This may sound like a silly question, but then I'm a silly person

Trying to figure out how to bleed the back end (9" Sierra drums I believe), but I can't find a bleed nipple? In the Haynes manual the picture looks like it's right next to where the brake line goes in. However on mine the "other" connection, which looks like the nipple should be at, instead there's a brake pipe going to the same on the other drum at the other side!

I've no idea how these should be configured, but is this right or has the builder done something silly (or something particularly clever)? If it's right, how do I bleed the blummin' things?

Thanks, Sy

1960s & 1970s Ford Escort live axles generally have only one bleed nipple as they came from factory, both rear brakes are bled thorough this.

Sierras have two bleed nipples

some cars had a nipple on one side only with a pipe running across the axle.
best idea is to put a T piece in the middle of said axle and a pipe to either side

i really can't see how that could work, because ther'll be air in the system with no way of getting it out! not even sure how you'd get any fluid into the cylinders either... is it just a solid pipe from one to the other? like no bleed nipple in the middle somewhere? like 2 for both cylinders?!

so how many flexi lines do you have at the back? 2 on one side and one on the other?

the brake line should be tee'd on the chassis, then one line run to either side, but if it's one line from front, across to one side then back to the other, you'll just have to try push the air right through one cylinder and bleed it out of the other.

tom

It sounds strange as you've described it and I can't figure out whats been done. However, to bleed the back brakes you could just loosen the pipe union and bleed them with a helper pushing the pedal, locking the pipe union whilst the helper raises and re preessures the pedal. i.e just as you would do using the bleed nipple.

Thanks. All.

Right, there was my first mistake - looking at one side and assuming it would be the same as the other

Having looked at the other side, I now see that the configuration is as follows: -

Pipe from master cylinder to OSR drum.
Pipe from OSR drum to NSR drum.
Nipple on NSR drum.

So I guess I just bleed both the rears through the one nipple. Is this a poorer solution than separate feeds from a tee, or is it neither here nor there?

It works OK not worth changing, but it would not my choice for a new build.

Fair enough, guess the guy who built it was just used to the old school configuration.

All bled through now OK though.

Cheers all.