Bleed Screws on Calipers

[Chris611]

The bleed screws on the front calipers of my truck are rusted in. What should I do? If I break them off, can I use screw extractors to get it out or will I have to buy a new calipers?

Also, this truck stops like...well lets just say it doesn't stop very well. I have had it to a local mechanic and he tried adjusting the rear brakes and bleeding the rear brakes and it didn't help. He acutally didn't back the adjuster off enough and caused the rear brakes to drag to the point of smoking. I have since backed them off. When I push on the pedal the steering wheel will shake from side to side and now it is acutally starting to hop up and down a little. I'm just not sure what to replace to make them better. Any advice?

Thanks
Chris

[MTTwister]

Chris most of your breaking comes from the front - PB Blaster of the threads, tap lightly with a hammer to work it in, multiple applications, multiple taps ( took me 2 weeks to get a Upper control arm adjuster bolt freed up on the '72 Duster (married to the rubber bushing) . Spray, tap ( ok hard tap) appling heat - (alcohol torch)- repeat. Fortunately ( or un-) I had plenty of other things to work on at the time but was furstrating as hell.

Kinda sounds like you might have other front end issues going on there too. Status of your pads and rotor? Front brakes grabbing and letting off?

Edit - How many miles on it? Idler arm? Idler arm bushings? Shaking right to left - somethings grabbing and letting go. Hmmmm -
Just a suggestion of things to look for.

[Hansh]

You have one of two problems going on in the front. 1. you may have warped rotors, or 2. Your ball joints need to be replaced. When the ball joints are worn, it is typical when you hit the brakes for the caster to change, which causes the shaking.

Regarding the bleeder screws, try some PB Blaster. Let it sit for a day or so. If you have an air hammer (or chisel) using a blunt bit, you can tap on the caliper next to the bleeder screw. Try to unscrew it, if you break it off, buy a new caliper.

You can also try left hand drill bits to drill out the bleeder and use an extractor. Sometimes the heat of drilling helps and it comes out with the bit. They usually are pretty tough.

If your rotor(s) are warped, what caused it? Stuck caliper or several hard braking episoides? Make sure your calipers are working properly.

[Chris611]

Thanks guys. I had the rotors turned by the same mechanic that adjusted the rear brakes. It didn't shake much immediatly after that. THey did say that the ball joints were starting to have some play, but though they were okay for awhile. From what I read, maybe they are farther gone than what that mechanic thought. The truck has 132K on it. I had the idler arm replaced at about 70K. I will hae to take a look at the front end and see if anything looks worn.

Thanks
Chris

[Dvldog 8793]

Howdy
What I would do:
1- replace rotors and calipers. Unless the rotors can be turned on the truck it is a hit or miss with turning them. If old calipers are used sometimes the bore will get rust spot/scuff mark in it and when you push it back to replace the pads it will bind the piston. Common cause of a warped rotor is improperly torqued lugs.
2- Flush entire brake system replace fluid with high temp DOT4
3- replace lines with Stainless lines.
4-replace ball joints
5- replace idler arm, some of the cheaper ones only last about 20k miles. I've had the best luck with MOOG lifetime parts

BTW- I have tig welded bolts onto broken bleeder screws and got them out for people. Most of these were on calipers that were no longer available.
Hope this helps!
L8r
Conley Janssen
USMC87-93

[Cowracer]

I have also seen excessive slop in the steering box cause a shake when on the brakes. Mine shook like a freezing wet dog! New rotors, calipers and pads did nothing to help.

Then it started shaking above certain speeds. I finally noticed the slop in the steering box and the shaking went away after I adjusted it out.

CAUTION: Don't adjust the box too tight, you will get a wander that will drive you crazy.

Tim

[TJ Moose]

If you do break off a bleeder, and don't have a stud extractor, another thing to try is to get a cheap torx bit (like what you'd stick in a magnetic bit holder you might use with a Makita cordless drill)that's just a tad larger than the hole - pound it in the hole with a hammer, then turn it with a socket wrench.

[damork]

Another method is using a Dremel high speed grinder with a small tip. It allowed me to grind the inside of a broken bleeder but not destroy the threads of the caliper. Ground enough out to allow it to come right out.

[tom.mcinerney]

Several fine suggestions for dealing with the bleeders.
They should be made with thicker walls from M10.9 or M12.8 bolt stock alloy, or some superalloy.

[Quack_Addict]

Coatings aside, the higher carbon content of the 10.9 alloy 'bolt stock' would cause the bleeders to rust worse than the 8.8 alloy (or whatever) they use now. Plus, they would be a lot harder to remove (drill or EZout) when broken. Ideally, bleeders would be stainless steel - possibly with a head larger than 5/16" or 10mm.

To remove a stuck bleeder, try hammering on a tight-fitting 6-point socket and work it back and forth. Using a 12-point socket or wrench (even a line wrench) will strip the corners off the bleeder.

Just my .02

[Kennedy]

Like Conley said the calipers should likely be replaced anyhow. I've had good luck turning the rotors though. Leave the wheel bearings in and turn as an assembly. Pull the ABS sensor and cover the hole to keep shavings out. Clean the mounting surface for the ABS sensor thoroughly and apply some dielectric grease to prevent rust as this will heave the sensor out.

Typically rotors warp from sticking calipers or abuse/overuse. These rotors are pretty darn thick and can take a few cuts, but if the calipers drag...

I use dielectric on the slide pins etc. If you mount the caliper w/o pads it should slide VERY easily back and forth with one hand.