Suggestions on bleeding brake

mikes2017gt · Jun 21, 2017

OK, so now you're starting down the "Tool Rabbit Hole." If you are working on vehicles, air-powered tools are almost a necessity.

This is equivalent to the argument that says "You can build a house with only a hammer and a hand saw." Technically, you could build a house with those two tools. How many years would it take you, though?

Same for hand tools vs. air tools when working on vehicles.

An impact driver won't necessarily help you with your stripped lug nuts. Hand tools will work just as well. It's not the tool but how you use it, most times. For example, removing 5 lug nuts or installing 5 lug nuts per wheel, times 4 wheels gets very tiring. Sooner or later the socket will slip off sideways b/c you got tired. It's happened to me and most everyone on this forum.

An impact gun will allow you to remove all four wheels w/o stripping a lug nut (or wheel stud, more likely)...if you are careful. Air tools require good judgement in their use. You can easily strip the threads in the PART you are removing the fastener from, like an aluminum cylinder head if you are not careful.

Personally, I got my start with air tools a long time ago removing the wheels from the car. After the first few times you almost break both your wrists, you gain respect for and understanding of the tool and you get a really good idea of when you should and shouldn't use it. Hard to explain...we all have to learn the hard way I guess.

plc268 · Jun 21, 2017

mikes2017gt said:
OK, so now you're starting down the "Tool Rabbit Hole." If you are working on vehicles, air-powered tools are almost a necessity.

This is equivalent to the argument that says "You can build a house with only a hammer and a hand saw." Technically, you could build a house with those two tools. How many years would it take you, though?

Same for hand tools vs. air tools when working on vehicles.

An impact driver won't necessarily help you with your stripped lug nuts. Hand tools will work just as well. It's not the tool but how you use it, most times. For example, removing 5 lug nuts or installing 5 lug nuts per wheel, times 4 wheels gets very tiring. Sooner or later the socket will slip off sideways b/c you got tired. It's happened to me and most everyone on this forum.

An impact gun will allow you to remove all four wheels w/o stripping a lug nut (or wheel stud, more likely)...if you are careful. Air tools require good judgement in their use. You can easily strip the threads in the PART you are removing the fastener from, like an aluminum cylinder head if you are not careful.

Personally, I got my start with air tools a long time ago removing the wheels from the car. After the first few times you almost break both your wrists, you gain respect for and understanding of the tool and you get a really good idea of when you should and shouldn't use it. Hard to explain...we all have to learn the hard way I guess.

I wouldn't necessarily go down the air tool rabbit hole these days. The battery powered impact wrenches are pretty damn good and beats carrying an air hose around. If you already have a good air compressor, then I do actually recommend getting air tools, since they're relatively inexpensive compared to the battery operated stuff.

Impact wrenches are nice to have when working on cars, but like I said, not a necessity. If you have the dough and feel like you'll put it to use, by all means get an impact.

Materials · Jun 21, 2017

mikes2017gt said:
OK, so now you're starting down the "Tool Rabbit Hole." If you are working on vehicles, air-powered tools are almost a necessity.

This is equivalent to the argument that says "You can build a house with only a hammer and a hand saw." Technically, you could build a house with those two tools. How many years would it take you, though?

Same for hand tools vs. air tools when working on vehicles.

An impact driver won't necessarily help you with your stripped lug nuts. Hand tools will work just as well. It's not the tool but how you use it, most times. For example, removing 5 lug nuts or installing 5 lug nuts per wheel, times 4 wheels gets very tiring. Sooner or later the socket will slip off sideways b/c you got tired. It's happened to me and most everyone on this forum.

An impact gun will allow you to remove all four wheels w/o stripping a lug nut (or wheel stud, more likely)...if you are careful. Air tools require good judgement in their use. You can easily strip the threads in the PART you are removing the fastener from, like an aluminum cylinder head if you are not careful.

Personally, I got my start with air tools a long time ago removing the wheels from the car. After the first few times you almost break both your wrists, you gain respect for and understanding of the tool and you get a really good idea of when you should and shouldn't use it. Hard to explain...we all have to learn the hard way I guess.

Which impact wrench would you recommend to buy? There are so many of them on Amazon, and I just have a difficult time figuring out which one to pick.

Thanks!

mikes2017gt · Jun 21, 2017

Do you already own a large compressor? Something in the 10-20-gallon range? If not, an air impact wrench will be useless to you. That's why I called it the "Tool Rabbit Hole." If you want to use "this tool" you need "this other thing" to go with it.

$40 impact to start with (keep it oiled) https://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-heavy-duty-air-impact-wrench-69576.html

If you don't have a compressor, that will be more money.

This would be the absolute minimum sized compressor I'd recommend for LIGHT air tool usage. https://www.harborfreight.com/8-gal-2-hp-125-psi-oil-lube-air-compressor-68740.html

You really would be better off with this for just $50 more the smaller one would run a lot to keep the tank filled: https://www.harborfreight.com/21-gal-25-hp-125-psi-cast-iron-vertical-air-compressor-61454.html

Keep in mind you can also use the compressor for other non-auto related tasks such as:

1. Inflating sports balls and pool rafts
2. Blowing dust off projects and from your shop
3. Woodworking tasks, such as brad and pin nailers, sanders, etc.

I do a fair amount of woodworking and use the compressor more for that than for the car, TBH.

If you don't already own a compressor, and don't want to go down the air tool rabbit hole, I would advise spending $100+ on a quality electric, impact wrench. Nothing will ever beat air power IMO, but a decent electric will handle lug nuts, muffler clamps, etc. I used my 18-volt Dewalt impact wrench (tiny little thing too!) to replace my catback exhaust. Was more than enough.

