Has anyone got any tips for bleeding 101 brakes?

I've changed several brake pipes, plus all flexibles, new wheel cylinders, shoes. Then during phase 1 of bleeding the original master cylinder went poopy in it's pants so replaced it with a new one.
Then during phase 2 of bleeding it too decided to go poopy in it's pants by sending the fluid the wrong way back into the reservoirs.
So i'm now on phase 3.
During phase 2 i purchased a pressure bleeder system along with a proper ally reservoir cap with a spout on top to suit the 101parts.co.uk ally reservoirs.
Pumped it up to 10PSI and opened first the rears and then the front nipples for about ten seconds a corner. I'm only getting fluid out, no bubbles.
The pedal will pump up to firm after about four or five pumps.
Tomorrow i'll try slackening off the pipe going into the top wheel cylinders on the fronts. At some point i'll modify the piping so that it goes into the bottom wheel cylinder and move the bleed nipple to the top, like on the rears, but not now.
Is it worth jacking up the driver's side axle to open up that brake aportioning valve?
I'm nearing the point of only wearing one sock and reciting Captain Beefheart lyrics backwards if it will guarantee a good pedal!

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erm, thank you Gstuart?

Could this help? 101 brakes are S3 brakes... https://www.lrukforums.com/threads/101fc-brakes-bleeding-adjusting-help-pls.33367/

Have you read the 101 workshop manual , just had a flick through link above mentions same as s3 brakes but with the addition of the apportioning valve to ensure rears don’t lock up


Are you bleeding with all a djusters backed off, also have you tried clamping all brake flexis to get a solid pedal then working on one corner at a time

steve2286w said:

Have you read the 101 workshop manual , just had a flick through link above mentions same as s3 brakes but with the addition of the apportioning valve to ensure rears don’t lock up


Are you bleeding with all a djusters backed off, also have you tried clamping all brake flexis to get a solid pedal then working on one corner at a time

Click to expand...

Thanks for your suggestions.
My manual arrived today! It was dropped off after i'd exhausted my latest two litres of brake fluid.
So no, my adjusters are not backed off, they are adjusted 'just' off like they'd be in general service. Backing them off makes no sense to me as that would mean more travel for the shoes...
Will back them off for the next session.
I was going to disconnect the drop link for the apportioning valve but discovered the coil springy bit is not as stiff as i thought it would be so just pulled it down a bit to open the gap between the valve and the coily bit and pushed a chisel into the gap then pushed the coily bit back up to (hopefully) open up the valve fully.
No i haven'y tried clamping any flexible pipes. I can add that to the 'to do' list.
Unforunately, this is a 101 so forget any 'normal' thinking...
There is a flexi for each front wheel but for the back there is only one that goes from a fixed chassis pipe to a flexi which goes to a tee piece which then runs via metal pipe to each rear corner so the best i could do is get the fronts done and then unclamp the rear flexi and do the rears. The split circuit on 101s is front axle and rear axle, not opposite corners like on normal vehicles.
I did get some air through to the rear passenger side with the apportioning valve wedged open and a couple of gentle hand pumps of the brake pedal. (yes hand pumps, don't forget the brake pedal is about level with my chest when standing alongside the door)
After a full rotation around the car i got a pedal which when rammed hard into the floor could stall the engine on tickover 2 out of 5 attempts!
So i thought, once more might do it!
Did the fronts again, then the back passenger side and ran out of fluid in the pressure tank for the driver's side. No worries though as the reservoir was still 3/4 full. Climbed in and tried the pedal again and it was utter crap again. Going back down to the floor

I'm now hiding all sharp knives from myself!
Not for my safety, just so i'm not tempted to rush outside and stab the great bloody annoying camo shed on wheels!!!

Tomorrow i'll back off the adjusters, wedge open the apportioning valve, clamp some flexis and go at it again. Oh, after i've bought brake fluid litres number eight and nine

v8250 said:

Could this help? 101 brakes are S3 brakes... https://www.lrukforums.com/threads/101fc-brakes-bleeding-adjusting-help-pls.33367/

Click to expand...

Thanks, i've read this before. It was while i was still battling removing the brake drums and filing down the ends of brakes shoes to get the drum back over the new shoes prior to replacing various knackered brake pipes and the flexible pipes. I picked up a hand vacuum bleeding kit from the Land Rover spares show at the Three Counties Show ground early this year. I started out bleeding with a one way valve between two lengths of clear pipe, then went onto a hand vacuum bleeder, i think that's about when the original master cylinder pooped itself and peed brake fluid all down the front of the servo, down the brake pedal arm onto the pedal. I then moved on from vacuum bleeding to pressure, and that's when the NEW master cylinder decided to start pumping fluid back up through the reservoir into the pressure container when you pumped the brakes. I'm currently on new master cylinder #2 which so far, is pushing fluid in the right direction...
It's this forum article that led me to bleeding the shuttle valve (first attempt turned out to be the head of the bolt holding the vale to the chassis...) DAMN IT, i was going to keep THAT to myself!
AND then wedge the apportioning valve open. I wasn't sure if the valve was opening or not as it's difficult to get a clear view of the little moving part, but given the bubbles i got coming out, i'm guessing (hoping) it is.

