Scan tool recommendations

[Bob22222]

Time to upgrade to a scan tool that can bleed antilock brakes. If I can afford it that is. Any recommendations. On what on consider or what to avoid? Thanks..

Edit: I just did a little research. I can't afford the above.

I guess I thinking of the kind the reads the abs info rather than the muti-thousand dollar kind that would be needed for a complete system bleed.
I'm still open to recommendations for something not to pricy but still reliable if such a thing exists.

 

[Bumbo]

I just went though this...

From getting the wife into the driver seat to pump brakes to looking for versions of Techstream software the dealers use online... all turned out to be the wrong or overly complex solution.

I highly recommend you get some type of vacuum bleeding system, preferably one that uses shop air to create a venturi to suck the fluid out. All you have to do it turn it on and go back to the master to make sure it doesn't run dry. One man operation.

Edit: Unless you were talking about the master cylinder bleed... and if that is the case I think you might need Techstream. You can get access to TIS / Techstream for $55 / 2 day subscription but if I am going to go that far ill just pay a dealer $120 to do the thing and call it a day. There comes a point where certain things are not worth the hassle even though I would like to do it myself. Knowing my luck I will run into PC and interface issues and burn though my 2 day licence lol.

https://techinfo.toyota.com/techInfoPortal/appmanager/t3/ti?_pageLabel=ti_whats_tis&_nfpb=true

 

[Bob22222]

I just went though this...

From getting the wife into the driver seat to pump brakes to looking for versions of Techstream software the dealers use online... all turned out to be the wrong or overly complex solution.

I highly recommend you get some type of vacuum bleeding system, preferably one that uses shop air to create a venturi to suck the fluid out. All you have to do it turn it on and go back to the master to make sure it doesn't run dry. One man operation.

Edit: Unless you were talking about the master cylinder bleed... and if that is the case I think you might need Techstream. You can get access to TIS / Techstream for $55 / 2 day subscription but if I am going to go that far ill just pay a dealer $120 to do the thing and call it a day. There comes a point where certain things are not worth the hassle even though I would like to do it myself. Knowing my luck I will run into PC and interface issues and burn though my 2 day licence lol.

https://techinfo.toyota.com/techInfoPortal/appmanager/t3/ti?_pageLabel=ti_whats_tis&_nfpb=true

You mean I can just use my little hand " mighty vac" dingy just like on a 59 Rambler and cause no harm or other issues?
I need to do front pads and rotors soon and my left front caliper shows signs of beginning to hang up. It's also time for a flush.
I wonder which is the best way to go on calipers. Rebuild these? Rebuild or re-lube aftermarket re-ferns, or?

 

[fourwd1]

You mean I can just use my little hand " mighty vac" dingy just like on a 59 Rambler and cause no harm or other issues?
I need to do front pads and rotors soon and my left front caliper shows signs of beginning to hang up. It's also time for a flush.
I wonder which is the best way to go on calipers. Rebuild these? Rebuild or re-lube aftermarket re-ferns, or?

No, you can't use your hand vac, the price of aftermarket calipers is more cost efficient than rebuilding yourself.
Bleeding or flushing the MC on theses new trucks with the ABS built into the MC is near impossible to do w/o the proper controller from the dealer or Snap-On. If you don't energize the solenoids properly it won't bleed correctly, and trying to fake it yourself can destroy them. But don't worry, if you trash it a new one is only around $2000 at the dealer, and they'll only charge half that to install.

 

[Bob22222]

No, you can't use your hand vac, the price of aftermarket calipers is more cost efficient than rebuilding yourself.
Bleeding or flushing the MC on theses new trucks with the ABS built into the MC is near impossible to do w/o the proper controller from the dealer or Snap-On. If you don't energize the solenoids properly it won't bleed correctly, and trying to fake it yourself can destroy them. But don't worry, if you trash it a new one is only around $2000 at the dealer, and they'll only charge half that to install.

That's kind of what I thought about bleeding a complete system. And, I also thought cheap after market calipers were...,well cheap. Generally poorly lubed and assembled. Am I wrong here? I thought it was kind of like cheap aftermarket halfshafts. I'm I misguided here? Also how do people then change calipers without issues if one can not bleed the brakes without said equipment? We not talking about bleeding the master cylinder.

 

[TrdinOhio]

I have known people that swapped a caliper by having someone sit in the car and keep the brake pedal pressed until the caliper swap is done. Then minimal bleeding.
I can't say wether it works better or not but brake fluid is not a system you want to take lightly.
I would say either let a dealer do it, aftermarket shop with equipment that can properly bleed the brakes OR bite the bullet and buy a pressure bleeder and a cheaper diagnostic tablet. A snap on ethos pro will do anything you want and is about the cheapest at 1000 bucks but at that point it HAS to be cheaper to let the dealer do it. Best of luck, just my 2 cents

 

[Bob22222]

I have known people that swapped a caliper by having someone sit in the car and keep the brake pedal pressed until the caliper swap is done. Then minimal bleeding.
I can't say wether it works better or not but brake fluid is not a system you want to take lightly.
I would say either let a dealer do it, aftermarket shop with equipment that can properly bleed the brakes OR bite the bullet and buy a pressure bleeder and a cheaper diagnostic tablet. A snap on ethos pro will do anything you want and is about the cheapest at 1000 bucks but at that point it HAS to be cheaper to let the dealer do it. Best of luck, just my 2 cents

Thanks for the input. I just trying to gain knowledge through here.
I've been doing this stuff since preteen years and have certainly seen enoughv to not take brakes lightly. I'm retired for last 25 years I maintained a coffee production factory with its mystery German roasters and grinders that were a hybyrd of very old Old World technology with modern US safety retro-fit. As a young man I work on in a full service garage on the corner of Lombard and Gough St in San Francisco Marina Distric we did complete brake jobs most all day long and crappy severely overheated drum brakes. Everything downstream from the master cylinder was hanged . I've also worked in an Air Force Jet Engine shop. And I've seen enough go wrong that I try to avoid an fresh such experience.
I was born under a cloud and have lousy luck with shops. Everything for oil drain plugs falling out after an oil change to belts breaking within days of service. Yes these were "Good" shops I had a relationship with. It's kind of like traveling in general: air liners are safer than cars but somehow I fell safer if I drive.
There's a lot good information out there. There's also, and perhaps more, misinformation. I'm just trying to weed this one out.
Anyway sounds like I'm doing pads and rotors and skip the calipers for now. I might try to get some dust covers for the pistons and have a look see before depressing them. Crap, it would be great if the preferred dealer wasn't 75 miles one way.

 

[Bob22222]

Also, Am I reading this wrong or are there there conflicting views offered above? Not to mention the wild variety of post on the topic...
Onwards through the fog....