Frozen nipples...

Well, it seemed too easy there at the end, I just had a feeling this bike was going to take one last shot at me. Got my new SS brakes lines, went to crack the two bleed valves on the right hand side and, no bueno. They were from the looks of them problematic for a PO as the flats were not flat. So after soaking a couple of times with PB Blaster, and going at them with a small vise grip, have only rounded it off more.

Anyone else ever have this problem?

 

Bike is broken beyond compare and you should give it to me.

A lot of gunk builds up on the valves and becomes a pain to get them off at times. keep soaking it in penetrating spray and get a bigger and tighter gripping vise grips and turn the hoe. Might want to give it a few love taps, lightly. not to hard to mark it up. you want people to think its still sexy. also its worth a shot maybe try to tighten it a smudge to see if you can loosen up the gunk. The bleeder valves are made of a soft metal so be careful.

You can also try to heat up the valve and rapidly cool it like 3 or 4 times to have the metal expand and contract. This is the safest bet. you just need to remove the caliper and get the fluid out. I am not so sure how flammable it is

 

If you screw it up completely you have a few options:

a) try drilling with an undersized left handed drill bit, as it weakens it might also spin out with the (anti-clockwise)drill action

not tried these..

b) Spark erosion - need machine shop cost is £££s or $$$ in your case

c) Look-up dissolving steel in alum - cane be done without affecting aluminium alloys - apparently..

 

Heat. The bleed screw will be constrained by the caliper body. As the screw heats up it will want to grow, but it can only grow in length. That will break the corrosion around the threads.

 

It is a common problem for a neglected bike. Just like K-moe said, heat. Gently heat the caliper near the screw and the rust should give way. Don't get it smoking hot , just good and warm to the touch. Work the bleed screw back and fourth until it comes out. Let the old screws cool before throwing them across the room into the trash bin. Get new ones and replace them.
Always use a 6 point socket or wrench to loosen them in the future.

 

Thanks for the replies...the flats were already rounded such that I could not even get a regular (8mm?) wrench on them, hence the vise grips. Will try some heat this morning...I guess I was just itching to repaint those calipers anyhow Reminds me of that joke about the two bedroom apartment being repainted so often it is now a one bedroom apartment...

 

Finally got it off today. It took 3/4 heat cycles per, more PB Blaster, bigger vise grips, but I got them out. The weird thing, the other side no problem. Flats on the bleed nipples looked good, and no rust, popped right off. Weird.

 

I have nothing to add, just wanted to bump this because of it's title

 

it will be the title about my ride home tonight from work

 

Honestly, I was very disappointed in the content. False advertising. Would not subscribe.

 

I just read the entire thread... total disappointment.

 

There are too many disappointed people here; had to do it.

 

When you put the new bleeder screws in put anti seize on the treads ...

 

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