OT: yr. 2000 chevy breeder screw

[2x4]

yr. 2000 Chevy Silverado 2500 6.0 l. 4wd. Front disc brakes breeder screws rusted/damaged. Cannot use 10 mm wrench. Back ones ok, opened easy. Finally got drivers side front bleeder out by clamping vise grips on the end of the bleeder & turning. Can't do that for the other side. All vise grips just round off, clamping on the end or the side, until I have little left to grip. Used PB Blaster in advance of my work & gave it time to work for several days. Beat on bleeder to set up a vibration. Used heat with wax. Any tips? Chisel & hammer is next. May have to drill it out. Would like to avoid that.

 

[SVcummins]

I used a map gas torch to heat the area around the bleeder on a dodge truck once had the same problem as you did but I got it hit enough I could get ahold of it with a little pipe wrench and twist it open

 

[Harold Hubbard]

I have no patience for that kind of stuff any more. I would rip that caliper out and get a new one, probably both sides. If you are truly on a bottom of the barrel budget, try welding a nut to it, just like any other stuck/broken bolt. If that doesn?t work, then drilling is the last resort. Left hand bit if possible, and try not to damage the bottom of the hole where the bleeder seats and seals. Because the bleeder is hollow,it is easier to center the drill and keep to a straight line. The threads should be a standard size, either metric or US. If you use the right size drill, there won?t be enough left to give much trouble cleaning up. The reduced diameter plug at the very end may break off and not actually drill out, a pick or magnet should get it.

 

[Bob]

Heat the SCREW red hot and allow to cool, then repeat. Let cool and put some "loosen juice" on it, and unscrew.

IF you feel you can do this safely, keeping in mind that there's flammable liquid on the other end of the bleeder screw, have fire extinguisher at hand, wear welding gloves and face protection, keep the flame away from the brake hose!

Replace screw with a new one after removal.

On the other hand, what's your time worth, and how much time have you already invested in this... A re-man caliper will cost you $30 to $60, and if the screws are in that condition, maybe it's time to replace them, as they may be getting corroded and sticky in the piston area.

 

[Blackhole49]

I'm as cheap as they come, but, it's time to replace 18 year old calipers.

 

[Blackhole49]

Should have added, if your not rep[acing, why do they need bleeding. I never bleed when just putting on pads. If lines are rusting out, go back to my first response.

 

[gregww]

""I have no patience for that kind of stuff any more. I would rip that caliper out and get a new one, probably both sides.""
Funny how as we get older we simply don't want to waste what time we have left on stupid little jobs over 50 bucks (or so) Remember when I was younger I had a u-joint go bad on my chevy PU. Decided to fix it myself. Took the drive shaft out, laid it on sidewalk and started hammering. A small concrete chip flew up, into my eye, and had to go to Dr. Any money I thought I was saving was spent several times over. Live and learn.

 

[fixerupper]

Like Bob said, use the smallest brazing tip you have to heat the bleeder red, then let it cool and screw it out. I try turning the bleeder with a six point wrench or socket to the point where I don't think it will budge. When I get to that point I heat it. With drum brakes, I heat the bleeder real quick and cool it quick to avoid damaging the slave cylinder seals. Like the other older guys I don't have the patience but darn, I'm just too cheap to replace the whole works sometimes. This is on my vehicles and I'm on my dime though. If I was doing it hourly for someone else and I wanted to be sure a good job was done, then new calipers would probably be used.

 

[dr sportster]

New caliper -- new bleeder screw.

 

[2x4]

new brake master cylinder went on.

 

[2x4]

Yup, new caliper time. It just would not turn. Finally broke off almost flush.