Tried a vacuum bleeder instead of the old two-person brake bleed method

I've always done brake bleeds the old fashioned way with my wife pumping the pedal, but last weekend I grabbed a $35 vacuum bleeder from Harbor Freight for my '97 F-150. It took me less than 20 minutes to do all four corners by myself with no air bubbles. Has anyone else switched over to one of these and found it worth the money?

2 comments

2 Comments

baker.ben12d ago

Wait, you got a vacuum bleeder from Harbor Freight and it worked perfectly on a first try? That's wild because I've heard those cheap ones pull in air around the threads.

dixon.amy12d ago

@baker.ben I chuck a bit of Teflon tape on the bleeder threads before I start and that stops the air sneaking in. Never had an issue on any of my trucks since I started doing that.