Special technique for bleeding brakes?

[DFBRL8R]

Well it's time for new pads and I'm going to attempt to do them myself. I've changed pads on some of my other cars, but never on a car with ABS. Is there a special technique for bleeding the brakes? Will I need a special tool? What kind of problems can I expect to encounter? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks in advance! :hi2:

[meat]

Why do you need to bleed the brakes when changing pads?

For changing pads you can use a variety of methods to get the pistons back into the caliper, but I find a C-clamp works good for the fronts and then there is a "special" tool that I bought for the rears. The rear calipers screw in so you need something to do this with. The special tool goes on a ratchet and you screw in the piston. But you can use anything that will give you the grip and leverage to do it. Take the top off the brake fluid resevoir first - makes it easier.

Nothing special when bleeding the brakes. Start at the driver front and work around the car clockwise. Driver front, passenger front, passenger rear, driver rear.

[Randy W]

special tools that I use for retracting the rear piston:

- worn down to the metal R4S's that were used on the track (thanks Dr. Tim!)
- stut tower brace bracket piece of metal type thing from the old mustang
- squared screwdriver post
- anything that I can find that will work

[CBender]

For bleeding, I use a clear windshield wiper hose fitted to the bleed valve that's shoved into a Gatoraid poptop bottle filled 1/3rd with fresh brake fluid. I then suck the fluid out of the resevoir using a $2 turkey baster, fill it with fresh fluid, and pump the brakes 10 times to insure that all the old fluid's been purged and then repeat the process for the next wheel, following the order identified in Helm's manual. It's a cheap but workable approach, and it doesn't take long.

CB

[dlq04]

- speedbleeders are extremely helpful and recommended

- for compressing the rear piston I use a small crowbar designed for removing household trim; layed on it side in the grooves it works fine

[DFBRL8R]

Thanks for the advice guys! I changed the pads and it was a piece of cake. I used my 3/8" torque wrench to retract the rear piston. At first it was a little stiff, but got easier after about 1 full rotation.
Meat, I did not bleed the brakes. When I was younger that's how I was shown, so I just thought that that was a part of the process.

[meat]

I'm glad things went well.