Bleeding Brakes

[todehnal]

Has anyone used, or seen, the Stahlbus Bleeder Valve? It uses a check valve that is built into the brake bleeder valve. They claim that bleeding the system is just a matter of opening the valve and pumping the pedal for a few minutes, with fluid in the reservoir, and your done. looks nice, but it caries a tall price.

Tom

See:
www.tost.aero or
www.wingsandwheels.com

[aeroplane]

Can't imagine brake bleeding getting any cheaper or much easier than the old hand pump oil squirt can which costs about $5.

1. Obtain one and fill with appropriate brake fluid.

2. Remove the flex line from the can and install a short (12"-18") piece of 1/4"tygon or other suitable plastic tubing in it's place.

3. Open the bleeder valve and place the other end on said bleeder valve. making sure of snug fit on both ends.

4. Remove plug from top of reservoir and substitute a pipe thread (1/4" I think) to 1/4" hose barb (.89 Ace Hardware).

5. Place another 24" length of tygon or other suitable tubing from hose barb fitting into clear container.

6. Obtain "Geezer". Locally available most Saturday mornings, most airports.

7. Position Geezer to observe and hold clear container while you pump squirt can.

8. Stop pumping when bubbles stop coming out of line from reservoir.

9. Tighten bleeder valve.

10. Remove Geezer,line, fitting and small amount of brake fluid from reservoir and replace cap.

11. Go buy yourself, the Geezer and two more Geezers (always be kind to Geezers) breakfast with money saved!

[L.Adamson]

Originally Posted by aeroplane

Can't imagine brake bleeding getting any cheaper or much easier than the old hand pump oil squirt can which costs about $5.

1. Obtain one and fill with appropriate brake fluid.

2. Remove the flex line from the can and install a short (12"-18") piece of 1/4"tygon or other suitable plastic tubing in it's place.

3. Open the bleeder valve and place the other end on said bleeder valve. making sure of snug fit on both ends.

4. Remove plug from top of reservoir and substitute a pipe thread (1/4" I think) to 1/4" hose barb (.89 Ace Hardware).

5. Place another 24" length of tygon or other suitable tubing from hose barb fitting into clear container.

6. Obtain "Geezer". Locally available most Saturday mornings, most airports.

7. Position Geezer to observe and hold clear container while you pump squirt can.

8. Stop pumping when bubbles stop coming out of line from reservoir.

9. Tighten bleeder valve.

10. Remove Geezer,line, fitting and small amount of brake fluid from reservoir and replace cap.

11. Go buy yourself, the Geezer and two more Geezers (always be kind to Geezers) breakfast with money saved!

Buy a cheap weed spraying pump at Home Depot or Lowes, and you don't have to buy any Geezer's breakfast. Just pump up the pressure, and watch the fluid flow.

L.Adamson --- RV6A

[David Clifford]

Originally Posted by L.Adamson

Buy a cheap weed spraying pump at Home Depot or Lowes, and you don't have to buy any Geezer's breakfast. Just pump up the pressure, and watch the fluid flow.

L.Adamson --- RV6A

I second the pressure sprayer. We could never get all the air out of the system with the standard brake bleeding kit. The pressure sprayer did the job. We got the one sold by AS&S, but its nothing more than a garden sprayer with a fitting on the end of the hose to connect to the bleeder and it has a simple on/off ball valve located a few inches from the fitting.

[David-aviator]

Originally Posted by L.Adamson

Buy a cheap weed spraying pump at Home Depot or Lowes, and you don't have to buy any Geezer's breakfast. Just pump up the pressure, and watch the fluid flow.

L.Adamson --- RV6A

You might have a more alert geezer by delaying the effort until closer to noon and then grabbing one as those guys did not get up quite so early.

But lunch could cost you more than breakfast so like many things, it is a compromise between alertness and money.

Our group (6 or 8 or us) are having a meeting and lunch today but no one will be flying. The back side of the latest storm is causing unusually high winds around here and it is very cold.

[breister]

Originally Posted by aeroplane

Can't imagine brake bleeding getting any cheaper or much easier than the old hand pump oil squirt can which costs about $5.

1. Obtain one and fill with appropriate brake fluid.

2. Remove the flex line from the can and install a short (12"-18") piece of 1/4"tygon or other suitable plastic tubing in it's place.

3. Open the bleeder valve and place the other end on said bleeder valve. making sure of snug fit on both ends.

4. Remove plug from top of reservoir and substitute a pipe thread (1/4" I think) to 1/4" hose barb (.89 Ace Hardware).

5. Place another 24" length of tygon or other suitable tubing from hose barb fitting into clear container.

6. Obtain "Geezer". Locally available most Saturday mornings, most airports.

7. Position Geezer to observe and hold clear container while you pump squirt can.

8. Stop pumping when bubbles stop coming out of line from reservoir.

9. Tighten bleeder valve.

10. Remove Geezer,line, fitting and small amount of brake fluid from reservoir and replace cap.

11. Go buy yourself, the Geezer and two more Geezers (always be kind to Geezers) breakfast with money saved!

If your airport is lacking the required Geezer, we have a few spares...

[erich weaver]

Some folks seem to breeeze right through the bleeding process while others have difficulty. I fall into the latter group, but the problem is not associated with accidentally pumping air into the system because of a bad valve design - its that the existing air bubbles in the system just never seem to find their way completely out no matter how much fluid I pump through. They seem to get caught up at the high point between the left and right side and possibly at or near the master cylinders as well.

Save your money - chances are good that you wont have any difficulty at all and I cant believe that newfangled valve is going to make any difference even if you do have some air bubbles.

erich

[breister]

Originally Posted by erich weaver

Some folks seem to breeeze right through the bleeding process while others have difficulty. I fall into the latter group, but the problem is not associated with accidentally pumping air into the system because of a bad valve design - its that the existing air bubbles in the system just never seem to find their way completely out no matter how much fluid I pump through. They seem to get caught up at the high point between the left and right side and possibly at or near the master cylinders as well.

If you have a high point, it seems reasonable that some degree of tilting or banking the airplane (on the ground) would help you overcome it (unless it is extreme, in which case I would search for an alternative routing of the tubing).

FWIW, one thing that helps is using the smallest diameter tubing possible. If it is small enough, a single squeeze on the lever of the pump oiler should be enough to run fluid all the way from the brakes to the master cylinders and blast out any air bubbles.