Hi all,
I'm doing my rear brakes after 192,000 miles.
Actually I did them last night, along with the change out to the bigger wheel cylinders.
If I only removed the wheel cylinders do I need to bleed all those other places as well?

Thanks in advance.

Peter

 

The shoe with more material goes to the rear.

There should be 4 bleeder screws. One at each caliper/wheel cylinder. With that many miles, you should consider bleeding out of all 4 and completely changing out the old brake fluid. Brake fluid attracts moisture and subsequently causes rusting. Changing it out once in a while will help extend the life of the system.

 

the short shoe goes to the front

 

Ditto that - consider replacing the fluid with a DOT 5 spec

 

whats the differences in the DOT markings? ive always used DOT 3...what will DOT 5 do?

 

DOT3 and DOT4 are both glycol based, so they're hydrophilic, or hygroscopic - the water they absorb will lower the brake system's boiling point; the gas formed is quite compressible, so you usually won't lose your brakes until they're really needed - panic stops or more likely downhill runs with a load.
The moisture absorbed also promotes oxidation within the brake system.

DOT5 is silicone-based, so it's hydrophobic: the boiling point remains high, but any water that gets into the system will collect in the lowest parts. It works best in systems designed for it or retrofitted to use it - silicone eats up OEM seal materials.

DOT3 & DOT4 are excellent paint removers (don't spill it ), relatively cheap and widely available.

DOT5 is expensive, harder to find these days (think I read it was phased out by OEMs) and gives a slightly softer pedal.

For racing use, there's brake fluids such as DOT 610, with a much higher boiling point, but it's expensive and absorbs water even more readily than DOT3 & DOT4...

DOT5 tastes great, and is less filling

 

one way: on each corner, put a peice of vacuum hose over the bleed screw, put hose in a clear soda bottle, put some water in to cover hose end,

and when you open the screw, the nasty brake fluid comes out, and floats on the water.

and it can't suck air back in that way.

you should be able to watch the fluid coming out of the hose, and tell when it is clean = clean fluid thru whole system.

i usually fill up a 16oz bottle twice on each corner, once getting it clean, 2nd time bleeding for a firm pedal.