How to Get Air Out of Brake Lines Without Bleeding?
There are a lot of intricacies to your vehicle’s brakes. There are many moving parts which work in unison to help your vehicle stop responsively. Plus, there are brake lines filled with brake fluid which transfer the pressure from the brake pedal to the brake pads and rotors. Each of these various parts has to be cared for over time. At Ira Toyota of Orleans, we can help service your brakes and brake lines near Orleans, Harwich, and Eastham, Massachusetts.
You can do things on your own, too. How can you get air out of your vehicle’s brake lines without bleeding them? Find out!
How Does Air Form in the Brake Lines? What Does This Mean?
Before understanding how to remove air from the brake lines, it’s important to understand how this air gets in there and what it does to the performance of your brakes.
The only substance which should be in the brake lines is the brake fluid. Over time, however, the brake fluid can absorb moisture from the atmosphere, causing water to reside in the brake lines. When the brake fluid heats up during heavy usage, this water will turn to steam, leaving air in the brake lines.
Air in the brake lines negatively impacts performance, often causing the brakes to become less effective and the brake pedal itself to feel “squishy” and unresponsive. The only way to remove the air from the brake lines is to do it manually, as the air won’t dissipate on its own. We can certainly perform this process at our service shop, but you’re also welcome to try the process on your own, too!
Removing Air From the Brake Lines Without Bleeding Them
Bleeding the brake lines is one way to remove air from them, but there are alternatives as well. With the right tools, you can perform the following process:
- Raise your car using a jack and locate the bleeder
- Attach a plastic hose to the bleeder bolt after you’ve loosened this bolt
- Place something on the brake pedal to hold it firm
- Wait for the brake fluid to drain
- Remove the hose, clean the bolt, and refill the brake lines with new brake fluid
This process is similar to bleeding the brakes, yet isn’t quite the same thing. If executed properly, you should have successfully removed all the air from the brake lines and your vehicle will be good to get back on the road!
We Can Assist With Any Brake Services!
Properly performing an at-home service such as removing air from the brake lines is a fulfilling process. Still, it requires certain tools that not everyone has access to near Eastham, Harwich, or Orleans, MA. If your brakes are less responsive than usual and you think there may be air in the brake lines, contact our team or book a visit to our Ira Toyota of Orleans service center for assistance!
