Best Clutch Bleeding Tool?

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

A few years ago I borrowed either a SpeediBleed or Snap On brake bleeder from a friend of mine to bleed the clutch system in my moms truck. It worked awesome and the clutch in that truck works so amazingly it's like it was a new truck.
I remember him saying the tool cost like $500. But I noticed something at Napa the other day that looked to be darn near the same thing just obviously not as well built. They didn't want a whole lot for it. But anyway, I was wondering what clutch bleeding tools you guys have and what you'd consider the best for me? Has anyone tried the local parts store bleeders? I didn't even know they had them.
My dad has always been very talented with the ability to bleed them out by himself. But he can't do it anymore and I don't know how the hell he ever did it, listening to him about it makes me want to beat my head into a wall. So I need a tool to do it. lol

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

Found it, this is what he let me borrow.
http://www.brakebleeder.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=1

Worked awesome but dang, it really is almost $400!

 

[Slade]

A 6 pack and friend to pump the pedal while you open the bleeder is a lot cheaper. I get my wife to pump the brake and clutch when needed. It's quality family bonding time and since her hands are clean she can get me another beer.

 

[sle2115]

Forget about the wife, $400 is a bargain and I'll get my own beer!

 

[typ4]

Patience is required to bleed it solo. I do it all the time. Never leave the cab.

 

[david85]

Keep in mind, I did this on a ranger, but.....

All I had to do was slowly depress the clutch and then rapidly let go of the pedal. Took about 5 pumps like this before some feel appeared at the bottom of the pedal travel. Then about 20 pumps before it was normal. Never opened anything and only had to keep filling the reservoir. I discovered this by accident and desperation because the bleeder valve on the slave was broken off.

Could this work on a ZF hydro clutch?

 

[jperecko]

Patience is required to bleed it solo. I do it all the time. Never leave the cab.

Care to share your technique? Is is similar to the post below yours?

I have actually never bled a clutch... lotsa brake systems on lotsa different vehicles. Oh scratch that- I bled the clutch on my nighthawk 700 but I think that is pretty different from trucks.

 

[RLDSL]

I've use a motive power bleeder for years . They work great and they cost a few hundred bucks less than that thing One thing they are real handy for is doing complete brake fluid and clutch fluid change outs( which *should* be done every 2 years.. the stuff absorbs moisture and if you don't change it, that is where systems get rusted and pitted internally from
This is a very common practice on European vehicles and they make it easy, ATE makes a blue brake fluid ., makes it handy when changing out, you can alternate colours, you can tell when you get to the new fluid so you know when you are done

 

[towcat]

my shower technique is not a whole lot of fun but it works very well for me.
1)locate allen bleeder screw on the slave cyl.
2)open bleeder screw and push the clutch fork and slave cylinder rod to the fully retracted position.
3)close valve before releasing clutch fork.
4)release clutch fork.
5)repeat a couple of times.
6) check and refill reservoir as needed.
7) repeat above procedure until you observe a steady stream of fluid coming out of the bleed port.
8)top off fluid one more time and clean up the damn mess.

sounds crazy and goofy but it works exceedingly well for me

 

[f-two-fiddy]

I've use a motive power bleeder for years . They work great and they cost a few hundred bucks less than that thing One thing they are real handy for is doing complete brake fluid and clutch fluid change outs( which *should* be done every 2 years.. the stuff absorbs moisture and if you don't change it, that is where systems get rusted and pitted internally from
This is a very common practice on European vehicles and they make it easy, ATE makes a blue brake fluid ., makes it handy when changing out, you can alternate colours, you can tell when you get to the new fluid so you know when you are done

I'll second that, the Motive unit is one of the best tools I've ever bought

 

[Agnem]

If only they would have molded a nipple into the bleeder port it would be oh so much easier. I'd just do it the way I'd do a wheel cylinder, putting a hose on it and leaving it in a bottle of brake fluid. However, my method is more along the lines of what Calvin does.

 

[Dsl_Dog_Treat]

x3
I take the Dot 3 bath as well.

 

[65sixbanger]

To bleed the master I take the line off the slave and while someone pumps the pedal, I hold my finger on the line and it makes a suction. Then once that is bled put the line back on to bleed the slave by doing the allen wrench method.

 

[The Warden]

If only they would have molded a nipple into the bleeder port it would be oh so much easier. I'd just do it the way I'd do a wheel cylinder, putting a hose on it and leaving it in a bottle of brake fluid. However, my method is more along the lines of what Calvin does.

For what it's worth, a guy from the TDS days that I knew (jaluhn if anyone remembers him) found out that CarQuest carries a replacement slave cylinder for our trucks, that has a metal housing and a bleeder port with a nipple on it. I bought one when my slave cylinder failed, and it's been working quite well over the last 6 years or so/

Here are a couple of pictures of it. Sorry the quality isn't that good; these pics were taken during my tranny swap in '05 (which explains why it's dangling out of the way ), and the slave cylinder wasn't really the subject of the pictures; it just happened to get in on the edge and I cropped the rest of the picture out for this.

 

[FordGuy100]

I just did mine by hand

One hand pushing the clutch fork, the other tightening the allen screw.