First time gravity bleed with pads and rotors

KORRUPT · 07-11-2013, 11:58 AM

So I changed out the pads and rotors on the 09 yesterday. Seems the previous owner must have never touched them because man everything was ridiculously hard to get off. I would have also preferred if a couple of the caliper bolts were a little easier to get at but hey what can you do.

I installed the Stoptech slotted sport rotors with their street pads and tried a gravity bleed for the first time after seeing some posts by baer383 and spohn , although controversial. I have to say that this was probably the easiest brake bleed I have ever done and alone I may add. I only had two buckets so I started with the rear. I popped the buckets under the wheels and opened the bleeders, out comes the old fluid so I figured good start. I was refilling with ate super blue so I just kept adding fluid to the master to keep it topped up, once I saw the blue ate fluid coming out of the bleeders I closed them up and switched to the front. While the front was bleeding I took the time to rinse the rear calipers and clean them up nice. Front bleed was same process but took a lot less time obviously, cleaned them up and put everything back together. I then took the car for a drive and no problems at all, good brake feel no pedal issues whatsoever. I know some on here don't like the gravity bleed method but I figured I would put down my experience with it for those that may be wanting to try it but aren't sure. I will definitely do it this way from now on. I'll post some pics when I get home later and give my review of the brakes after I bed them properly tonight.

NS370Z · 07-12-2013, 04:22 PM

I see you are in Canada. Was it a hassle to find a decent place to purchase the Stoptech brake hardware and the ATE fluid?

I know what you mean with regards to the thread and the war over the different brake bleed methods. Is there any chance of getting brake fluid on the pads or would you have to be a total klutz to do such a thing using this method?

Chuck33079 · 07-12-2013, 05:14 PM

A couple of pieces of tubing on the bleeders and you don't have to worry about getting fluid anywhere you don't want it.

KORRUPT · 07-12-2013, 07:16 PM

The parts are easy to find in Canada. A friend of mine works for a an aftermarket shop so it only took me 24hrs to get them. You can do as chuck33079 said but I didn't bother and nothing got on the pad. when I do it next time instead of lifting the whole car I will just do one corner at a time then I don't have to get the whole car on stands. Don't rush and its really simple.

SPOHN · 07-12-2013, 07:51 PM

Glad you liked this method.

kenchan · 07-12-2013, 08:22 PM

so only tool needed is a combination wrench for the bleeder?

Baer383 · 07-12-2013, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KORRUPT

So I changed out the pads and rotors on the 09 yesterday. Seems the previous owner must have never touched them because man everything was ridiculously hard to get off. I would have also preferred if a couple of the caliper bolts were a little easier to get at but hey what can you do.

I installed the Stoptech slotted sport rotors with their street pads and tried a gravity bleed for the first time after seeing some posts by baer383 and spohn , although controversial. I have to say that this was probably the easiest brake bleed I have ever done and alone I may add. I only had two buckets so I started with the rear. I popped the buckets under the wheels and opened the bleeders, out comes the old fluid so I figured good start. I was refilling with ate super blue so I just kept adding fluid to the master to keep it topped up, once I saw the blue ate fluid coming out of the bleeders I closed them up and switched to the front. While the front was bleeding I took the time to rinse the rear calipers and clean them up nice. Front bleed was same process but took a lot less time obviously, cleaned them up and put everything back together. I then took the car for a drive and no problems at all, good brake feel no pedal issues whatsoever. I know some on here don't like the gravity bleed method but I figured I would put down my experience with it for those that may be wanting to try it but aren't sure. I will definitely do it this way from now on. I'll post some pics when I get home later and give my review of the brakes after I bed them properly tonight.

Thank you for posting your results,a lot of people frown on gravity bleeds but I told Chris (SPOHN) how to do it and he said he will never do it any other way.
I posted it b/c I knew that it would be a easy way to bleed your brakes by yourself.

Repp to you sir.

Baer383 · 07-12-2013, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck33079

A couple of pieces of tubing on the bleeders and you don't have to worry about getting fluid anywhere you don't want it.

All you do is spray it with water and your done it's clean.

KORRUPT · 07-12-2013, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenchan

so only tool needed is a combination wrench for the bleeder?

Only tool needed is a 10mm wrench for the bleeders.

Rusty · 07-12-2013, 11:38 PM

Go to Lowes and get a couple feet of clear tubing that fits over the bleeder nipple. Put one end on the bleeder nipple and the other in a bucket. No mess to clean up.

b15 · 07-13-2013, 07:07 AM

Nice! I've always gravity bled my cars when changing pads, no issues whatsoever.

Baer383 · 07-13-2013, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rusty

Go to Lowes and get a couple feet of clear tubing that fits over the bleeder nipple. Put one end on the bleeder nipple and the other in a bucket. No mess to clean up.

