Trying to bleed the brakes.

 

Got a 10 and 11mm flare nut spanner

and  a 9 and 11mm flare nut spanner

designed for brakes. 

Draper.

Used them recently on a mate's car.

 

Turkey baster to suck out the old darker fluid, then refill with new Dot4.

Using a Gunson Eezibleed that pressurizes the master cylinder reservoir from a spare tyre, which works really well, once you add more rubber washers and an elastic band to the screw thread to seal it tight. Without the band it sprays fuel out, or blasts the cap off.

 

First surprise. Bleed nipples a bit rusty below the rubber caps!

 

Tried the Draper spanners. I was pushing so hard I turned the steering wheel.

Managed nearside front with an 11mm and 7mm spanner that you can tighten onto the nipple with a bolt, with a valved tube into a bottle.

 

But the offside VWII caliper bleed nipple doesn't want to budge.

 

It seems to be only 9.5mm not 10 or 11 that I'd expect.

Hammered on a 9mm flare spanner, that feels like it will round off when pulled (snap the rust) then pushed hard.

 

I've used heat, WD40, Let it soak with a tissue and cling film.

Then moved to PlusGas, wire brush, hit it with small hammer.

My mole grips have teeth that appear like they will chew it up.

 

So I thought bleed it at the hydraulic hose to caliper. Which appears to be 13.5mm hex nut or also rounded. Someone's done this before. Not me.

 

Left it soaking in PlusGas with tissue and clingfilm.

 

Right then rear calipers. Oh fab, they appear to be 8mm.

 

Any suggestions?

Might try a vacuum bleeder if I can just get some motion.

find a drill bit thats a tight fit inside the bleeder hole...this is so that the grips wont crush it , then fit your grips and try it ...OR try a socket and T bar to work it ..could give it a tap on the end with a hammer with the hope of breaking any rust bond

 

id replace it after , motorist shops /ebay sell bleeder nipples

 

never seen any xx.5 fitments on these ...hoses are 14mm from memory 

Thanks. My molegrips have toothed, curved jaws. Perhaps serrated flat jaws would be better.

 

Yeah, think the 14mm hydraulic hose hex nut has been rounded so appears to be smaller than 14. Only two angles you can fit a spanner I suppose, because otherwise the caliper body is in the way. 

 

Sorely tempted to touch the bleed nipple with an impact gun and a 9mm socket.

 

Wonder if my 8mm closed spanners would work on the rear calipers?

 

 

rear wheel cylinders are cheap enough so dont waste hours on them when you can have a new one for 10-15£

 

rears are tiny so expect the worst 

If you've got a gas-powered soldering iron, they normally have a mini blowtorch attachment. They can reasonably well for freeing bleed nipples, especially on calipers where you can heat the cast around the nipple. I have a mini blowtorch which has a better output than the soldering iron, and it's perfect. 

 

If it's drums on the back, there's no point playing with them, just fit new cylinders. 

 

As @steveo3002 says, either way, it's worth having a stash of new bleed nipples, treat them as single-use. Not everyone will agree with me, but I put a speck of copper grease on the threads when I fit them, then cover them on white grease when they're in place. 

 

I've never got on with the Eezi-bleed kits. I know loads of people love them, but I'm just not a fan. I use a vacuum bleeder and it's just so easy. If you've got a compressor, I can recommend the Sealey VS020. The cap that goes on the bleed nipple does stretch and wear, but other than that, I can't fault it. 

Yeah. the old rear brake cylinders were "self-bleeding". 

That is they leaked, so I replaced them, first left then right.

 

I found some freeze spray for electronics in my soldering iron toolbox.

I might heat the caliper then cool the bleed nipple.

Also got some straight jawed 10inch long mole grips.

Ordered some nipples. hope they are m10x1.0 with 11mm nut.

I second @steveo3002 on using the T bar.  6 sided socket is better than 12, more contact area just like a flare spanner.  The T bar is helpful as you can push and pull at the same time, generating lots of torque, but no overall sideways force (push and pull cancels out).  This reduces the chance of shearing the nipple vs a spanner being pushed from only one end which generates torque but also sideways force.  

 

I've also heard of people putting a piece of wire down the centre of the nipple (you have to get a wire size that just about slides in).  This helps support the nipple internally as otherwise it has a hollow core (the bleed hole) which means not much metal = shearing.

 

Obviously if the thing is truly rusted to hell then it may shear no matter what technique you try.  I'm shortly going to bleed my fronts and am anticipating trouble, so I feel your pain.

 

Sounds like you're doing all you can with plusgas soaking and the hammer taps.  Many, many, small taps can work, rather than fewer hard taps.  Vibration.  I recently had a devil of a bolt on the exhaust downpipe.  After 10 blowtorch cycles and what felt like a pint of penetrating fluid, for no gain, I tapped it with a centre punch and hammer something like 500 times.  It then gave me 1/8 of a turn which was the beginning of its undoing as I could now work it back and forth.

 

There are vids on youtube which compare penetrating fluids including some homemade ones using certain transmission fluids and other mixers.

 

Good luck mate👍

 

Edited 14 October, 20214 yr by Bread

Got some hollow spanners, that will take a bar, but maybe not as small as 9mm.

 

Pair of new rear cylinders arrived.

 

I vaguely remember refitting the braided flex hoses was an awkward job last time I changed a leaky rear cylinder.

I suppose it'll bleed at the hose, even with cling film inside the brake reservoir lid

and don't want any of that getting in the drum and polluting the shoes' friction surface.

 

Do I have to take the shoes out ?

 

Maybe I'll apply vacuum from top of the reservoir.

they pivot on the brake cly so yes they need to come off ideally 

 

should be a hard line into the clyinder ...i have all the gear to make brake pipes if you get stuck

Got front loose with heat, cold spray, T-bar and 9mm socket hammered on, then 24inch breaker and mole grips with a 2.5mm drill bit in the hole.

And the Mityvac bleeded it.

 

...and managed the rears.  After a week of soaking in tissue impregnated PlusGas beneath clingfilm, were a doddle with a 7mm closed spanner (12 pointed, because that's what I had).

No 7mm hollow spanner. Only short 7mm sockets in 3/8inch or 1/4inch.

 

Topped up the reservoir, checked the brake pedal is solid when pressed, and descends a bit more when start engine and the brake servo uses cylinder 1's vacuum.

It was going dark, so I didn't change the front bleed nipples. But I've put them with the new rear cylinders, ready for next time.

 

Coated all with XCP rust blocker and lithium grease in the valve caps.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

Glad you got them done mate 👍

 

 

Brake feel is much firmer. 

 

Fluid is meant to be changed every 2 to 3 years, regardless of miles.

DOT 3 can absorb 2% water per year!

https://www.bendix.com.au/bendix-news/bendix-provides-insight-importance-brake-fluid-issue-12

 

I used DOT4. The braided flexi lines are not SBR rubber.

 

If it is October 2023 remind me to change it again.

Edited 21 October, 20214 yr by dvderlm