Rear bleeder access trouble

Coal creek Chris · Feb 24, 2021

I'm embarrassed to ask because this seems like it should be so simple. But I'm having a terrible time accessing my rear wheel cylinder bleeders. Regular wrenches are too short. Tried the special offset, long brake wrenches and they are obstructed by leaf springs, brake line and other stuff behind the backing plate. Anybody have tricks or suggestions? Want to figure out how to get a wrench on there and hook up a gravity bleeder but so far I haven't figured out how accomplish this because space is so tight.

Goldie Driver · Feb 24, 2021

Have you tried a quarter inch drive ratchet?

May fit in.

Memaloose · Feb 24, 2021

Do you have a photo? There's always a way to get at them. While you're waiting to figure it out, spray penetrating fluid on the bleeder valves, it'll help.

PrairieDrifter · Feb 24, 2021

Is this truck a cab and chassis truck?

bucket · Feb 24, 2021

The cab and chassis trucks have very little clearance. I've got a special bleeder wrench that is made for just such an occasion, but I don't remember who made it. The handle is red, I can tell you that much, lol.

rpcraft · Feb 25, 2021

Believe it or not every Chevy guy should have this tool in their arsenal. It's called an offset brake bleeder wrench and it took me the better part of 35 years to figure out what it's purpose was when i found it in my dad's toolbox so many years ago. I've know owned once for 10 years. You just put it on the bleed screw so you can spin it loose, then slip the bleeder tubing over the nub and, then you just build pressure, loosen, then tighten it back up. Rinse and repeat. It's great for getting around the brake lines and also if you have bigger tires too.

Here is a link on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/ABN-Offset-B...ocphy=9061130&hvtargid=pla-568805580373&psc=1

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bucket · Feb 25, 2021

rpcraft said:
Believe it or not every Chevy guy should have this tool in their arsenal. It's called an offset brake bleeder wrench and it took me the better part of 35 years to figure out what it's purpose was when i found it in my dad's toolbox so many years ago. I've know owned once for 10 years. You just put it on the bleed screw so you can spin it loose, then slip the bleeder tubing over the nub and, then you just build pressure, loosen, then tighten it back up. Rinse and repeat. It's great for getting around the brake lines and also if you have bigger tires too.

Here is a link on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/ABN-Offset-B...ocphy=9061130&hvtargid=pla-568805580373&psc=1

You must be registered for see images attach

I've got one like that too. There's a lot of Chevys that it doesn't work on due to lack of clearance.

bucket · Feb 25, 2021

Here's the one I have that works on the cab and chassis trucks:

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This more standard one 'could' work from below the spring, using the 45° end, if I put a bend in the wrench about midway:

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Coal creek Chris · Feb 26, 2021

Goldie Driver said:
Have you tried a quarter inch drive ratchet?

May fit in.

I haven't tried this yet, good idea. But space is really tight, so not sure if it will fit down from the top.

Coal creek Chris · Feb 26, 2021

PrairieDrifter said:
Is this truck a cab and chassis truck?

bucket said:
The cab and chassis trucks have very little clearance. I've got a special bleeder wrench that is made for just such an occasion, but I don't remember who made it. The handle is red, I can tell you that much, lol.

Well good, now I don't feel so embarrassed asking about this. It is a cab and chassis truck and the leaf springs have 10 leafs, about 4 inches tall. I've tried the offset 6 point brake wrenches and they don't fit without hitting an obstruction or getting onto the bleeder in a position where the wrench handle is against something and can't turn. I found a longer 12 point wrench that might work, but haven't tried it yet. I saw one of those red handled wrenches on-line so I'll get one of those if the 12pt doesn't work. The wheel cylinders are new so I'm not worried about rusty bleeders and a 12pt wrench. At a few points on this project I thought it might be easier to unbolt the axle from the springs, drop it and then work on the brakes. Getting the wheel cylinders out and replaced took a lot of tool acrobatics and patience. Thanks for the advice.

Turbo4whl · Feb 26, 2021

Goldie Driver said:
Have you tried a quarter inch drive ratchet?

May fit in.

I have been using a flex head ratchet and a 6 point socket for years on most all brake bleeders.

Coal creek Chris · Feb 26, 2021

bucket said:
The cab and chassis trucks have very little clearance. I've got a special bleeder wrench that is made for just such an occasion, but I don't remember who made it. The handle is red, I can tell you that much, lol.

Looks like VIM tools, mfg part B455 is the red handled bleeder wrench in case anybody else finds they need this.

https://www.toolsource.com/general-.../brake-bleeder-wrench-516-in-hex-p-51079.html

PrairieDrifter · Feb 27, 2021

Coal creek Chris said:
Looks like VIM tools, mfg part B455 is the red handled bleeder wrench in case anybody else finds they need this.

https://www.toolsource.com/general-.../brake-bleeder-wrench-516-in-hex-p-51079.html

The cab and chassis trucks had a skinnier rear track width, I think the hangers are the same, as far as I know.

bucket · Feb 27, 2021

Coal creek Chris said:
Looks like VIM tools, mfg part B455 is the red handled bleeder wrench in case anybody else finds they need this.

https://www.toolsource.com/general-.../brake-bleeder-wrench-516-in-hex-p-51079.html

Wow, that's some pretty good searching! One thing I'm unsure about is the bleeder size. Every cab and chassis truck that I remember bleeding the brakes on has had 5/16 rear bleeders. But many single wheel 1-tons have had 3/8 bleeder. I don't know if that is just a coincidence.

Coal creek Chris · Mar 1, 2021

Well, the 12 point 5/16 wrench was just long enough to work so solved the bleeder access problem. I tried fitting my ratchet/socket in there but no luck.

However, now I seem to have the dreaded proportioning valve problem because I only get small trickles of fluid out of the open bleeder and can't bleed the wheel cylinders. Guessing the p-valve is directing flow only to fronts. The old rear wheel cylinders had been leaking/failed for probably several years, so this seems like a good guess. I also have the load sensing valve in this truck so hopefully that isn't bad. Going to try the technique of faking a fluid leak at front calipers to see if I can re-set the p-valve but if any of you all have advice on that, let me know.

Rear bleeder access trouble

Coal creek Chris

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bucket

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