They certainly test your patience but keep hanging in and you’ll get there.
Your manual for brakes will be same as my series with twin leading 11” front brakes apart from the apportioning valve
The pic below describes the adjuster backing off and clamping procedure , with them backed off the pistons retreat into the cylinders so less volume for air bubbles to collect.
On one I rotated one side backplate to get bleed at top but both sides bleed fine as the bubble gets pushed through wherever bleed nipple is.
Once bled you can adjust up

If you don’t get a pedal with the 3 flexis clamped then suspect MC

On mine they are now shît hot.
But went through pain getting them just right
Other Checks:
1. Ensure shoes sit square to drum , use engineers square on hub and adjust using adjusting screw
2. Ensure shoes fitted in correct location
3. Springs fitted properly and not pulling pistons back in cylinder
4. Check shoe is touching all way round when braking using chalk on shoe to see where it rubs off after braking.
5. Ensure replacement brake adjusters fitted correctly and not touching the shoe web when wheel on and tightened up.

I would reuse new clean brake fluid that you’ve bled through the system
Not sure about wedging open aportioningvalve , does manual advise that

steve2286w said:

They certainly test your patience but keep hanging in and you’ll get there.
Your manual for brakes will be same as my series with twin leading 11” front brakes apart from the apportioning valve
The pic below describes the adjuster backing off and clamping procedure , with them backed off the pistons retreat into the cylinders so less volume for air bubbles to collect.
On one I rotated one side backplate to get bleed at top but both sides bleed fine as the bubble gets pushed through wherever bleed nipple is.
Once bled you can adjust up

If you don’t get a pedal with the 3 flexis clamped then suspect MC

On mine they are now shît hot.
But went through pain getting them just right
Other Checks:
1. Ensure shoes sit square to drum , use engineers square on hub and adjust using adjusting screw
2. Ensure shoes fitted in correct location
3. Springs fitted properly and not pulling pistons back in cylinder
4. Check shoe is touching all way round when braking using chalk on shoe to see where it rubs off after braking.
5. Ensure replacement brake adjusters fitted correctly and not touching the shoe web when wheel on and tightened up.

I would reuse new clean brake fluid that you’ve bled through the system
Not sure about wedging open aportioningvalve , does manual advise that

View attachment 321896

Click to expand...

Thanks for that.
I clamped all three flexis and got a brilliant pedal!
I have read a few people suggesting you need to open the apportioning valve to bleed the brakes. If you don't you are restricting fluid flow and any air in the system can sit there in the valve.
So then i unclamped the rear and bled the passenger first then the driver's side. Pedal felt promising?
Then clamped it again and moved onto the front passenger. Did the same then onto the other side. Released all clamps and pedal once again felt as firm as a squashed slug!
I spoke to my cousin tonight. He asked if it has ABS. I said no, it's a Land Rover that was built in 1977. I then had a short lecture regarding how some military vehicles had ABS. How some vehicles had it on just the fronts, some just on the rear. Oh it does have an apportioning valve i says.
That's ABS he said. I said i thought ABS was something that went tap tap tap tap very quickly, pulsing the brakes on and off?
No he says, it's something that stops the brakes from locking up!
Oh, alright then...
Then i was quizzed on whether the valve is fully opening?
Haven't a clue i said. Can't see a bloody thing!
He also said that the valve is a good place for air to sit so tomorrow i'll be removing it and having a look and poke it with something to see if it's freely moving.
As for the shoes, i've bled them with them fully backed off and adjusted for road use. So far it makes no difference, but then if i'm still squashing air i suppose it won't.

The apportioning valve can seize somwiporth taking part and cleaning. Also read that your right air pecan get in it but by cracking the pipes open it can be bled too

UPDATE:
More bleeding then adjusted the brakes and now have brakes.
They can only be described as SHlT brakes, but it now does stop.
YIPPEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now i've driven it for a few miles, visited a mate, parked on his new drive, was showing him what was in the various cubby holes on the side, opened up the one with the air filter, he peers inside and says "oh, you've got an oil leak."
I have a look wondering how the air filter can be leaking oil...
No he says, on the floor.
Looks underneath and there is a patch of oil on his drive. Fortunately it's sealed so i could just wipe it off. It looks like i have a dickey rear crank seal dripping oil through the hole in the bellhousing. That can be my cousin's first job, on his ramp!
In the meantime i'm carrying a small metal box to place on the floor when i park.
I think my long pedal is down to me trimming the ends of the brake shoe back plate so they would fit under the brake drum.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing. If that ever happens again i'll replace the flexible brake hoses straight away. They swell up and whereas you can force fluid through with your foot, it doesn't all flow back so the shoes stick out more than they should so when you take the old ones off and put the new ones on you can't get the drum over them.
On a positive note, i'm a bloody expert when it comes to replacing 101 brake shoes!
Engine doesn't seem to want to rev, so replaced the external fuel pump with a proper one, inside the tank. That hasn't made any difference so i'll be replacing the ignition bits and checking the timing. I used to have a timing strobe. I wonder where it is? I bet i haven't used one for thirty years or so!

Does anyone know what sort of speed these heaps like to sit at? Mine seems to be really happy a 30, will do 40 but 50 seems to be too much effort on it's part. I'm hoping new sparks and sparking at the right time will introduce it to 50mph...
It has a really impressive turning circle!
Biggest difference between this and my Series 2 is the heater. 101 cooks the contents of the cab whereas the S2 had life support. You'd never feel warm but wouldn't quite die of hypothermia. Probably...