DIY, Brake fluid flush, 4x4 - TRD Off-Road with Speed Bleeders

If you have a 4x4 TRD, Off-Road model truck, you're in luck! This model truck has a hydraulic brake booster powered by an electric motor. It's like having an onboard power brake bleeder! I successfully utilized this unique piece of equipment to automate the flushing of all brake fluid on my truck.

This is for academic purposes, use at your own risk!!!

To make this work, I bought four (4) speed bleeders and installed them in the truck. These new bleeder screws have an internal one way check valve utilizing a spring and ball, they let fluid and trapped air out, but do not let air back in. So far they are working great for me.

Here is a step by step procedure on how I did mine.

1. I chocked and blocked my front wheels
2. I released my rear parking brake
3. I pushed the brake pedal 20 or more times as instructed by the the owners manual.
4. I popped the hood and cleaned and inspected around the fill cap for the the brake fluid reservoir. I got rid of the dust around the fill cap.
5. I went to the rear passenger side brake drum and cleaned around the factory bleeder screw with a nylon brush and sprayed with brake cleaner.
6. I tucked in some paper towels around the screw to absorb fluid.
7. I removed the rubber dust cap from the bleeder screw with needle nose pliers, then used a 1/4" ratchet with socket to remove the factory screw and then installed the new speed bleeder screw. Some fluid came out, not too much. The paper towels I tucked in around the hard brake line did their job. I tightened the new bleeder screw in all the way until it stopped. It's very obvious when the screw has reached its proper seat. Don't over do it.
8. I removed paper towels and sprayed some brake cleaner to make the drum clean.
9. I then pushed the brake pedal down a five (5) times and returned to the drum to see if the screw was holding. It was.
10. I installed a silicon drain hose to the bleeder screw, the hose has a bag at the end to catch fluid.
11. I cracked open the bleeder screw about 1/2 turn.
12. Now the fun part! I put the key in the ignition and turned to "ON". When I depress the brake pedal, the electric ABS motor did all the work pumping out the old fluid. I took my foot off the brake pedal about every 10 seconds to check the reservoir. I added new fluid when the reservoir was nearing the MIN mark. ALWAYS put the fill cap back after adding fluid. It took about 60 seconds cumulative time of brake pressing until new fluid was coming out of the bleeder screw. The old fluid was amber, the new fluid was clear.
13. Tighten bleeder screw, remove silicon hose, install protective dust cap on screw.
14. Turn ignition to "off"
15. Depress brake pedal five (5) times.
16. Check that new screw does not leak. It did not.
17. Dispose brake fluid in bag into a jug.
18. Repeat this whole process for drivers rear drum.
19. Repeat this whole process for passenger front caliper.
20. Repeat this whole process for drivers front caliper.

Now your done! I used 32oz new brake fluid for the flush.

When all done, test drive carefully!!! I've driven 10,00 miles since authoring this and all is well.

Here are some pictures.









Tacoma 2009, Brake reservoir



Old bleeder screw with dust cap


New screw installed with silicon drain hose and bag attached, bleeding process started.


Brake fluid from passenger rear drum


New screw with dust cap installed.


This is how much fluid I got from the drivers rear drum


Here is a front factory bleed screw compared to my new stainless ones.


I used really cheap fluid and will most likely flush it out with some quality Valvoline synthetic in the very near future. The cheap fluid I used doesn't have polymers in it which helps moisturize any rubber parts in the master cylinder ( I dunno if mine has any or not ).

32oz of old fluid in jug for recycle center.


This was my first time flushing the brakes and I am glad it worked so well.

 

Nice DIY write up, I'm going to use some of this to flush my system next weekend. Did you get the bleeder screws and bag as one kit?

 

Nice find. Didn't want to go with a fluid upgrade to DOT 4?

 

Great job.

I have seen the Speed Bleeders before, but never in use. I always wondered how they worked. Now I know! Looks to be a great upgrade.

As a side note, if you ever need to replace the rubber dust caps, you can use vacuum line caps.

