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Harbor Freight Pneumatic brake bleeder

I would recommend something different.

I made a pressure bleeder for cheap, using a HF garden spray thing.

All I need to do is put a barbed fitting on a spare cap, pump the sprayer a few times, and go to town.

It let me bleed out my buggy (two master cylinders, and two cutting brakes), in no time.
 
I built a vacuum bleeder with a mason jar and a medical vacuum pump. I love it for doing brakes and clutch systems. I put the wife at the MC with a couple of quarts of brake fluid to keep the reservoir full, and I can completely flush all the lines in probably 10 minutes. I like vacuum because it makes any bubbles bigger and they flush out of the system easier.
 
I have one. It works okay. I've had stuff pressure bled at Brakes plus. Far better than any home bleeding I've ever done. It's worth the $40.

Justin's pressure bleeder sounds good. If I had a spare cap, I'd try it.
 
Thanks guy's, I found my problem tonight when I pulled my booster to work on the brake switch some more. Apparently I suck at flaring brake lines and they were leaking at the proportioning valve. So far this whole booster upgrade has been a complete chit show and waist of time and money. I'm about ready to go back to a stock booster and master just so I can get back to driving this thing and focus on other items that it needs. Then re-visit it when I have more time and patience. Thanks again for your input.
 
the dual booster does make a serious improvement in braking -- you'll have to re-flare to go back to stock now, might as well button it up! :cheers:
 
Good point.

Well, I'm going to try and snag a booster and lines out of a Grand Cherokee and bend them to fit like in bleepinjeeps video. I've jacked up two boosters trying to get the brake switch to work because I took too much material off and the lights won't turn on. This has been quite the interesting project. It looked sooooo easy on the videos. :)
 
husky390 said:
Good point.

Well, I'm going to try and snag a booster and lines out of a Grand Cherokee and bend them to fit like in bleepinjeeps video. I've jacked up two boosters trying to get the brake switch to work because I took too much material off and the lights won't turn on. This has been quite the interesting project. It looked sooooo easy on the videos. :)
Click to expand...
Soooooo much information missing:
What year XJ?
What bleepinjeep video?
Is your residence in Colorado near any municipality, near any major intersection?

We can do ambiguous, but it is not very effective.
 
Not trying to be ambiguous. More like embarrassed.

Okay, from the beginning.

I'm in Highlands Ranch.
1990 XJ

Rear.
Replaced rear shoes, hardware, drums, and wheel cylinders.

Front
Replaced calipers, pads and rotors.

The old booster was bad so I decided to do the booster upgrade after seeing bleepinjeeps video about it and bought a new booster and master for a 96 XJ.

First booster, I ground off to much material and brake lights wouldn't work. Tried to weld new material onto the surface with my mig. Burned right through it. So, that shiny new booster is toast.

Second booster from JY. Didn't grind enough material off and brake lights stayed on. Said to heck with it, and I'll deal with it later, tried to bleed the brakes. I bench bled the master, installed it, and couldn't get a pedal. Last night, I decided to pull the master, and work on the booster. brake light problem. Once done with that, I'd try to bench bleed the master again and then bleed the system. When I pulled the booster, I saw fluid had collected around the top of the proportioning valve which tells me that the lines I made aren't sealing, which is most likely why I can't get a pedal. So, I decided to leave that alone and hand filed the booster rod down to where the switch would just snap onto the rod. Apparently I filed it down too far so I'm back to brake lights not working.

So, I'm at a crossroads. I can either go back to OEM master and booster.

Turn the settings on my Mig down and try to add some more steel to the booster rod I have from the JY and get lines made by a friend of mine who's a mechanic.

Or, I can now try and find a booster and master off of a Grand Cherokee that has lines long enough for me to bend like the bleepinjeep video.

Here's the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPL2ZqcDQoY


I got wayyyy too impatient when it came to filing down the booster rod for the brake light switch. Same with flaring the brake lines. I don't normally screw things up, but when I do, I screw em up big time.
 
Last edited:
I could not finish the video, but it did jog my memory:

After boring the eye in the booster rod, I wondered how much material to take off for the flat spot on the 1995/96 booster. I measured the thickness of the material from the radius of the eye to the flat spot on my 1990. Whatever that measurement was, myself and a friend were able to duplicate it with acceptable results, on a few of the older XJs.

After fighting the sealing problems at the proportioning valve, a closer examination revealed that I had damaged the seats of the (aluminum) proportioning valve. If you can see any marks in the seats, the proportioning valve is toast.

After beating myself up trying to get work-hardened old lines to flare, I went to the junkyard and pulled the front lines off a 1995/96 donor.

Hope this helps. Otherwise, I'm booked up for the weekend. ;)
 
I went to a local speed shop and grabbed some stainless steel flex hoses and adapters on the M/C, worked out great. I ground a bit too much off the petal as well, but I used some aluminum tape and ended up putting two layers in there. Been good for almost 3 years now.
 
I went to AAI racing in Arvada, but I believe they're closed now. I know On-Track on Sante Fe and Dartmouth carries that stuff as well and they're great guys as well.
 
If you are still having problems with the switch, I can try to get a part number on the switch I have in my 91. I didn't have to do any of that grinding since the PO replaced the switch with one that attaches to the pedal and not the booster shaft. Did a direct swap with a 98 Grand booster, MC and combo valve.
 
dan1977p said:
If you are still having problems with the switch, I can try to get a part number on the switch I have in my 91. I didn't have to do any of that grinding since the PO replaced the switch with one that attaches to the pedal and not the booster shaft. Did a direct swap with a 98 Grand booster, MC and combo valve.
Click to expand...
Also interested in pics and PNs!

Its been awhile since I did the swap, but here is my write up:
http://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=924285&highlight=grand+cherokee+booster+swap

Worked really well!
 
Getting any good photos without pulling everything out is a PITA. There is an adjustment collar threaded on the button shaft that allows you to adjust when the light comes on. I had to thread it closer to the firewall since the length on the booster shaft was shorter than my OE one but it works fine so I'm going to mess with other things until I get around to all disc and WJ upgrades.


 
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