Brake Bleed Nipples Seized - Any Tips?

[gtd2000]

Well I did a front brake pad replacement on the Mazda this afternoon.

The pads and calipers were all pretty well rusted up and to get the pads out I had to remove the calipers etc and batter the pins out while in a vice.

Once everything was reassembled I attempted to loosen the bleed nipples but to no avail

I've bled the brakes as far as possible using the banjo bolt connection but this is not allowing enough fluid into the piston (as far as I can tell).

Any ideas on how to either get the nipples out to bleed the system - OR a clever workaround for bleeding the brakes without loosening the bleed nipples?? :?

[quaddawg]

Replace the calipers, it's not worth messing with them. They are cheap over here.. I would guess they would be cheap over there too.

[floydiancomplex]

I use vice grips when the bleeders won't move or the hex-head is stripped. Just grip real tight, lock, and twist.
Just be careful not to break the nipple or you got a whole new world of problems.

[gtd2000]

Replace the calipers, it's not worth messing with them. They are cheap over here.. I would guess they would be cheap over there too.

Umn in a word NO

I went to the local parts strore and they wanted around $190 per caliper (reconditioned)!!!!

I can get them in the USA for $41 each reconditioned...

I'll probably need to apply heat and get the nipples loosened I guess?

[gtd2000]

I use vice grips when the bleeders won't move or the hex-head is stripped. Just grip real tight, lock, and twist.
Just be careful not to break the nipple or you got a whole new world of problems.

We were tryin that yesterday but either the vice grips are crap or the nipples are well and truly stuck

[festivaWES]

put a 6 point 8mm wrench on there and tap it with a hammer with the wheel removed. I highly doubt you'll break it

[25Horseplay]

Heat the bleeder and throw water on it to cool it. Do this several times and it should come loose.

[gtd2000]

I'll try that some time this week - the brakes are working surprisingly well with air in them!

Just the pedal is a bit on the low side....

[kzbill]

Heat the bleeders first, cool with high quality penatrant to break the rust up, repeat, let them soak with the penatrant keeping it clear of the pads, then try good visegrips with sharp teeth. I have done it that way many times. It seems as though the rust breaks up under heat and the penatrant will get in but be paitient.

[WmWatt]

Careful. I broke a caliper nipple with vice grips. Tried drilling broken nipple out and removing with one of those remover thingies and broke that too. Since I had not removed the caliper or the rubber hose to replace the brake line it's working fine with the fluid that's in there.
Suggest taking your time and repeating heat-penetrating lubricant technique. I heated all the remaining bleeder nipples for 60 seconds, then sprayed with penetrating fluid and they came off okay. Don't worry about smoke coming out of the nipple when heating with the blow torch. Doesn't seem to be a problem.

[smokin fastiva]

just spray them with a penetrant such as PB Blaster over the course of a week and give them the occasional tap with a hammer and that should do the trick.

[gtd2000]

Well the nipples came out easily enough in the end after applying heat to the caliper.

I asked quite a few people locally what they would do - the majority said to heat the area around the nipple until red hot then tighten the nipple slightly and then slacken off.

One guy said to heat the nipple until red hot then tighten, then slacken but to me that's making the part thats jammed expand even more?

Anyhow - all is well as far as the front calipers are concerned now - need to solve my snapped hand/E-brake cable problem next.....