Brake woes

So Friday, i went to bleed my brakes, as i haven't driven the car since i put the new suspension on it, and most of my fluid leaked out when i was doing the install.

Surely i can handle a basic brake bleeding, right? I've done it before...

WRONG.

Started from the passenger rear, took the wheel off, slipped a deep well 8mm socket over the bleeder, applied some pressure to break it loose, and.....

Broke it right off. Just sheared. There was no warning, no twisting, no nothing.

I tried to heat it up and latch onto it with vice grips to twist it out, no go. Next step was trying a Snap-On Easy Out set. No go.

Went to the junkyard to grab the caliper off the GTS that's in there. Tested the bleeder valve, SAME EXACT THING HAPPENED.

So now, i have the following situations:

1) I have a caliper that has half of a bleeder stuck in it, how do i get it out? Caliper was rebuilt last summer, i don't really want to replace it.

2) Even if i do replace it, it's like $80 (ROBBERY) and it's a special order item, no matter WHERE i try to get it from, and i won't have it til the end of the week.

3) I can't drive my car.

Ideas on how to get this sucker out?

How do i prevent this from happening in the future?

lesson for future: three days before bleeding brakes, soak all bleeder screws with PB Blaster. then, when it's time to crack the bleeder screws, hit them in the righty-tighty direction before going lefty-loosey.

since you may be out of luck with that caliper anyway, try driving a flat head screw driver into the bit of bleeder and clamp some vice grips to the screwdriver and see if that wont work to get it out. Sometimes the expansion force of driving the screwdriver in will break 'er loose. other than that, drill it out and re-tap the caliper? Sorry bro, with all that heat over time and proximity to gross ground muck,outside of pad changes, brakes are almost always something I leave to the shop. Thats probably all the advice I have. GL

4cylndrfury wrote: since you may be out of luck with that caliper anyway, try driving a flat head screw driver into the bit of bleeder and clamp some vice grips to the screwdriver and see if that wont work to get it out. Sometimes the expansion force of driving the screwdriver in will break 'er loose. other than that, drill it out and re-tap the caliper? Sorry bro, with all that heat over time and proximity to gross ground muck,outside of pad changes, brakes are almost always something I leave to the shop. Thats probably all the advice I have. GL

Are different size bleeders available in the case i re-tap it? I really have no idea.

Thanks for the advice, both of you.

next time hit the bleeder nipple with a BFH like your trying to smash it in the hole. It will move with the wrench the blow will lossen the rust bond on the threads.

93celicaGT2 wrote:

4cylndrfury wrote: since you may be out of luck with that caliper anyway, try driving a flat head screw driver into the bit of bleeder and clamp some vice grips to the screwdriver and see if that wont work to get it out. Sometimes the expansion force of driving the screwdriver in will break 'er loose. other than that, drill it out and re-tap the caliper? Sorry bro, with all that heat over time and proximity to gross ground muck,outside of pad changes, brakes are almost always something I leave to the shop. Thats probably all the advice I have. GL

Are different size bleeders available in the case i re-tap it? I really have no idea. Thanks for the advice, both of you.

I would imagine so...wouldnt they be bigger on a tundra than on a 'rolla? I guess I just assumed there were different sizes...anyone know fo show? or search teh webz, but IDK.

If youre good enough, use a drill bit 1/16th smaller than the bleeder if you can determine its size. If you can get in there straight, you should be able to remove the body of the bleeder out of the hole, leaving just the threads. those will be easier to pry out bit by bit. Tedious, but its worked for me in other situations, and no retap needed

4cylndrfury wrote:

93celicaGT2 wrote:

4cylndrfury wrote: since you may be out of luck with that caliper anyway, try driving a flat head screw driver into the bit of bleeder and clamp some vice grips to the screwdriver and see if that wont work to get it out. Sometimes the expansion force of driving the screwdriver in will break 'er loose. other than that, drill it out and re-tap the caliper? Sorry bro, with all that heat over time and proximity to gross ground muck,outside of pad changes, brakes are almost always something I leave to the shop. Thats probably all the advice I have. GL

Are different size bleeders available in the case i re-tap it? I really have no idea. Thanks for the advice, both of you.

I would imagine so...wouldnt they be bigger on a tundra than on a 'rolla? I guess I just assumed there were different sizes...anyone know fo show? or search teh webz, but IDK. If youre good enough, use a drill bit 1/16th smaller than the bleeder if you can determine its size. If you can get in there straight, you should be able to remove the body of the bleeder out of the hole, leaving just the threads. those will be easier to pry out bit by bit. Tedious, but its worked for me in other situations, and no retap needed

I'm going to try that tonite..... my roomate has it at his work right now, working on it in his spare time. We already drilled through it trying to get the easy-out to get in there and grab. I could probably get it all out except for the threads, and then get down there with a pick or something to finish cleaning it out.

Then get two bleeders. One to clean up the threads and throw away, and another to stick in there i guess.

I'll figger it out. I appreciatcha!

93celicaGT2 wrote: slipped a deep well 8mm socket over the bleeder, applied some pressure to break it loose, and..... Broke it right off. Just sheared. There was no warning, no twisting, no nothing.

Classic fun of working on cars. Be sure to read this thread.

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/ever-want-to-just-chuck-the-wrenches-and-hit-the-c/9671/page1/

pete240z wrote:

93celicaGT2 wrote: slipped a deep well 8mm socket over the bleeder, applied some pressure to break it loose, and..... Broke it right off. Just sheared. There was no warning, no twisting, no nothing.

Classic fun of working on cars. Be sure to read this thread. http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/ever-want-to-just-chuck-the-wrenches-and-hit-the-c/9671/page1/

Funny thing is that i JUST read that thread.

I don't know if you've been following any of my other "escapades" but i also just sank almost 200 hours into a 91 Celica vert to restore it from $500 beater status to "Could probably sell this for $3000!" Beautiful car. Ran for 30 miles after sorting out a little piddling issues.... then the bottom end grenaded in spectacular fashion. And i did NOT do anything wrong with what i did with it.

Guess what i'm doing this week?

I'm not having luck with the Celicas the last week or so.

^^BTW, definitely want updates on that vert...I GOTTA KNOW WHAT HAPPENED ZOMG GOTTA KNOWWWWWWW