleeders? I just ordered them so I'll update once I get them installed.

https://xks.com/i-7150468-jaguar-irs...s-06-0003.html

Any update on these? Have you had a chance to install them?

Thanks

AndrewB · #16 (**permalink**) 10-23-2018, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rads42

Any update on these? Have you had a chance to install them?

Thanks

I've received them, and they look nice, but unfortunately I'm probably 3-4 months out from my car being on the road and being able to give any type of opinion

DanEC · #17 (**permalink**) 10-11-2018, 10:24 AM

I don't recall the u-joints being that inaccessible on my car with in-board brakes. But I've had my tunnel out enough times that greasing the u-joints hasn't been a problem.

strictlypersonl · #18 (**permalink**) 10-11-2018, 11:15 AM

Note from Doug: "I never think about greasing those joints." While there is a fitting on the driveshafts we have made, no contemporary shafts have any grease fittings on them. They should last the life of the car.

On the other hand, don't miss greasing the half-shafts. The slower rotation speed and higher torque makes them more prone to galling.

patrickt · #19 (**permalink**) 10-11-2018, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strictlypersonl

Note from Doug: "I never think about greasing those joints." While there is a fitting on the driveshafts we have made, no contemporary shafts have any grease fittings on them. They should last the life of the car.

On the other hand, don't miss greasing the half-shafts. The slower rotation speed and higher torque makes them more prone to galling.

Do I read that to say "there is no need to grease the u-joints on the drive shaft under normal conditions?" Or is there some other funky fitting on the driveshaft that I've just never seen...

strictlypersonl · #20 (**permalink**) 10-12-2018, 06:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickt

Do I read that to say "there is no need to grease the u-joints on the drive shaft under normal conditions?" Or is there some other funky fitting on the driveshaft that I've just never seen...

I would grease the driveshaft u-joints only if it was convenient. Regular service is not required. Grease is much better than in the '60s. They don't even have grease fittings on drive-shafts any more.