new wheel cylinders w/o bleeding

[smooth]

I'm going to replace the rear wheel cylinders. Don't want to bleed the brakes because it's a two man job. I will then drive it to the shop to have them bleed them.

What should I expect?

[nametakennow]

Buy Speedbleeders, they're like $20 for a set of 4. I think Autozone carries them now. It makes the process a 1 man job and easy as pie.

I wouldn't drive with un-bled brakes. They'll be squishy and essentially non-functional.

[smooth]

At places like Just Brakes or other shops they probably don't bleed with those speed bleeders on.

Not bleeding the brakes probably makes the pedal soft and squishy.

What do you mean non-functional? The brakes won't work or the car won't stop?

[nametakennow]

You mean they refuse to bleed them with Speedbleeders or they don't put them on? Regardless, it's a very easy install (simply replaces bleed screw) and makes the process a one man job. If they refuse to do it it's probably because they can't charge you the same amount of labor (or at least would be crooked to do so), which is ridiculous anyway.

It does make the pedal soft and squishy, and that means reduced brake function, which means longer stopping distances at the least.

[DRIFT101]

you can make a bleeder, take an old 20oz soda bottle an cut a hole in the cap feed a small pice of tube that will also fit on the bleeder an just fill a bit of it with new brake fluid an pump the brakes a few times, def wouldn't drive it without bleeding them

[smooth]

At the shop they'll probably have to bleed all 4 wheels. Which shops are familiar with speed bleeders?

I was going to put new wheel cylinders (140,000 old) then drive a short distance to the shop.

I don't mine they'll be soft and squishy as long as its safe.

[nametakennow]

I just had my brake fluid changed by a general mechanic shop because I didn't have time to do it myself. They didn't even mention the Speedbleeders. They're very simple and make the process easier, so any shop that tells you they can't deal with them is clearly too stupid to work on a car.

Where in the Atlanta area are you?

Yet again, from what you've described I have to say that I don't think it will be safe to drive. They'll be squishy in terms of feel, as I've described, and when they are squishy that means function is diminished. Your stops will be very long at best, which in the real world is unsafe.

Either get Speedbleeders and do all of the work yourself, or take it to the shop and foot the bill for them to do all the work.

Drift - What you've described is not a bleeder, that's a catch can of sorts for the brake fluid that is bled off. The bleeder is the valve on the brake assembly that allows you to pump out the old fluid.

A Speedbleeder is a threaded one-way valve. It directly replaces the stock bleeder and makes it such that you simply set up something to drain into and start pumping, checking the fluid level every few pumps to make sure you don't accidentally run dry.

[smooth]

I live by the PDK airport, the Chamblee area. I got new tires at Kauffman a great deal. At the tire place they told me they visually inspected and found no leaks.

I told them the brakes were soft and squisshy to bleed them. They said it could be the master cylinder.

I don't know which shop does the best job at the most fair price.

[nametakennow]

I'm not familiar enough with the Chamblee area to know a shop there.

That said, it probably is the master cylinder given he symptoms. However, there is no way the car will be safe to drive without bleeding if you replace it. It's not a terribly difficult procedure, so I'd say go to whatever shop you've been to for other work you've had done. If none of them do brakes, you'll just have to guess.

I suppose you could stop by the Regional forum and ask if anyone knows a good shop in Chamblee.