 

cool! thanks for the info on these, Crom.

just ordered everything on Amazon. now I don't have to have to yell at someone in the drivers seat to keep their foot on the pedal while inhaling massive amounts of exhaust

 

Used Speed Bleeders for years in a car that I tracked and consequently serviced the brake fluid a good bit. They are a great aid. Even had one in my clutch slave.

While I used ATE SuperBlue in that vehicle, I found that Castrol GT LMA brake fluid is fine for daily use. It's cheap and available everywhere.

The 'LMA' name refers to the 'Low Moisture Activity' blend, which reduces the likelihood and effects of moisture buildup within the system.

The only challenge I see with the technique you used is the 'cheap fluid' route. Now you will have a difficult time seeing your next fluid 'flow', because your current fluid is already clear. So you are left to guess based on volume.

I used to change mine between ATE SuperBlue and Gold, so I knew when the old was out...........

Nice write up!

Hint: if you like shine on your tires, wipe them with the old brake fluid. Don't make them so wet that they can sling it onto the paint! Just wet them and if too much, wipe down with a dry rag. You'll have a nice sheen that lasts a while, for free.

Also, if you have small items you want to strip paint from, the old brake fluid will do it.

Repurposing can be better than recycling sometimes.

 

Great write up. I've used speed bleeders for years on my track cars. I will put on a set with SS brake lines when the time comes. They make fluid flushes a fast one man job.

 

the electric master cylinder on the 4x4 TRD OR's makes bleeding brakes a god damn cake walk haha.

 

What are the lengths of the bleeders? 33mm or 35mm?

Thanks for the great write up

 

What year and modle trucks have the electric master cyclnder ?

 

I ordered all the parts from speedbleeder.com website back in January. I told them what I wanted, the bag was like $6 or $7, can't remember.

As stated in the OP, I will put a better fluid in there, probably later this week. I like the Valvoline DOT 3 or 4 synthetic stuff which has the polymers. I think it's $8.50 for 32oz.

Thanks.

Thank you for your comments and recommendations regarding fluid.

It's true! I can't believe how awesome this thing was. BTW, I noted you commented in this thread here. That thread was very helpful for me as I've never bled or flushed brakes before.

Thanks!

Thanks.

The ones I used are slightly longer than stock, the shorter screw will not work.. Here is what I used:

For Second Gen 4x4 the application is

(2) SB7100 (Front Disk brakes) M7 x 1.0 x 35.15
(2) SB1010 (Rear drum brakes) M10 x 1.0 x 34.44

http://speedbleeder.com/automobile_applications.htm

New vs. Stock

Not sure, but I know it's 4x4, TRD Off-Road model trucks. If your brake reservoir looks like mine does, you have it. If you got the large black doughnut thing (which is a vacuum booster), you do not.

 

if im not mistaken its 09+ TRD Off road 4x4's ... the ones with atrac.

 

Roh-roh! let's see how fast thread goes down hill now that the a-word was said! All kidding aside, I believe that's right. 2009+ 4x4, TRD Off Road trucks.

 

Thanks for the write up, now I have something to do this weekend.

 

subd... when should this be done?

 

Nice writeup!

I put a set of these on my Mazda6 when I still had it - after using speed bleeders to change the fluid over to Motul RBF600, I never had any issues again with the brake pedal having excess travel due to the fluid. I'm looking to do the same for my Tacoma.

Speed bleeders basically guarantee you'll get the job done right the first time by yourself, without the need for any additional tools.

 

My 2008 has the black doughnut, so it must be 2009+.

 

When should what be done? The flush and fill? About every two years on a normally used vehicle.

The speed bleeders get installed as part of that process.

 

this should work just fine regardless of the electric motor or not. if you do not have the off road. instead of holding your foot on the brake pedal for 10 seconds at a time, you will simply press and release the pedal a number of times instead, before refilling the reservoir.

 

problem i have had with the speed bleeders before is that air gets sucked back in through the threads during the bleeding process.

Teflon tape fixes that.