RV4 brake bleeder

Hi folks....looking for real world recommendations for a solo brake bleeder . I have replaced my clear plastic brake lines with SS so some of the visual aids is gone . Thanks. Stew

Stew, I just did this a couple weekends ago on my -4. Overhauled master cylinders and intalled new o-ring and pistons in the calipers.
I purchased the $95 pressure bleeder from ACS. It comes with a Cleveland adapter for attachment to the caliper bleed valve.
With the -4 it works best if you remove the master cylinder mounting bolts from the rudder pedals so you can swivel the brake cylinders up placing the cylinder inlet (low Pressure) line above the outlet (high Pressure). I laid a wood dowel across the fuselage and used safety wire to hold the swiveled brake cylinder up. Once I did that I was easily able to bleed while filling the system by myself from the bottom up.
I attached a clear plastic line to the brake reservoir and ran that line into an empty jug to watch the air purge.

ACS?

Great advise .....not sure who ACS is ? ....would you have a link to that ? Thanks. Stew

Thanks Carl.

Got it ..ATS ....Perfect

I had **** getting all the air out of my RV-4 Cleveland brakes. I tried bleeding from the top and bottom with pressure bleeder (Motive). Finally got all the air out from the bottom using this https://www.amazon.com/Pistol-Oiler...hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584345025032416&psc=1 without disconnecting master cylinders. I have plastic lines so I could actually see the air. Always ended up with a bubble near the master cylinder.

Either a piston oiler, or even a squirt bottle. Don't use the harbor freight oil cans, they don't have enough pressure. I find the trick is to use clear nylon tubing to ensure you don't put air bubbles into the caliper.

on mine, as previously stated, if the masters are not inverted I could never get them to bleed. flip the masters and they bleed out in about 30 seconds with a pressure bleeder from the bottom. I made mine from a 9 inch piece of PVC pipe with a screw in pug on one end with a tire valve stem in it. a 1/4 pipe out the bottom with a valve and 10 ft of clear tubing. safety wire the tube to the bleed screw, charge the pipe with air and open the valve. done.

bob burns
RV-4 N82RB

RV8JD said:

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I bought one of these this year and it's definitely the tool for the job. Bled my lines in about a minute a side.

RV8JD said:

I think he is referring to this one from Aircraft Spruce (ACS):

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/lgpages/hydraulicBleedertank.php?clickkey=187517

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I was lent one of those to do my brakes about 23-years ago. 20-years ago, I bought one and it has worked great on many airplanes since.