When it comes to maintaining your car, especially the brake system, having the right tools at your disposal is crucial. One such tool is a brake bleeding bottle, perfect for bleeding brakes by yourself. Today, I’m going to show you how to create a DIY one-person brake bleeding bottle. It’s a simple, low-cost project, especially if you already have a drill at your disposal.
This isn’t my first time creating this tool. My initial attempt used a thin-walled plastic water bottle, but it eventually crinkled and got damaged. This time around, I wanted a more durable bottle, so I searched for a small glass bottle with a sturdy metal cap. I found the perfect one in the form of a Pure Leaf Tea bottle.
What I used:
- Pure Leaf Cold Brew Tea bottle. Any bottle should work but I like the construction of this bottle.
- 1/4” I.D. x 3/8″ O.D. x 2′ PVC Vinyl hose, to connect to brake bleeder and bottle.
- 3/8″ drill bit, to drill into bottle cap for the 1/4” hose
- 5/64” drill bit, I used this drill bit to create a breather hole for the bottle.
- 4″ zip tie, to keep the hose on securely
- Drill
How to make:
Step 1: Drill a 3/8″ hole in the center of the bottle cap.
Attempt your best and drill in the center of the cap.
Step 2: Drill a 5/64″ breather hole in the cap
Any small drill bit should work, but I used a 5/64″ bit.
Step 3: Clean the bottle.
I like my things clean so I rinsed the bottle of any metal shavings.
Step 4: Insert 1/4” hose into the cap
It may take some wiggling and squeezing to feed the hose through.
How to use:
Step 1: Position the bottle above the brake bleeder
Have the bottle placed above the brake bleeder, hose arched, and the hose inside the bottle should be at the bottom.
This ensures that there’s fluid trapped inside the hose and no air gets introduced back into the brake line. Above picture is an example.
Step 2: Remove rubber cap and insert 1/4″ tube. Might need a small zip tie.
You may need a small zip tie to secure the hose, especially for the smaller 10mm bleeder valve on the 2017 Explorer (the rear has an 11mm valve).
The 1/4” tube fits snug on a 11mm brake bleeder.
The 1/4” tube on a 10mm is a little loose so I used a small zip tie to keep it snug
Step 3: Removing hose
To remove the hose, place the bottle on the ground. The fluid trapped inside the hose will flow down into the bottle, making it a less messy process.
Thank you for following along with this DIY guide on making a one-person brake bleeding bottle. I hope it proves as helpful for you as it has for me. If you have any suggestions or feedback, please feel free to leave them in the comments section below.
thx
anytime!