Brake Bleeding

[LotusDave]

Thought i'd share my recent experience. So I bled my brakes the other month prior to this years (2024) first track day. Standard 2 person method. But the pedal just felt a little spongy afterwards despite the amount I bled it. So much so I struggled to heal and toe on the track afterwards, as the pedal travel was too far down to get my heel up on the accelerator.

I recently bought the LASER brake bleed kit (picture below) and used it to re-bleed the brakes. The difference was night and day, easy to do with one person and pedal hard as a rock. If anyone does regular trackdays on here, I highly recommend this tool. That's my 2 cents :-)

FYI: I'm using Dot 5.1 Mobil fluid, if anyone was wondering.

[DeanB]

Nice. Makes such a difference having a firm pedal.

What track day are you doing (or did you do)?

[LotusDave]

Cadwell, then Bedford. Looking to do Donington later on in the year.

[DeanB]

Is Bedford tight for noise?

[LotusDave]

A bit, 101 dB static and 87 dB drive by. My exhaust is stock. So pretty quiet.

I've been black flagged in the past for being too noisy on track with other cars.

It just sucks the fun out of it, short shifting and half throttle  so learn't my lesson.

[MrWill]

On 28/04/2024 at 15:45, LotusDave said:

Thought i'd share my recent experience. So I bled my brakes the other month prior to this years (2024) first track day. Standard 2 person method. But the pedal just felt a little spongy afterwards despite the amount I bled it. So much so I struggled to heal and toe on the track afterwards, as the pedal travel was too far down to get my heel up on the accelerator.

I recently bought the LASER brake bleed kit (picture below) and used it to re-bleed the brakes. The difference was night and day, easy to do with one person and pedal hard as a rock. If anyone does regular trackdays on here, I highly recommend this tool. That's my 2 cents 🙂

FYI: I'm using Dot 5.1 Mobil fluid, if anyone was wondering.

Thanks for the tip. Just ordered. Going to give it a go. Same as you I have a little bit a free travel in the brake pedal sufficient to take the pedal below the loud pedal when braking hard at the point i want to heel.  Will see if this takes that away. 👍

[SamG40]

Will get one, given up with the ezibleed. Bloody thing had a mind of its own the last time I tried to use it and ended up with brake fluid coming out of the valve you put on the tyre. When they work they are great but they seem to last two minutes.

[winthattt]

When I had to bleed the brakes on my gt86 I just used gravity. Opened the bleed nipples, drank some tea, when the bubbles stopped I close them off and all was perfect! Wish my lotus was that easy.

[MrWill]

14 hours ago, winthattt said:

When I had to bleed the brakes on my gt86 I just used gravity. Opened the bleed nipples, drank some tea, when the bubbles stopped I close them off and all was perfect! Wish my lotus was that easy.

And That's why Toyota forums are so boring. Common toyota owner post:

Year 1.. car still perfect. Everything works.

Year 2.. I assisted my car bleed its own brakes. Drank some tea and helped when asked.  Car perfect. Everything works

Year 3.  Posted out of boredom.  Car perfect. Everything works.

[winthattt]

Indeed true, but I prefer driving and taking my car on track to working on it. Skid pan at Thruxton on Sunday, sprint at Curborough the next weekend, rally stage at Oulton Park two weeks later….

The big surprise is how good it is to drive, no power (like an S1), but really good steering feel and brakes. Flat 4 boxer, manual box, lsd, alloy panels to get the CoG down.  It’s not an event like an Exige but it is a better drive than my m3….. because it’s fun going slow and you have to pedal it to get decent pace.

Edited Friday at 15:39 by winthattt

[MrWill]

1 hour ago, winthattt said:

Indeed true, but I prefer driving and taking my car on track to working on it. Skid pan at Thruxton on Sunday, sprint at Curborough the next weekend, rally stage at Oulton Park two weeks later….

The big surprise is how good it is to drive, no power (like an S1), but really good steering feel and brakes. Flat 4 boxer, manual box, lsd, alloy panels to get the CoG down.  It’s not an event like an Exige but it is a better drive than my m3….. because it’s fun going slow and you have to pedal it to get decent pace.

Sounds like an amazing few weeks ahead in an equally amazing car. I'm very jealous. Have a great time 👍

[Lithopsian]

I use essentially the same bit of kit.  Makes changing the brake fluid very simple.  Not so sure it is the best way to get air out, but it will certainly pull the fluid through.