Snapped bleed nipple

Post by **SoLaMaNdA** » 15 Apr 2007 11:27 pm

This morning I decided to finally bleed the brakes on my 360.

Carefully sprayed plusgas on the rusty threads before turning. Used a small socket to support it as best as possible and it snapped clean off on the thread with very little pressure

I've tried my worn easy outs on the nipple with little joy. I'm going to try a new set.

Anyone know if gsf do bleed nipples, my local motor spare suppliers don't sell them. Is it worth getting a whole new caliper (scrappy) if it needs drilling out?

Any advice appreciated. Atleast the car is drivable for now.

Post by **Nick C** » 15 Apr 2007 11:58 pm

SoLaMaNdA wrote:Carefully sprayed plusgas on the rusty threads before turning. Used a small socket to support it as best as possible and it snapped clean off on the thread with very little pressure

Any advice appreciated. Atleast the car is drivable for now.

Careful with that, it might have budged just enough to break the seal before it snapped off - I had one that I thought hadn't moved at all, but in fact had, and it sprayed brake fluid out under pressure!

Post by **pettaw** » 16 Apr 2007 03:32 am

I've been there

Best bet tbh is to get a new caliper from a scrappy. The 'new' one will have a seized in screw as well, so plenty of WD-40 or whatever. I would advise some heat before you apply the WD-40, or else a real good soak and re-apply over a few days. When you come to undo, then carefully tap round either side with a hammer, which will hopefully shock the corrosion off, then its minimal pressure with a spanner/socket. If it doesn't come off with moderate pressure then repeat the hammering then try again. They're really thin metal so really any torque at all and they're waiting to snap on you.

Last time I bought a caliper bleed screw from the dealer for not much money so its probably worth buying one, even if you end up getting a new caliper.

Post by **Chris_C** » 16 Apr 2007 08:24 am

I thought Andy was taking the mick about this, especially after I put a spanner on mine and undid it by knocking a rubber mallet on the end of the spanner. Looks like I got lucky.

Post by **SoLaMaNdA** » 16 Apr 2007 09:12 am

Before I start ringing around, anyone know of a good breakers near NW London for 300 parts? Can I use the front caliper off any car?

I am not looking forward to removing the rusted on caliper so will try easy outs first.

I did briefly check the brake for leaks by pressing the brake VERY hard and there were no leaks, it seems fine to drive.

Post by **SoLaMaNdA** » 16 Apr 2007 05:40 pm

The bleed nipple now has a snapped hardened steel easy out stuck in it

Well and truly siezed so new caliper time, anyone breaking a car?

Post by **pettaw** » 16 Apr 2007 06:53 pm

The caliper will come out easy, you don't need to undo the big bracket holding it on. Try Braydon motors in Hackney, they're pretty good, although being Volvo specialists they're not too cheap. Alternatively just ring round any scrappy, and see if they've got any 300s in. That way you can practise getting off a caliper on something that doesn't matter

And BTW, yeah damn right Chris got lucky. Hitting a bleed screw with a spanner and hammer

Post by **Chris_C** » 16 Apr 2007 07:31 pm

Why is it that easy outs ALWAYS snap in the thing they are trying to remove... yet when you come to drill them out they are made of the hardest substance known to man...

Post by **SoLaMaNdA** » 16 Apr 2007 07:49 pm

I've checked I can remove the caliper, of course all the other bolts are easy to turn and were greased

No luck with scrappys, there are new ones available for £40 but I'll see if anyone on here has a car in bits first.

Post by **pettaw** » 16 Apr 2007 07:55 pm

don't go for the new ones. For 40 quid they're bound to be built with the cheapiest parts around. I would try Braydon, any 300 caliper will do, they should be all the same, after a certain year, but it was very early eighties IIRC.

Post by **petefarrell360** » 16 Apr 2007 11:40 pm

Yeah, I keep meaning to bleed the brakes on mine........ however the thought of snapping the bleed nipple off isn't a good one, just haven't had the time to have a look yet.

Easy outs are crap! I bought a set when the stud snapped in the downpipe flange on my van....... because they are hardened it makes them brittle, so any pressure slightly off centre of in a crooked fashion when turning them, and they snap!

I agree with Andy, the new ones at cheap prices are most probably crap! There were some uber cheap ones on Ebay, when I read who had made them, I decided to leave well alone, even just sat on a shelf as an emergency spare for a few pennies I wasn't interested!

Pete

Post by **SoLaMaNdA** » 17 Apr 2007 08:49 am

For the other bleed nipples I'm going to use my welder to briefly heat the area!

Still cannot believe how easily it snapped

Post by **redline** » 17 Apr 2007 10:36 am

if you are going to take the caliper off of a car at a breakers ,
it may be worth trying to remove the bleed nipple before going to the trouble of taking the caliper off ,
just in case the same thing happens on the "new " caliper

Post by **dynamite40** » 17 Apr 2007 10:15 pm

i have to very good calipers of a 1.4 340 dont know if they will fit

Snapped bleed nipple

Snapped bleed nipple

Re: Snapped bleed nipple

calipers