NightmareMoon · Jun 21, 2017

We're talking about like one bolt per corner to do the brakes (lug nuts aside). An air powered setup is overkill, and besides I'm not sure you can fit an air tool in back with the available space.

A battery powered driver is nice to have though (I use one for removing lug nuts, but always install with a torque wrench for final torque). The main thing is pick a brand you like, because the tools and batteries (and chargers) start to stack up pretty quickly once you start down that road.

NightmareMoon · Jun 21, 2017

Impact wrench is great to have. It does really speed up some tasks. For a brake job it really only helps with the lug nut removal and reinstallation part, so consider it very optional.

If you're only doing brakes once every few years, then I'd completely skip it and save the money. If you're looking at doing a lot of stuff at home (like shocks, struts, swaybars, etc) it can definitely pay for itself.

As long as you thread the bolt/nut in by hand to make sure you aren't cross-threading it, and use the impact tool on a low setting and do the final torque with the torque wrench you shouldn't break or strip anything.

I actually use a Ryobi ZRP236 driver, which is very low powered and really intended for screws and whatnot more than wrenching on cars, but its plenty powerful to get a bolt or lug nut up to a close enough torque that I can finish it by hand with a torque wrench.

Get whatever brand you want. Ryobi, Millwaukee, DeWalt, whatever. I think they're all pretty good.

Harbor Freight is good for some basic tools, yes. I have more than a few. I would NOT go to Harbor Freight for something as critical as a torque wrench however. You don't want a bad one of those.

mikes2017gt · Jun 21, 2017

Agree on the "pick a brand" when starting to buy cordless tools. I went with Dewalt a long time ago and just stuck with it. I use the same 18v batteries in all my cordless tools...it really helps. I had 12v Dewalt cordless tools before these.

Materials · Jun 21, 2017

mikes2017gt said:
Agree on the "pick a brand" when starting to buy cordless tools. I went with Dewalt a long time ago and just stuck with it. I use the same 18v batteries in all my cordless tools...it really helps. I had 12v Dewalt cordless tools before these.

So I just bought a Stanley Socket tool set( http://www.stanleytools.com/product...mechanics-set/210-pc-mixed-tool-set/stmt73795) yesterday from Amazon. Do I need anything else to ensure those sockets from the Stanley tool kit fits the Impact Wrench?

NightmareMoon · Jun 21, 2017

you may need a set of these.

Impact Socket Adapters

mikes2017gt · Jun 21, 2017

NightmareMoon said:
you may need a set of these.

Impact Socket Adapters

Yup. With an adaptor set like that, you can use your sockets with you electric impact wrench. I do it so often that I forgot and didn't mention it...it's automatic for me. Just a plug: HF sells that 3-piece set for about $8 normally and their 20% off coupons are everywhere.

Materials · Jun 24, 2017

mikes2017gt said:
Yup. With an adaptor set like that, you can use your sockets with you electric impact wrench. I do it so often that I forgot and didn't mention it...it's automatic for me. Just a plug: HF sells that 3-piece set for about $8 normally and their 20% off coupons are everywhere.

I am about to start brake work tomorrow. Super excited. I have bought the "Genuine Ford Fluid XG-3-A Silicone Brake Caliper Grease and Dielectric Compound". Should I use it to grease the back of both rear and from pad and the pins?

Thanks!

mikes2017gt · Jun 24, 2017

Do not put any grease on the front of the pads! You will probably not be able to stop if you do that and assuming you don't crash, you may ruin the pads. The grease is to prevent screeching and other bad sounds happening from metal-to-metal contact. Put some grease on the backs of the pads, where the caliper pistons will touch them. Put some grease on the caliper pins, where the pads will slide back and forth on them. That's it! No grease on the front of the pad!

NightmareMoon · Jun 24, 2017

I think he knew that part

Commbubba19 · Jun 26, 2017

scott_0 said:
get one of these! fill it with the fluid of your choice, connect it to the reservoir, pump it up, and crack one bleeder at a time, one person job, never have to touch the brake pedal

https://www.motiveproducts.com/collections/domestic-bleeder-kits/products/ford-two-tab-bleeder

Can you confirm that part works on our year Mustang? Been thinking about ordering one of these.

merc123 · Jun 30, 2017

Go with battery powered impacts instead of air. The batteries last a few years if you keep them charged. We had one for about 4 years that we used weekly, 5 months out of the year. Get one with 2 batteries and like everyone said, pick a brand. I did Dewalt but now I'm on Rigid stuff. They have lifetime on batteries, not sure of other brands for that.

I've had air and battery impacts. Air is nice but unless you have a decent compressor you do more waiting for it to build pressure. Plus if I go on a trip somewhere I can throw the impact in the trunk. It sucks sitting on the side of the road in the rain changing a tire with hand tools.

Get impact sockets. If you can't then wear safety glasses with regular sockets. When you're hammering away at a lug nut and it breaks, pieces of it can have quite a bit of velocity.

I bought a harbor freight aluminum 3 or 4 ton jack about 8 years ago to use for racing. Still going strong and even used it to pick up the whole front end of my F350 by the front diff.

Suggestions on bleeding brake

mikes2017gt

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plc268

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Materials

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mikes2017gt

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NightmareMoon

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NightmareMoon

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mikes2017gt

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Materials

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NightmareMoon

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mikes2017gt

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Materials

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mikes2017gt

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NightmareMoon

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Commbubba19

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merc123

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