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Brake Bleeder Kit

N319BC

Active Member
I think I?ve found the Holy Grail in Brake bleeder kits all for less than $10.
While at Lowes I stumbled across this 2 Liter (0.5 gallon) Pressure sprayer for $5.88 in the home and garden section. While there, I went and bought 10 feet of 3/8 OD tubing (1/4? ID) ~ $3.00

Connect the 3/8? tubing (about 2 feet) to the sprayer and the other end to about 2 feet of ?? ?static? line tubing. Wire tie them together to prevent any leaks. Connect the static line ?? tube to the zerk brake fitting (AKA bleeder valve) and you have bleeder kit that works with virtually NO spillage. Just a couple of drops when removing the tube from the brake (zerk fitting). I filled up the Left Main on my 10 in less than 5 minutes.

I cannot find a listing at the Lowes website but here is the manufactures info.

Chapin UPC 0-23883-10030-8

https://chapinmfg.com/Product/slug/chapin-10030-2-liter-multi-purpose-sprayer

Chapin-Sprayer.jpg


Chapin-Sprayer-UPC.jpg
 
That 1/4" static line segment was the missing link for me - had the 1/4" ID tubing attached to my dedicated sprayer and found it was too large to snug onto the bleeder nipple. Was going to buy new barb and tubing to correct the issue, but I have nylon static tubing in abundance here in the shop.

Problem hopefully solved and staying solved. :D
 
Ok so this is a totally stupid question, but the zerk brake fitting.....I never in my life would have thought that the end of a bleeder was the same size as a zerk, but it is????? So any zerk grease filler fitting (a new one of course) will work?:eek::eek:
 
Yes - simple zerk as far as I know.

I have a similar set up using a hand operated oil pump. Same concept.

One addition I made is scavenged a grease pump end fitting and threaded a barb into it for the hose. The grease gun fitting is a simple housing with rubber “spring” that holds two ball bearings to close off the fitting, one in and one out. This allows you to pump fluid into the hose to fill the hose. Under pressure, the air will bleed out and you stop when fluid just starts to come out. The ball bearings then close off the tube. Then you can plug it into the brake fitting.
This is how a grease gun keeps its extension full of grease so you don’t pump air into the fitting. Works the same with brake fluid.

This isn’t important unless you are servicing your system and don’t want to drain all of the existing fluid. For a new system full of air anyway, it doesn’t matter.

This also works well if you want to scavenge out old fluid and replace with new, which I do every brake pad change. Again, eliminates the mess of draining the old fluid into a pan.

Anyway, just another idea.

Remember - only fill you’re reservioir about 3/4 full or it will expand at temperature and run down your fire wall or on your shoes!
 
Brake Bleeder

Didn't find the 2-liter version at Lowes but found a 48 oz. Multi-Purpose Hand Sprayer at Home Depot. They appear to be one in the same except for the pot volume. Same brand, different model number.

Joe Reaves
Longview, Texas

RV-14 Empennage complete, awaiting QB Fuse and Wings next month
Arion Lightning LS-1 flying.
 
Simple

That looks like a good solution and better/reasonable than many options. I have a couple of dumb questions....

I couldn't tell how you connected the 3/8 and the 1/4" lines. The ID and OD are the same so I can see how it would sleeve in but did you just put safety wire to hold it?

Where did you get the fitting that connects to the zerk? I see that you safetied it.

Do you use aviation brake fluid?

Thanks for the 101 level questions.

John
RV-8
 
John,

(1) I connected the 3/8" tube to the sprayer nozzle & safety wired in place. This fitting easily come off and just as easy goes back on.

(2) I inserted the 1/4" tube into the 3/8" tube, wrapped the connection with electrical tape & safety wired this connection. This is only to keep the lines connected and keep from dripping brake fluid all over the place. Remember the lines will be under pressure. The pressure will depend on how may "pumps" you fill the bottle with. I didn't go over board just enough positive pressure to go force the fluid to go up hill, through the lines.

No special fitting to connect to the bleeder valve. Just "HOLD IN PLACE" the 1/4" line. It's a snug fit, but it can & probably will come off if you don't hang onto it.

I used 5606 hydraulic fluid.

