Guest choppa7 Posted August 19, 2008 After a couple of warnings about snapping bleed nipples I thought I'd have a gander to see what the fuss was about and where they were etc. I found the front drivers one straight away and saw that its pretty feeble and well rusted - just right for some snappage I then had a look at the passengers one, lo and behold someone has beaten me to it and its gone... Great start So..... how does one go about extracting a funked bleed nipple from a brake caliper then? any help/advice is appreciated Cheers Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fox 3 Posted August 19, 2008 With great difficulty... Perhaps a reverse drill? A tip that I use to undo them, is to give the nipple a really, really good wire brushing, then soak it in WD40. The undo it with a six sided socket, rather than a brake spanner. I've only ever broken one, although most other manufactures use larger nipples If you cant get the broken bit out, http://www.car-brakes.co.uk/ sells callipers, or your local motor factors will sell you one on an exchange basis. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest choppa7 Posted August 19, 2008 ok thanks, I'll give a reverse drill a bash first and maybe go scrappy hunting for some relpacements if I get time before I byu some proper new ones! Cheers Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
number2301 1 1 Cars Posted August 22, 2008 If you do manage to get them out make sure you replace the plastic covers they should have on. When I bled my brakes both bleed nipples which had the plastic covers were fine, the other two which didn't have the covers snapped straight away. Which reminds me, I need to sort one of mine out! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Henry Yorke 269 3 Cars Posted August 23, 2008 The way I have had a flush snapped nipple removed by my brother is to build up the base of the nipple with some blobs of weld then tack a 10mm bolt on the top and it whizzed out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mainline 2 1 Cars Posted October 27, 2008 The way I have had a flush snapped nipple removed by my brother is to build up the base of the nipple with some blobs of weld then tack a 10mm bolt on the top and it whizzed out. I'm gonna try this technique this weekend, and then the car should be finished woo hoo!!! Would have been done on Sunday had my mate not brought round his welder, mask, gloves, sticks of weld, a nut and no extension cable. Dammit! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chris1986 1 Posted October 27, 2008 don't know if this is any help to you but recon calipers are about £40 so you have your nipples sorted with no hassle and a new caliper. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tom Fenton 1,541 Posted October 27, 2008 Get some heat into the area, the caliper is alloy which expands when heated more than steel. Thus heating the alloy around the nipple will help to free it up. One of the most important things in my opinion is to make sure the nipple has its rubber nodder on the end, I think part of the reason they seize in and then bust off is that water and muck gets down the hole when they are in use on the car and corrodes the nipple into the caliper. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Veero 1 Posted October 28, 2008 Not sure how it applies to nipples but certainly on brake line nuts I found that a good soaking in PlusGas for a few minutes helped immensely. Using a brake spanner (obviously as it was on the brake line) if you tighten the nut ever so slightly before undoing they come free easily. Worth a go if it feels like it might go. Depending how much has snapped off you might get an Ezy-out in there. Soak it with plenty of Plus Gas first, it's great stuff. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Toddy 7 Posted October 28, 2008 Get some heat into the area, the caliper is alloy which expands when heated more than steel. Thus heating the alloy around the nipple will help to free it up. One of the most important things in my opinion is to make sure the nipple has its rubber nodder on the end, I think part of the reason they seize in and then bust off is that water and muck gets down the hole when they are in use on the car and corrodes the nipple into the caliper. I agree with Tom & also use some Duralac on the threads http://www.intek-uk.com/duralac.htm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
