Brake bleeder

Tom-D

Tom-D

Taxi to Parking
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Tom-D
A brake bleeder that any one can build.
It's just a garden sprayer with a couple hoses you can make.
works best when you install the brass fitting in your master cylinder filler hole. then attach the black hose to the bleeder fitting on the brake caliper.

fill with the proper fluid, pump it up then use as any pressure bleeder.
 

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Found this system works very well, but just for clarification: the pressure (sprayer) bottle is used to back bleed the system from the caliper slave cylinder back to the master cylinder(s). The overflow at the master can be managed with intermittent drawing off with syringe and needle but the brass fitting is nice if threads match.
 
One of my fondest memories growing up is me sitting in the truck, barely able to reach the pedals and hearing my dad yell, okay pump ‘em. Followed by okay hold ‘em! As he wrenched the bleeder valves. But I guess this system might work too.
 
wrbix said:
Found this system works very well, but just for clarification: the pressure (sprayer) bottle is used to back bleed the system from the caliper slave cylinder back to the master cylinder(s). The overflow at the master can be managed with intermittent drawing off with syringe and needle but the brass fitting is nice if threads match.
Click to expand...
Simply attach the brass fitting in the master cylinder fill port, and run the clear plastic hose out to a catch can
no mess in the cockpit, and a totally full master cylinder.
 
Nice!!! I'm a nut about diy setups...
 
I also added a shutoff valve to the inflow in order to be able to manage the flow rate and/or shut off flow.
 
wrbix said:
I also added a shutoff valve to the inflow in order to be able to manage the flow rate and/or shut off flow.
Click to expand...
To stop this one, all you must do it release the lever, it stops.
I allow it to push fluid until I see new fresh fluid in the clear hose coming from the master cylinder, then I know there is no air in the system.
 
Just curious what are the effects of old brake fluid? Its a fluid in cars that often is never changed. I'm not challenging the need to change it, curious to the details of what fluid changes helps or prevents...
 
Huckster79 said:
Just curious what are the effects of old brake fluid? Its a fluid in cars that often is never changed. I'm not challenging the need to change it, curious to the details of what fluid changes helps or prevents...
Click to expand...
It gets old and coagulated after 20 years or so. :)
 
I use a 60cc syringe (any farm supply or large animal vet clinic) with a catheter tip, I jamb a hose onto the end of it, fill with 5606, purge air and push it onto the end of the bleeder nipple. Bleed away (the pressure is never enough to blow the hose off either end.)
I put rags all around the master cylinder or find a friend to watch for flow.
Cost? ~$3.00
 
Oil can small clear tubing. Pump 20 - 40 times
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
I put rags all around the master cylinder or find a friend to watch for flow.
Cost? ~$3.00
Click to expand...
place the brass fitting with a hose on it, in the fill port of the master cylinder and route it outside the cockpit, no more rags needed.
 

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Aircraft hydraulic fluid will melt common plastics and O rings. Pick the right sprayer.
 
Tom-D said:
place the brass fitting with a hose on it, in the fill port of the master cylinder and route it outside the cockpit, no more rags needed.
Click to expand...
What is this “fill port of the master cylinder” you refer to?
 
Yeah this works very well. At first I tried the normal automotive way, opening the bleeder and pumping the master cylinder. No dice. There are some who advocate this "reverse" bleeding technique for automotive but I've never tried it. IIRC, the brass fitting is some size of pipe thread, 1/8"?
 
Stewartb said:
Aircraft hydraulic fluid will melt common plastics and O rings. Pick the right sprayer.
Click to expand...
Skydrol is really nasty/toxic stuff....5606 not so much...I’ve left 5606 in my “sprayer” for months w no adverse effects.
5606 is the GA hydraulic fluid, Skydrol (I think) is for the heavies. Advantage Skydrol being less flammable IIRC....but certainly less mechanic-friendly.
 
Stewartb said:
Aircraft hydraulic fluid will melt common plastics and O rings. Pick the right sprayer.
Click to expand...
Common usage in the GA is 5606, it will not melt plastic. the sprayer shown in the first post has sat on my shelf for well over 3 years. no damage
 
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This is what I use. Works for me..
 
I bleed my 180 from the bottom up with the oil can and a little rubber hose for tip to bleeder. Works great, or has for 25 years so far. But if you say it doesn't work? It must not work. ;)

My pressure tank is way better than the average cheapo garden store kind and a fraction of the cost of a decent chemical proof stainless steel sprayer. I'm happy with it. It was given to me so I didn't have much to think about.
 
AKBill said:
What pressure do you use?
Click to expand...

it's a hand oiler. you need to pump it by hand to create pressure, not sure what it is. I bleed a combination of cleveland 30-9 slave and single - pilot matco MC-4 master brakes
 
You pump can squirters, how many times have run it out of fluid and not known it.
I've done the pump can for many years, I know it happens.
 
Can you see the fluid level in this?
 

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Tom-D said:
You pump can squirters, how many times have run it out of fluid and not known it.
I've done the pump can for many years, I know it happens.
Click to expand...
Tom, my pump squitter has twice the volume of my reservoir. When back bleeding I siphon out the reservoir as I add fluid. So I never run out of fluid.
 
AKBill said:
Tom, my pump squitter has twice the volume of my reservoir. When back bleeding I siphon out the reservoir as I add fluid. So I never run out of fluid.
Click to expand...
When you catch the excess fluid you can see if it should be used again. I usually toss it.
 
MIL-PRF-5606 shouldn't affect aircraft plastics or o-rings. Skydrol (phosphate ester based fluid) on the other hand will. I don't know of many GA aircraft that use Skydrol. We use both fluids at work all day long. If you touch the smallest amount of Skydrol, wash your hands BEFORE you go to the bathroom. Wiping with a dry rag wont suffice either - use soap and water.

The setup shown above looks interesting. I'm looking for ways to fill/bleed without a partner.
 
About a million years ago, dad made one from a peanut butter jar, an old valve stem, scrap of copper tubing, some rubber hose that was laying in the junk box, and my old bicycle pump. Total cost $0, and about 30 minutes time. I still use it. :D
 
If you have acccess to air pressure, I’ve found this setup works very well to suck air bubbles out of a system:

92924_zzz_alt2_500.jpg


About $33 from Harbor Freight.
 
Tom-D said:
A brake bleeder that any one can build.
It's just a garden sprayer with a couple hoses you can make.
works best when you install the brass fitting in your master cylinder filler hole. then attach the black hose to the bleeder fitting on the brake caliper.

fill with the proper fluid, pump it up then use as any pressure bleeder.
Click to expand...
Hello Tom, does the sprayer come with the black connecting line? If not, could you recommend what I can use? Thanks.
 
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