Surge Disc Brake Bleeding - 2006 244 Funship

[kjsAZ]

yes, if you power bleed or the simpler air pressure bleeding the coupler remains pulled out all the time.

When the actuator is pushed in the "fill-hole" in the cylinder gets closed and no brake fluid will go in.

If you have the correct back-up solenoid, the bypass version and not the idiotic blocking one, make sure it's never actuated. Otherwise you will push air through it into the system.

 

[agallant80]

Problem with that method is that you are not keeping the fluid level up. The power bleeder is shooting pressurized brake fluid into the reservoir, not air.

Yes its easy to shoot air through your lines. Just take the cap off and check the level. It was not rocket science when I did it. I was just careful and my first time doing this method I managed to not goof it. Its really not a bad one man bleeding solution for the $6 the extra cap costs.

 

[kjsAZ]

I use that method all the time just my tube pump instead of the compressor:

A layer of tape forms the seal.... Requires very little pressure to bleed the brakes.

 

[bruceb58]

Like Jeep said, the Motive bleeder is the best since it is putting in pressurized brake fluid and not air. If you want to actually flush you brake as well as bleed, it's the one to get.

You don't have to constantly take off the master cylinder cap to make sure you haven't gone through all your brake fluid like the home made pressurized air method.

 

[rapa123]

I'm sure I have the correct back-up solenoid due to being done through FourWinns. As many of you know they build their own trailers to fit their boats. I was going past Harbor Freight yesterday and saw this bleeder http://www.harborfreight.com/brake-fluid-bleeder-92924.html. Here is a link for the manual http://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/92000-92999/92924.pdf Any thoughts? I looked at the Motive bleeders along with the 1102 fitting which appears to be very nice, but $30.00 verses $75.00???? I know that you normally get what you pay for..... This is something that I would only be doing once every few years. Any thoughts? Thanks again for all your help, you have taught me a lot already and I sincerely appreciate it. Ray

 

[oldjeep]

I'm sure I have the correct back-up solenoid due to being done through FourWinns. As many of you know they build their own trailers to fit their boats. I was going past Harbor Freight yesterday and saw this bleeder http://www.harborfreight.com/brake-fluid-bleeder-92924.html. Here is a link for the manual http://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/92000-92999/92924.pdf Any thoughts? I looked at the Motive bleeders along with the 1102 fitting which appears to be very nice, but $30.00 verses $75.00???? I know that you normally get what you pay for..... This is something that I would only be doing once every few years. Any thoughts? Thanks again for all your help, you have taught me a lot already and I sincerely appreciate it. Ray

That unit is a vacuum bleeder, not a pressure bleeder - it sucks from the brake bleeders. Never had much luck with them personally.

 

[rapa123]

Thanks..... I did some research since I posted and I agree, the pressure bleeder seems to be the best method. I just need to find one that works well for as much as I will be using it, but I don't want one that's going to give me issues. Thanks, again. Ray

 

[bruceb58]

You can do it without it. It's just not as easy. I already had the Motive bleeder anyway so it was a no brainer buying the adapter piece that fit my trailer.

 

[kjsAZ]

I'm sure I have the correct back-up solenoid due to being done through FourWinns. As many of you know they build their own trailers to fit their boats. I was going past Harbor Freight yesterday and saw this bleeder http://www.harborfreight.com/brake-f...der-92924.html. Here is a link for the manual http://manuals.harborfreight.com/man...2999/92924.pdf Any thoughts? I looked at the Motive bleeders along with the 1102 fitting which appears to be very nice, but $30.00 verses $75.00???? I know that you normally get what you pay for..... This is something that I would only be doing once every few years. Any thoughts? Thanks again for all your help, you have taught me a lot already and I sincerely appreciate it. Ray

I wouldn't be that sure. I bought a brand name system for my first trailer....... There's an easy test. Park your rig downhill and make sure that the actuator is pushed in. Go into reverse and try to back up. If the brakes remain blocked you have a blocking solenoid. All it does is close the brake line under pressure. The bypass will open well, a bypass and release the pressure. I found that out the hard way when I moved to the US and didn't know that they even have that junk. Had a hard time to get away from that wall in front of me.

