Plan 'B' for bleeders when Blaster and time fail?

[mrsilv04]

2004 Silverado.

What is plan 'B' for when time and PB Blaster on brake bleeders fails?

I soaked the rear bleeders in PB last night, the fronts last night (and again this morning), and tapped them all with a hammer.

Working on them using a 3/8" wrench and a 6 point socket.

A little heat? I have both a propane torch and a variable temperature Milwaukee heat gun. I feel the heat gun might be a safer choice at this point, as I don't want to melt or deform anything inside of the caliper.

How many foot pounds do they tighten these to at the factory? I doubt that they've been messed with since the truck rolled off the assembly line.

 

[spasm3]

I'd go with the torch, the calipers are big enough( will dissipate the heat of the heat gun) that the heat gun may not heat the bleeder up as much or as quickly as the torch.

 

[cpayne5]

I just had this issue with my Suburban.

I was unable to get a socket or wrench on mine as they were already mangled during the last brake job by the previous owner (probably the dealer...).

I used vise grips. Gently rocked them back and forth until they started turning more and more each time. Eventually was able to get them out. No heat required. Just sprayed them with PB a few minutes before attempting the extraction. 5-10 minutes per side playing with them until they came out.

If the hex head is still intact on yours, might want to rock back and forth with the wrench. Do you have an impact of any kind? A little bit of impact might spin them out.

I bought new ones at Advance after I destroyed mine with vise grips.

 

[901Memphis]

Replace caliper?

 

[Brad_C]

I've had really good luck on fragile stuff using my cordless drill as an impact. Just set the torque limiter at a level unlikely to snap the bleeder and let it go. The gentle vibration generally works the fastener loose.

Sometimes it takes many go-arounds of some heat and a penetrating oil though if it's particularly recalcitrant.

 

[CT8]

If you can't bet the bleeders loose no matter what you do . Replace the caliper down the road.

 

[cjcride]

If you can PB blast again after wrenching on them and wait 1 more day it might work.

 

[Vern_in_IL]

I would take the caliper off and do this on the bench (in a vice). Take a Dremel with a cutoff wheel and cut a cross that will fit a phillips head screw driver. Get it to fit a #2 bit real well and use an impact screw driver (the type you hit with a hammer). Spray and let soak with a good penetrating lube (Freeall is one). Better yet, heat it up first with a propane torch, douse with water. Do that a few times (breaks the rust bond), then spray with penetrating oil then use the impact screw driver.

 

[oldhp]

Heat up around the bleeder screw, with heavy leather glove stick ice on bleeder screw. If it tinks or pops, it'll come right out. You might have to it a couple times.

 

[EvanD]

Silverado calipers were like 35$ on rock auto when I got them. Just replace them if they break while loosening them.

 

[The_Eric]

Acetylene torch.

Zap the bleeder hard. It will heat WAY, WAY faster than the caliper will. That caliper will soak heat for a long time before getting hot enough to damage the seals or piston- if it's not metal.

Let it cool for a split second then put your ratchet on there and use the meaty part of your palm to give it some encouraging thumps... Actually, that may be enough to break them loose (without heat)

Really, with some persistence, I've managed to break loose most every bleeder I come across just by using my palm. Lots of small to medium sized blows.

 

[sdan27]

Loosen the banjo bolt that holds the brake line on? I've bled my brakes that way when I couldn't get the bleeder loose and it worked just fine.

 

[KzMitch]

Blue wrench.

(that's cool talk for torch)

 

[Quest]

yes, heat it and then soak the threads in PBblaster or likes.

You may have to repeat the cycle a few times, be careful not to heat the bleeder nipple part for if it loses it's temper (hardness), you are going to strip it before snapping it into 2.

Soaking in ice immediately after heating works also.

Patience, patience and lots of patience in this case.

It's definitely do-able.

Q.

 

[mrsilv04]

I got them. One was really stubborn and took two applications of heat from a torch. Two others took one shot of heat... and one gave up really easily... it was loose enough, I'm surprised that it had never dripped.

Replaced them all with SpeedBleeders, bled out the 14 year old factory brake fluid (which was tinted green, and it was dark as well), and went through a quart and a half of Advance/Carquest DOT 3 fluid before I was done.

Since I couldn't quite get all of the old fluid sucked out of the reservoir (it is a two compartment design, with the opening at one end), the new fluid has an ever so light tint of green to it.

Took it out for a spin, and the pedal feels better, as it should.

Topped off the reservoir right to the max line, so if the level drops unexpectedly, it should be fairly obvious at a glance.

 

[Lubener]

You want a good line wrench(not Harbor Freight stuff) to break loose.Tapping the wrench with a hammer is better than just using your muscle. it. A six point socket could round off. Worse case it will snap off and you will lose your core value.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
2004 Silverado
bled out the 14 year old factory brake fluid


How does an 11 year old truck have 14 year old brake fluid in it from the factory? Is that one of those "special" Chevy options?

 

[Vikas]

Originally Posted By: Lubener
You want a good line wrench(not Harbor Freight stuff) to break loose.Tapping the wrench with a hammer is better than just using your muscle. it. A six point socket could round off. Worse case it will snap off and you will lose your core value.
why do you need line wrench to loosen the bleeder? Am I missing something or you had a senior moment here?

 

[mrsilv04]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
2004 Silverado
bled out the 14 year old factory brake fluid


How does an 11 year old truck have 14 year old brake fluid in it from the factory? Is that one of those "special" Chevy options?


See the timestamp... it was *way* past my bedtime.

07/29/15 12:11 AM

 

[Lubener]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
Originally Posted By: Lubener
You want a good line wrench(not Harbor Freight stuff) to break loose.Tapping the wrench with a hammer is better than just using your muscle. it. A six point socket could round off. Worse case it will snap off and you will lose your core value.
why do you need line wrench to loosen the bleeder? Am I missing something or you had a senior moment here?


To lessen the possiblity of rounding it off...A common sense moment..Try it.