What if the wrench doesn't quite fit?

[dcoplan]

I'm about to bleed my brakes and was testing the fitting of my wrenches to the bleed nipples. I have both metric and SAE but both of them have just enough play to make me nervous about rounding the edges if they're in there too tight.

Tricks? Tips?

Dan

PS - Has anyone else noticed that the nut size is different on the front and back or should I just consider myself "lucky"? Strange.

 

[smaceng]

Due to modern machinery, some of the bleed screws are 10 mm, and some are like the original of 3/8". Use the appropriate wrench!

 

[Guest]

Basic rule pf thumb, if the bleeders round or break then the cylinder is old enough to need replacment anyway. At least that's how I look at it.

 

[PAUL161]

I always use a six sided socket to initially break them loose, then use a box wrench to bleed. PJ

 

[aeronca65t]

What Paul said: use a six-point socket or box wrench to do the initial loosening.

 

[dklawson]

I recently was informed about an additional step you can take to prevent stubborn bleed nipples from breaking quite so easily. Take your set of drill bits and find one whose shank is the closest fit that will just barely go down the hole in the center of the nipple. Insert the shank of the bit, then use your wrench to loosen the nipple. Having the drill shank fill the hole is supposed to prevent the nipple from collapsing on itself and is therefore supposed to reduce your chances of shearing the nipple off.

 

[Billm]

I think that the rear nipples are 1/4" (could be 5/16")
BillM

 

[drooartz]

Is it bad that I saw this thread title, and my first thought was "vice grips"?

Just wondering

 

[dklawson]

Is it bad that I saw this thread title, and my first thought was "vice grips"?

Yeah, that's bad. I was never so upset with myself as the day I broke a bleed nipple off in a caliper... and I was using a tiny box end wrench too!

 

[nomad]

Yeah, that's bad. I was never so upset with myself as the day I broke a bleed nipple off in a caliper... and I was using a tiny box end wrench too!

So,Doug, did you end up salvaging it or have to scrap it.

Kurt.

 

[Bob Claffie]

Once in a great while you can coax a stubborn bleeder to come loose by gently trying to TIGHTEN it. Not looking for a quarter turn or anything like that but any movement at all will signal that it's ready to back out. Bob

 

[dklawson]

So,Doug, did you end up salvaging it or have to scrap it.

Kurt.

I was able to save the caliper. The "HELP" section of the local Advance Auto had the bleed nipple repair kit. You take the caliper off, drill out the port for the broken nipple, tap 1/8 NPT and install the replacement nipple/bushing assembly. It was on the car years later when I sold it. The only downside to the kit was that their installation torque seemed to be "too high" and of course you had to already own a 1/8 pipe tap. Of course, I always needed a different sized wrench for that bleed nipple.

I used the kit after breaking the nipple and trying to drill out and re-tap the port. The replacement nipple never seated right... I did something wrong cutting the threads (too large, not concentric, angled... who knows). Later I learned about another fix that works even if the female threads are screwed up a bit. Buy a new bleed nipple and grind the pointed tip off so it is flat faced and shorter. Drop a single "ball" from a ball bearing down into the bleed hole in the caliper and install the flat faced nipple behind it. The modified nipple will drive the ball down into the tapered seat and always be on center to seal as well (if not better) than the original pointed tip nipple. Think of it a "Grose Jet" for your brake caliper.

BTW, I was trying the tighten/loosen method Bob described when this particular nipple broke. I was very upset when it happened because normally the tighten/loosen method had worked for me.