Help Bleeding Brakes

[Chief]

Hi guys, Im looking at changing my pads and rotors which are now quite worn, and Ive seen the user guides on how to do this and seeing it looks fairly simple, I think I'll try this myself.

While Im doing this, I might as well bleed the brakes and change brake fluid, since I havent done so since I got my r33 (2 years now).

Thing is I have no idea how to, can anyone give me some pointers at all, tried searching but couldnt find anything.

Any help appreciated!

[benm]

Personally my advice is to get a professional to do the bleeding.

[Chief]

Why is that Ben? Is it rather complicated to bleed the brakes by yourself? Ive read a couple of threads that described kits that can be bought allowing you to bleed the brakes without help, and I remember one thread refering to bleeding the brakes in a particular sequence, but Im not sure exactly what they were refering to.

If its going to be a complicated procedure I might just go to a brake place and get them to change everything for me instead. Its just that I been really getting into the DIY stuff of late; its rewarding for starters, you learn quite a bit about your car and you save a fair bit of money in the process.

[benm]

I'm happy to change the pads etc myself but after having a spongy pedal for about a year i'll quite happily pay a real mechanic to bleed my brakes for me knowing that it is done 100% correctly.

Their is absolutely nothing worse than a spongy pedal.

[The Dan]

Take it to your mechanic. It only costs $45 to get a brake flush. That's a complete flush out of all the old fluid and replaced with new fluid.

If you absolutely have to know then PM me and I will do a write up for you but it would be quite a long story if you know what I mean. And it is ALWAYS best done with 2 people. Yes you can do it by yourself but you more often than not leave air in the system and get a spongey pedal. Let me know how ya go.

[JimX]

If you know what you're doing it's probably best to do yourself. I have had cars where mechanics or their apprentices have left bolts out of gearboxes etc. Imagine if they left a bleed nipple not done up properly. Bleeding brakes is very straightforward and easy to get right, but in a busy workshop it can be easy for a mechanic to forget to do something up properly. A few years ago I got Midas to install a new brake booster in my Commodore, they didn't test them properly and my brakes stuck on. By the time I drove around the block and back to the workshop all 4 wheels were smoking like they were on fire.

If you want a professional to do it, take it to a reputable brake place like Race Brakes rather than your local servo workshop.

[The Dan]

If you know what you're doing it's probably best to do yourself. I have had cars where mechanics or their apprentices have left bolts out of gearboxes etc. Imagine if they left a bleed nipple not done up properly. Bleeding brakes is very straightforward and easy to get right, but in a busy workshop it can be easy for a mechanic to forget to do something up properly. A few years ago I got Midas to install a new brake booster in my Commodore, they didn't test them properly and my brakes stuck on. By the time I drove around the block and back to the workshop all 4 wheels were smoking like they were on fire.

If you want a professional to do it, take it to a reputable brake place like Race Brakes rather than your local servo workshop.

So did they end up fixing the problem for you?

[JimX]

The Commodore? Yeah.

[Chief]

Thanks for the replies guys, I think I will take it in to get the job done professionally. As much as I would like to do it myself, I think the risk of poor brake feel puts me off turning it into a learning experience.