Hope this helps.

john

That looks like a good solution and better/reasonable than many options. I have a couple of dumb questions....

I couldn't tell how you connected the 3/8 and the 1/4" lines. The ID and OD are the same so I can see how it would sleeve in but did you just put safety wire to hold it?

Where did you get the fitting that connects to the zerk? I see that you safeytied it.

Do you use aviation brake fluid?

Thanks for the 101 level questions.

John
RV-8
 
John,

(1) I connected the 3/8" tube to the sprayer nozzle & safety wired in place. This fitting easily come off and just as easy goes back on.

(2) I inserted the 1/4" tube into the 3/8" tube, wrapped the connection with electrical tape & safety wired this connection. This is only to keep the lines connected and keep from dripping brake fluid all over the place. Remember the lines will be under pressure. The pressure will depend on how may "pumps" you fill the bottle with. I didn't go over board just enough positive pressure to go force the fluid to go up hill, through the lines.

No special fitting to connect to the bleeder valve. Just "HOLD IN PLACE" the 1/4" line. It's a snug fit, but it can & probably will come off if you don't hang onto it.

I used 5606 hydraulic fluid.

Hope this helps.

john

Thank you!
John
 
Compatability

Just curious if the brake fluid is compatible with the plastic of the sprayer.
I wish I could find a stainless steel sprayer, my dad had one but long gone now.
 
I picked up one of these units & tubing at Lowes today. 9 bucks for a good combination!

This pays for a fancy bleeder plus enough left to contribute to this website. I am building a composite but I still have fond memories of sheet AL.

The Glasair site costs $35 a year....

Don?t be a cheapskate, do your part.

Tailwinds
HR
 
Won't fit

I have the Chapin sprayer, the 1/4" ID, 3/8" OD tubing, and some 1/4" OD static line tubing.

I can't get the tubing over the end of the sprayer (the brass fitting on the sprayer is too big, it measures 11/32". How did you get that to fit? :confused:
 
I've got one of these in my garage somewhere that I used to use to bleed the brakes in my old 80's sports car. I wonder if it could be adapted to do the job on the RV once it's together...

51O7kYWnOUL._SX425_.jpg
 
can't get the tubing over the end of the sprayer (the brass fitting on the sprayer is too big, it measures 11/32". How did you get that to fit? :confused:

You will need a larger hose on the sprayer tip, then using some small bore rigid tubing of your choice to join the larger to the smaller. YMMV, but with the chapin unit, it somehow sucked in air when I tried it, went to oiler can with 1/4" tubing and worked like a charm. Butch
 
Yep will work just fine.

I've got one of these in my garage somewhere that I used to use to bleed the brakes in my old 80's sports car. I wonder if it could be adapted to do the job on the RV once it's together...

51O7kYWnOUL._SX425_.jpg

Sure can Ryan, I have been using the sprayers for a decade(+) and broke down and bought this one. After using it on my truck, I actually liked the sprayer better. This unit as a restricted exit flow. Now I have a different bleeder for each fluid.

It will do just fine on the plane as it will be flowing in the same direction as the bubbles. Actually easier to bleed. Just put a 1/4" poly tube on the reservoir exit to catch the excess.
 
Ok so this is a totally stupid question, but the zerk brake fitting.....I never in my life would have thought that the end of a bleeder was the same size as a zerk, but it is????? So any zerk grease filler fitting (a new one of course) will work?:eek::eek:

I've had no luck getting a standard grease coupler to work with the Matco brake zerks (ie brake bleeder). Just not enough depth to get the coupler teeth to grab.

Anyone using a coupler (part number?) that works on the Matcos? I can do the standard "jam the tube on" but liked the positive atch of a coupler.

Guess not all brake bleeder fittings are created equal......
 
I have the Chapin sprayer, the 1/4" ID, 3/8" OD tubing, and some 1/4" OD static line tubing.

I can't get the tubing over the end of the sprayer (the brass fitting on the sprayer is too big, it measures 11/32". How did you get that to fit? :confused:

I snipped off the tip and used a 1/4" x 1/4" barb to join the sprayer wand to the 1/4" ID tubing. It is a little snug fitting the barb to the sprayer wand so I drilled out the ID just enough to make it easier with the help if my heat gun. No leaks.
 
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