That cheap vacuum bleeder almost cost me a brake job on a 2017 F-150

I picked up one of those cheap handheld vacuum bleeders from the parts store for $25. Figured it would save time doing a brake flush on my buddy's truck. Got all the way to the rear passenger side and the thing started sucking air from the handle seal. Ended up with a spongy pedal and had to rebleed the whole system by hand. Took me an extra hour and a half of pumping and holding. The cheap tool actually introduced air into the lines instead of pulling it out. Has anyone else had a vacuum bleeder fail mid job like that or am I the only one who fell for the low price?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_thomas26d ago

Start sucking air from the handle seal" - user error, not the tool's fault.

dylanmurray26d ago

Man I had the exact same thing happen with a cheap Mityvac knockoff from Amazon. Was doing a full bleed on my old Subaru and got to the rear driver side when the rubber gasket inside the handle just let go. Started sucking air past the plunger and I watched bubbles coming out of the bleed screw instead of fluid. Ended up having to pump the pedal for like 45 minutes with my wife yelling at me to hurry up. Those things are totally useless once the seal goes, and the cheap plastic housings just crack under any real vacuum.