Fluid still leaks around the threads when the bleeder screw is loose that's why I spray water on the calipers when I'm finished to neutralize the brake fluid which runs off with water with no damage done to the powder coating.

kenchan · 07-13-2013, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KORRUPT

Only tool needed is a 10mm wrench for the bleeders.

And why do I have a $100+ bleeder system with all the coolness?

Baer383 · 07-13-2013, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenchan

And why do I have a $100+ bleeder system with all the coolness?

?

kenchan · 07-13-2013, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baer383

?

My thought exactly....

07-11-2013, 11:58 AM	#1 (permalink)
KORRUPT Base Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Ottawa Posts: 75 Drives: 09 MB 370Z Rep Power: 14	First time gravity bleed with pads and rotors So I changed out the pads and rotors on the 09 yesterday. Seems the previous owner must have never touched them because man everything was ridiculously hard to get off. I would have also preferred if a couple of the caliper bolts were a little easier to get at but hey what can you do. I installed the Stoptech slotted sport rotors with their street pads and tried a gravity bleed for the first time after seeing some posts by baer383 and spohn , although controversial. I have to say that this was probably the easiest brake bleed I have ever done and alone I may add. I only had two buckets so I started with the rear. I popped the buckets under the wheels and opened the bleeders, out comes the old fluid so I figured good start. I was refilling with ate super blue so I just kept adding fluid to the master to keep it topped up, once I saw the blue ate fluid coming out of the bleeders I closed them up and switched to the front. While the front was bleeding I took the time to rinse the rear calipers and clean them up nice. Front bleed was same process but took a lot less time obviously, cleaned them up and put everything back together. I then took the car for a drive and no problems at all, good brake feel no pedal issues whatsoever. I know some on here don't like the gravity bleed method but I figured I would put down my experience with it for those that may be wanting to try it but aren't sure. I will definitely do it this way from now on. I'll post some pics when I get home later and give my review of the brakes after I bed them properly tonight. SPOHN, Baer383, DEpointfive0 and 2 others like this. __________________ AFE / HPS / STILLEN CBE / AMS SS

07-12-2013, 05:14 PM	#3 (permalink)
Chuck33079 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Houston Posts: 12,265 Drives: 2011 370ztt Rep Power: 29539	A couple of pieces of tubing on the bleeders and you don't have to worry about getting fluid anywhere you don't want it. __________________ 2011 MB Touring-Sport-6sp-Nav/GTM TT/FI TT TDX/JTran/Kosmic/Eibach/Hotchkis/SPC/CSF/RPS/SoThatsWhereAllMyMoneyWent

07-12-2013, 07:16 PM	#4 (permalink)
KORRUPT Base Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Ottawa Posts: 75 Drives: 09 MB 370Z Rep Power: 14	The parts are easy to find in Canada. A friend of mine works for a an aftermarket shop so it only took me 24hrs to get them. You can do as chuck33079 said but I didn't bother and nothing got on the pad. when I do it next time instead of lifting the whole car I will just do one corner at a time then I don't have to get the whole car on stands. Don't rush and its really simple. __________________ AFE / HPS / STILLEN CBE / AMS SS

07-12-2013, 07:51 PM	#5 (permalink)
SPOHN A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Covington, GA Age: 45 Posts: 14,844 Drives: Waiting on next Z Rep Power: 221	Glad you liked this method. Baer383 likes this. __________________

07-12-2013, 11:38 PM	#10 (permalink)
Rusty Ronin Samurai - Assassin Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Fayettenam,Pennsyltucky Age: 68 Posts: 35,186 Drives: 2011 Nismo GM 6M Rep Power: 2684437	Go to Lowes and get a couple feet of clear tubing that fits over the bleeder nipple. Put one end on the bleeder nipple and the other in a bucket. No mess to clean up. __________________ 浪人 - 殺し屋 "The Difficult Anytime, The Impossible By Appointment Only" http://www.the370z.com/members-370z-...o-journal.html

07-12-2013, 04:22 PM	#2 (permalink)
NS370Z Enthusiast Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Milky Way Posts: 249 Drives: Red Corvette C7 Rep Power: 13	I see you are in Canada. Was it a hassle to find a decent place to purchase the Stoptech brake hardware and the ATE fluid? I know what you mean with regards to the thread and the war over the different brake bleed methods. Is there any chance of getting brake fluid on the pads or would you have to be a total klutz to do such a thing using this method?

07-12-2013, 08:22 PM	#6 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141521	so only tool needed is a combination wrench for the bleeder?

07-13-2013, 07:07 AM	#11 (permalink)
b15 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Chicago Posts: 3,229 Drives: 4drz Rep Power: 36571	Nice! I've always gravity bled my cars when changing pads, no issues whatsoever.

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