In this Speed Article story, I showed you how to bleed brakes using a John Dow Brake Fluid Exchanger that runs on compressed air. It worked great and is a good option for a one-man shop with access to an air compressor.

But not everyone needs or can use a tool like that. Fortunately, there are many other brake bleeding tools available to make the job as hassle-free as possible. Let’s take a look at some options.

Power and Vacuum Bleeders

Not all power and vacuum bleeders need an air compressor to function. The Summit Racing™ Power Bleeder uses a hand pump to pressurize the brake system, forcing air and old fluid out of the brake lines. Just pour clean brake fluid into the pressure tank, attach the Power Bleeder cap to the master cylinder, and start pumping. The tool has a pressure gauge to show the amount of pressure you’re putting into the system.

Another option is Performance Tool’s Vacuum Pump Brake Bleeder Kit. The hand-operated pump is made from durable steel and has a handy gauge to read vacuum. It comes with a fluid jar, a bleeder screw adapter, vacuum hose, and adapters. It’s a solid tool that’s not expensive.

Like the John Dow Fluid Exchanger, the Mityvac Pressure Brake Bleeder Kit uses shop air to force fluid from the brake system. It can operate as pressure bleeder or vacuum bleeder. Isolated flow control and pressure/vacuum switch valves make switching between modes easy. The tool also has a built-in pressure relief valve that maintains pressure between 20 and 25 PSI. It comes with a 2.5 quart reservoir and an assortment of master cylinder adapters.

Brake Bleeder Wrenches

Brake bleeder wrenches are a must. These six-point box end tools are built with a large offset on each end to access the bleeder. The box ends mean there is less chance the tool will slip and round off the flats on the bleeder screw,

Brake bleeder wrenches must be matched to the bleeders on the vehicle. They range from 1/4- x 3/8-inch to 5/16- x 3/8-inch SAE. Metric sizes range from 7mm x 9mm to 8mm x 10mm.

Master Cylinder Bleeder

If you have plumbed a new brake system or are replacing the master cylinder, you’ll need to bench bleed it. A syringe kit like this one made by Classic Performance makes the job a piece of cake. Just fill the syringe with brake fluid, insert the tip in the bottom reservoir port of the master cylinder, and press the plunger. This fills the cylinder piston with clean fluid and forces out trapped air at the same time.

Another way to bench bleed a master cylinder is this LEED Brakes Bench Bleeding Tool. Here’s how it works:

• Place the master cylinder in a vise by the mount ears
• Attach the tool’s clear plastic hose in each nozzle
• Clip the plastic bridge piece on the partition wall of the master cylinder and insert a plastic tube into each side of the reservoir, making sure they are fully submerged in brake fluid
• Press the tapered end of the nozzles firmly in the master cylinder outlet ports with a twisting motion, then fill the reservoir with new brake fluid
• Use a large Phillips head screwdriver to push the master cylinder piston in, then release using full strokes
• Keep pushing and releasing the piston until all of the air bubbles have disappeared from the hoses. Now you can install the master cylinder

With good tools, bleeding brakes and hydraulic brake systems can be a piece of cake.

John Dow Brake Fluid Exchanger
This is the John Dow Brake Fluid Exchanger mentioned in the story. Hook up the unit to an air compressor to create a vacuum. That vacuum draws the fluid from the master cylinder out through the respective brake bleeder screw and into the exchanger’s reservoir. These instructions outline how it works. (Image/Wayne Scraba)
Summit Racing Power Bleeder
Summit Racing’s own Power Bleeder is actually a pressure bleeder. It’s simple to use—just pour clean fluid into the pressure tank, attach the Power Bleeder cap to your fluid reservoir, and pressurize the brake system using the built-in hand pump and pressure gauge. That will force the old fluid and trapped air out of the system. (Image/Summit Racing)
Performance Tool Vacuum Pump Brake Bleeder
The Performance Tool Vacuum Pump Brake Bleeder is a good example of a handheld bleeder tool. Hook the included tubing from the tool to the reservoir jar and the brake bleeder screw, then squeeze the handle to create a vacuum. The vacuum will pull old fluid through the bleeder screw and into the reservoir jar. (Image/Summit Racing)
Mityvac Pressure Brake Bleeder Kit
This Mityvac Pressure Brake Bleeder Kit uses compressed air to generate pressure or a vacuum. Use the vacuum mode to extract old fluid and air into the included tank. Use the pressure mode to force new fluid through the master cylinder and force old fluid and air through the bleeder screws. It’s ideal for bleeding hydraulic clutch systems as well as brake systems. The kit comes with adapters to fit later model master cylinder configurations. (Image/Summit Racing)
Brake bleeding wrenches
Brake bleeding wrenches have six-point box ends, not 12-point which is typical for many box end wrenches. That means you won’t easily round the corners off a stubborn bleeder screw. (Image/Wayne Scraba)
Classic Performance Brake Syringe
You’ll find this inexpensive Classic Performance brake syringe on the Summit Racing website. It’s an ideal tool for bench bleeding a master cylinder. This Speed Article video will show you how to use the syringe. (image/Summit Racing)
LEED Brakes Master Cylinder Bench Bleeder
Another means of bench bleeding a master cylinder is using a kit like this one from LEED Brakes. It has the adapters and hoses needed to recirculate the brake fluid. This OnAllCylinders video shows you how to do the job. (Image/Wayne Scraba)

Keywords
brake bleeding
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Author: Wayne Scraba

Wayne Scraba is a diehard car guy and regular contributor to OnAllCylinders. He’s owned his own speed shop, built race cars, street rods, and custom motorcycles, and restored muscle cars. He’s authored five how-to books and written over 4,500 tech articles that have appeared in sixty different high performance automotive, motorcycle and aviation magazines worldwide.