I used that Motive bleeder once (from a friend) and if you want to buy one it's the one to go for. As a system without leaks doesn't suck in air (if it does you better fix it) I didn't want to have yet another piece in the garage. For the one time per year I check the system the air-pressure method works well enough as I only need one little pump to get it checked per side. Never had any air bubbles coming out on my last trailer (in 6 years) and on the current one (3 years) after I filled them the first time. Make sure the reservoir is full, apply a bit of pressure and check first brake. Go to next one, done.
If the brake fluid looks "funny" (cloudy) you had water intrusion which is a lot worse than air. Then you have to fix it and completely flush it and the Motive bleeder will come handy.

MOST IMPORTANT! Make sure that you use the same brake fluid (DOT3 or DOT4) as was initially in there. You shouldn't mix DOT3 with DOT4 and both could have been used.

 

[bruceb58]

Mixing DOT3 and DOT4 brake fluid is fine. Since every trailer brake system I have seen uses DOT 3, adding DOT 4 won't be an issue since you are not lowering the boiling point of the fluid.

I just use DOT3. I flush my system completely every few years.

 

[oldjeep]

Mixing DOT3 and DOT4 brake fluid is fine. Since every trailer brake system I have seen uses DOT 3, adding DOT 4 won't be an issue since you are not lowering the boiling point of the fluid.

I just use DOT3. I flush my system completely every few years.

Yup - it is DOT 5 that is not compatible with DOT 3, 4, 5.1

 

[rapa123]

Well.......it looks like the Motive bleeder is the way to go. Just to confirm with Bruceb58 if you're reading this, the mp-1102 adapter will fit the Tie Down model 125? Anyone know where I could get one with the adapter? I hope that once all is done that I won't need a new actuator. Those adapters are not cheap, as you know $30.00 plus... if I decide on a different brand actuator. The biggest problem I see purchasing this particular bleeder is that it's not universal for other applications. I have a Honda Goldwing GL1800 that I would like to do as well. Once again you folks have been awesome in helping me. A HUGE Thanks. Ray

 

[bruceb58]

Measure the diameter of your reservoir cap. Should be 1 3/16 inches.

I am not sure what a model 125 is.

 

[rapa123]

Just checked 1 3/16" dead on...... although bad news, my reservoir looks empty. I don't see any apparent leaks, but obviously there's one somewhere. I have topped off the master cylinder a few times in the past, but never looked this bad. I'm going to pull the wheels to see what's going on. I see on the last page of the actuator manual (http://www.tiedown.com/pdf/b771.pdf) in the first paragraph it states that the dampener is a sealed unit that is shipped pre-primed. Being sealed and pre-primed, will it prime itself during the brake bleeding procedure? I'm totally oblivious, so please bear with me. Thanks again, Ray

 

[bruceb58]

Doubt it's you damper. Either leaking wheel cylinders, master cylinder or both. You may not be able to tell that the wheel cylinders are leaking. They don't last forever so I would just replace them.

EDIT: Just read the instruction PDF. Interesting about the dampener. First one I have heard about that uses brake fluid.
I see a picture of the Tie Down master cylinders. I see there are 2 rods going into it. The second obviously is the damper.

 

[bruceb58]

Duplicate post

 

[rapa123]

I doubt that it's the dampener as well. I just hope that if the sealed unit lost it's prime that it will prime along with bleeding the brake lines. I'm going to contact Tie Down to see if they can give me any info. I'll be sure to let you know what they have to say. Thanks, Oblivious Ray "LOL"

 

[rapa123]

Contacted Tie Down and they just stated for me to contact FourWinns. Tie Down Engineering does not want to sell or deal directly with the consumer. I emailed FourWinns 2 days ago, haven't heard from them, therefore I'm going to try to reach them by phone today. I don't know what's going on with my brake system as far as the leak goes. I have a fold-away tongue in which I did look down through it, I could see the master cylinder which shows "no" signs of leaking there. It will be a week or two before I can actually dig into the problem. I'm currently trying to find out where I can purchase the model 125 complete actuator and/or the brake cylinder. So far, no luck. With that being said, I'm a little hesitant in purchasing the bleeder with the adapter that fits it. I may have to go with a more readily available actuator. I keep you all in tune...... Thanks, Ray

 

[bruceb58]

They are hard to find and not inexpensive:
http://www.hannarv.com/P/TieDownEngineeringMasterCylinderKitFits48780BModel125and49/22498

Just in case you don't have it:
http://www.loadrite.com/pdf/LoadRite...25Actuator.pdf

 

[kjsAZ]

you don't have to use a tie-down model as they are all based on the same concept. I currently have this one installed and it works well and comes with a bypass solenoid: UFP A-75 ~$160

Installed you can see it in my "Trailer Upgrade" in the link in my signature