bfellows

Ain't it always the case, 7 of the 8 nipples undo with no problems, the 8th nipple sheared right off. Any tips for the best method for removal of the remains of the nipple?

UKKid35

No, can't help there, but for others wondering I recommend a socket on a T bar to undo awkward bleed nipples.

AO

Take it to a machine shop. The seats need to be kept from any scratches,, gouges, etc.

2nd alternative would be reverse drill bits. I would not use an easy-out. Too many horror stories.

AO

i assume this was on a caliper...

heinrich

any metal bits in the system are bad.

jon928se

If you trust you bestest careful drilling to be careful enough.......

Drill down the centre of the nipple gradually increasing bit sizes until the wall thickness of the remains of the nipple is very thin, but you haven't broken through to the threads nor have you drilled through the bottom of the nipple. (Tip -Compare hole depths with the removed nipples and holes in the caliper.) Then using a fine pick collapse the remains nipple inwards and carefully unscrew.

ZEUS+

Try the above suggestions first. If you are good with heat control, heat and use this type of extractor in existing hole or drill slightly larger. It does not need much heat to remove steel from aluminum.

http://bradystools.stores.yahoo.net/stexset1stfl.html
Worst case you can use a bleeder repair kit.
http://www.ctatools.com/catalogs/brake.pdf

mark kibort

i did this early in the holberts car career. i use the outside one only and hope i get all the fluid out of the caliper with one bleeder. im scared to remove the broken one as i figure its going to be a mess and dont want to risk having to buy one caliper, or then, one caliper works differently than the old one, or have to buy two calipers! It seems to be working, so i let it go.
on a street car, i certainly dont see an issue with bleeding only one side of the caliper

MK

Imo000

Try buying a good used one.

dr bob

Mark--

Bleeding to change fluid is probably OK with just the outer. If you are bleeding to get air out, there's no way to purge the inner chamber unless you can open the bleed screw.

----

Heating the caliper is OK, with a heat gun not a torch. I'm not sure it will help though. The left-hand drill bits are a good idea, but be sure not to drill through the end of the screw. This is a tough extraction, since the larges friction area is the seat you must save from the drill. The suggestion that you drill most of the way then 'pick' the last pieces out is a good one.

I bought a pair of new S4+ bleeder screws in a kit with new rubber caps from 928 Int'l, prophylactic for a brake fluid flush clinic we had here at the hose for SoCal owners a while ago. Still have them. They are available from the Jim, and the prices was very reasonable IIRC, like less than twenty dollars for the kit.


So which anti-sieze is the one to use on bleeder screws?

bfellows

Thanks all. I heated the caliper before attempting to remove the nipple as last time I changed the brake fluid I couldn't get the nipple undone, but to no avail!

Looks like I might farm this job out to the proffesionals - i've been after an excuse to get my calipers painted red

SharkSkin

I think you're supposed to use Dawn dish soap on them.

dr bob

Good thought I guess... Hey wait a second! I use Dawn to remove never-seeze from my hands. So far no problems, hasn't eaten through the hands yet anyway. And the never-seeze comes off pretty easily, much more easily than using most common "hand cleaner" products for some reason.

I probably need to use gloves. Wrap the baby finger of a nitrile glove around the threads of the bleeder during installation...

SharkSkin

Imo000

Here’s something that I thought might work. Pull the calliper off the rotor but keep the break line attached. Then turn the calliper around until the good bleeder screw is facing up (highest point). After this, take something solid, about the thickness of the rear roto,r and place it between the pads, while the bleeder screw still facing up. Now either use a vacuum pump or have someone sit in the car to bleed that calliper. In theory I think this would work and get whatever air you have trapped out of that calliper. Then when its all done just bolt the calliper back onto the rotor.