REFLECTOR: Back Bleeding Brakes

[Ron Brown]

MessageTony,

Excellent questions.  (So good that I am posting back to the Reflector! - Hope that is ok - THERE ARE NO STUPID QUESTIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Yes you will need to watch the level in the master cylinder.  I purchased an epoxy syringe from West Marine and use it to draw the excess fluid out.  By the way, you'll need this syringe when you replace the pads.  It is natural to add fluid as the pads wear out.  When you put new pads on, you will push this added fluid back out of the reservoir.

Re back bleeding, air bubbles want to go up.  If you bleed like a car, the bubbles tend to want to fight the downward flow.  By back bleeding, most of the flow is up hill and the bubbles naturally want to go up too.  It does work well.  I have had excellent brakes ever since I removed the calipers and stood them straight up to remove that little bit of trapped air.  

Ronnie
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Tony Babb 
  To: 'Ron Brown' 
  Sent: Tuesday, February 12, 2008 9:02 PM
  Subject: RE: REFLECTOR: Back Bleeding Brakes


  Hi Ronnie,

  Sending this off list because I just know it's a stupid question. When you're pumping fluid into the brake caliper how do you prevent it spilling out of the master cylinder - or do you siphon it out of the master first to make room? When I was a youth - many years ago - we bled automobile brakes the opposite way by pumping on the brake pedal and having someone open/close the nipple on the caliper. Is there a reason this doesn't work on Velocitys?

  Thanks,

  Tony
    -----Original Message-----
    From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On Behalf Of Ron Brown
    Sent: Tuesday, February 12, 2008 5:34 PM
    To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
    Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Back Bleeding Brakes


    I couldn't find the hardware oil pump on the web but here is a picture I found:



    Look around your local hardware and auto parts stores.  This one works good but you have to fill it completely with fluid before it pumps correctly.

    There are similar designs available too.

    Ronnie
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