Replacing passenger side rear brake caliper - how do you bleed it ?

[Explorer_PL]

My right rear caliper seized and ruined the pads and the rotor. I am going to replace it with a reman unit, and since I have never done it on this car, anything special to look for while bleeding it ?
Once in installed with the hose in place, open the bleed screw, watch the level in the reservoir and pump it till I see just the fluid coming out ?

Bonus question: the hose bolt is a hollow type with a tiny hole on the side near the top of it. The hose adapter has a corresponding hole in the square end but how those two align ? It's nearly impossible to know that once you tighten the bolt, those 2 openings are in the same place. What am I missing ?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Rcflyer330]

You bleed the brakes just like all other cars. The best way is with two people have one person open the bleed screw and the other press on the brake pedal. While holding the brake pedal down tighten the bleed screw and pump the brakes a couple of time the press the pedal again and open the bleeder screw. Repeate until no air bubbles come out the bleader screw. You may want to use a piece of clear tubing to direct fluid away from you car and be able to see the air bubbles better.

For the bolt its called a banjo bolt and the area where the tiny hole is at the top is made smaller than the rest of the bolt so fluid can flow around it. The brake line connector also has a machined pathway for fluid to flow around and find its way to the banjo bolt hole. There is not need to align the banjo bolt in any specific direction to make it work correctly.
In this forum, 6th post down click the image, there is a good diagram of how a banjo bolt works.
What is a Banjo Bolt? - Pelican Parts Forums

 

[Explorer_PL]

Thanks RC
Ha....the bolt, that simple.

I was thinking there's got to be some type of channel since depending how you torque it, the holes will never align but there is a "ring" around it, makes sense.
Thanks again.

 

[michael loibl]

PL, you yank motors and transmissions in your driveway, cut off class 2 hitch and weld in class 3 hitch, mess with exhaust manifold studs, timing chains and phasers, wheel hubs etc and now you come on here and ask how to install a rear brake caliper ????
Just kidding, but it kind of puts it in perspective that we all are more or less comfortable with different kinds of repairs.
I’ve replaced brake calipers in the parking lot of a Waffle House 500 miles from home, but would never be able to pull a motor or trans at home.

 

[Explorer_PL]

LOL
I figured it's not that complicated.
There is always that first time and some guys have done it dozens of times so I am always open to learn from others.

 

[Zorin]

I just put a pan under the brake in question, open the bleeder, and go have a beer. Gravity bleeding actually works very well....but it can take a bit of time.

 

[scapino]

So a couple of quick questions on brake bleeding:
In the past I replaced both rear calipers and bled them no problem. This weekend I replaced both Front and Rear calipers (and pads & rotors) on my Sport Trac.

Question #1; does it matter what order I bleed the brakes? I started with the axles farthest from the fluid reservoir:
Passenger Rear > Drivers Rear > Passenger Front > Drivers Front
Does this seem logical?

Question #2: Does it matter if the engine is running (for the power brakes) or not? First time I did the rears I had the engine running; this time when doing all four we left the engine off.

Question #3: This is my real question - the first time I bled the REARs everything seemed normal. With engine running; I open the valve while someone steps on brake pedal and fluid gushes out. I close valve and go to the next. This time with engine off & someone stepping on pedal; I open the rears and I get a quick 'spurt' and then fluid just dribbles out. We did this a couple times (three or four each) on both rears. Whereas when I opened the fronts (again engine still off) I get a nice arc of fluid pissing out. <insert picture of Calvin pissing on Chevy here> Does this seem normal? i'm just wondering if there was still air in the rears?

IDK, we pumped almost a full quart of fluid through it. And the truck seems to stop ok. Maybe I'm just over-thinking this...?

 

[hlg99]

Sounds like you did it in correct order, As long as you didn't have any air bubbles in the line while bleeding you should be okay.

 

[swshawaii]

Engine does not need to be running when flushing or bleeding. Any possibility left and right calipers were switched?

Bleeders must be facing UP to purge all the air. Usually happens when both are removed at the same time. It happens.