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The last several days, I have been reading everything I could find in Steelsoldiers.com about bleeding M35A2 brakes. Every single post had something of interest, sometimes a tiny pearl of wisdom, other times a comprehensive set of instructions. I am grateful to all, to every single poster.
The most significant single bit of information is the use of DOT 5 brake fluid. It is very expensive. To me that was the biggest problem with the brake system on a Deuce, expensive brake fluid. For a military collector vehicle, expensive brake fluid did not seem justified. On the other hand, M35A2 Deuces were intended to be used in the most stressful possible situations, which would justify using the best brake fluid. So, I was stuck with it.
There were a number of excellent posts about pressure bleeding. There were references to two soldier brake pedal bleeding, etc. All were very much appreciated. I decided to use the vacuum and gravity methods for bleeding my Deuce's brakes.
I already had the vacuum equipment. Vacuum bleeding worked OK and to me there is in an important advantage over other methods. It does not waste expensive DOT 5 brake fluid. This method captures nearly every drop coming comes out of the bleeder valves.
In my brake bleeding exercise, I found two bleed valves plugged and was able to clear them with toothpicks. The hand actuated vacuum pump and built in vacuum gauge helped to immediately identify plugged bleed valves. My vacuum equipment utilizes a small liquid separator between the hand vacuum pump and the bleed valve. The separator captures all the excess brake fluid, so it can be poured back into the master cylinder reservoir if desired.
Vacuum bleeding is similar to gravity bleeding, though the latter method could waste more brake fluid, just by the nature of this slower method. In gravity bleeding, a plastic tube to the bleeder valve might act like a siphon and waste the fluid in the tube.
One of the posts in Steel Soldiers pointed out with some wisdom, that it does not matter what method is used, as long as most of the air is removed from the system. The valid philosophies to brake bleeding, 1. remove the air, 2. conserve DOT 5 brake fluid, and 3. finish with a firm brake pedal that stops the Deuce.
The most significant single bit of information is the use of DOT 5 brake fluid. It is very expensive. To me that was the biggest problem with the brake system on a Deuce, expensive brake fluid. For a military collector vehicle, expensive brake fluid did not seem justified. On the other hand, M35A2 Deuces were intended to be used in the most stressful possible situations, which would justify using the best brake fluid. So, I was stuck with it.
There were a number of excellent posts about pressure bleeding. There were references to two soldier brake pedal bleeding, etc. All were very much appreciated. I decided to use the vacuum and gravity methods for bleeding my Deuce's brakes.
I already had the vacuum equipment. Vacuum bleeding worked OK and to me there is in an important advantage over other methods. It does not waste expensive DOT 5 brake fluid. This method captures nearly every drop coming comes out of the bleeder valves.
In my brake bleeding exercise, I found two bleed valves plugged and was able to clear them with toothpicks. The hand actuated vacuum pump and built in vacuum gauge helped to immediately identify plugged bleed valves. My vacuum equipment utilizes a small liquid separator between the hand vacuum pump and the bleed valve. The separator captures all the excess brake fluid, so it can be poured back into the master cylinder reservoir if desired.
Vacuum bleeding is similar to gravity bleeding, though the latter method could waste more brake fluid, just by the nature of this slower method. In gravity bleeding, a plastic tube to the bleeder valve might act like a siphon and waste the fluid in the tube.
One of the posts in Steel Soldiers pointed out with some wisdom, that it does not matter what method is used, as long as most of the air is removed from the system. The valid philosophies to brake bleeding, 1. remove the air, 2. conserve DOT 5 brake fluid, and 3. finish with a firm brake pedal that stops the Deuce.
