Best way to remove caliper bleed screw

[Bmwpower603]

I was bleeding the brakes on my girlfriends 06 330xi. When I was on the 4th and final wheel. I snapped the bleed screw nipple off.

At first I used a 10mm open ended wrench, and the wrench just slipped off the screw, and marred one edge of it.

I continued to pb blast it. And I let it sit for a little bit. I figured I needed more leverage. And being inexperienced I used a half in drive socket. I did this to try to get it to budge a little. That is when it snapped.

i even tried to hammer on a smaller socket and turn it. Now it is rounded off. Pics below.


My my question is. In the future when I do this. Do I get a torch and heat up around the bleed screw nipple? Or do I direct the heat directly on the screw itself ?


And when removing the broken one. Do I put the vice grip on before and clamp it. Or clamp the vice grips on afterwards ? When it's hot ?

[cochise325]

You can buy a rebuilt caliper. It will come with a new bleed screw. If you are good with tools, you can drill out the broken bleed screw and re-tap the threads for a new screw. A good machine shop can do it for you if you remove the caliper and take it to the shop.

[Pilgrim]

One thing you need to have in your tool kit is tubing wrenches. Either that, or never try to loosen a brake bleed screw with an open-end wrench.

But if it snapped off, that may be irrelevant. Sometimes things break.

For your current caliper, it has to come off and be drilled out and re-threaded as Cochise suggests. It may be cheaper to buy an aftermarket replacement.

[ECSTuning]

I hate it when that happens, typically I just toss on a reman caliper and call it a day in that situation. Bit if you're in a pinch (can't wait, don't want to order a new one, etc) drilling out, re-threading, etc could work, I'd check with the local auto parts store first to see if they have a "plus size" bleeder you could tap in.

-James

[marvinstockman]

If the brakes are OK and not spongy, you can, for now, just ignore it, and plan on replacing the caliper next time you do the brakes. Just cover the bleed valve with something.

[jclausen]

Flare nut wrenches are great for bleeder screws and other line fittings. If then since the bleeder screw already is hollow I would use drill bits slightly smaller then the threaded hole, drill it out then use a pick to remove the remainer out of the threads. But if you can get a used or rebuilt caliper it would over all be easier

[Codes2]

I vote drill it with a small bit, then use an easy-out to unscrew it.

Force oil through it to ensure it's clean.
Put in new bleed valve.

If threads get damaged, just upside the bleeder valve, and drill and tap to match size.

Drill very slow so metal doesn't go inside.
Put pencil magnet in hole to get accidental filings.

...

After writing all that, I think I'd price a caliper.
At least test with an easy-out, failing that, caliper?

[bluptgm3]

Keep in mind these are taper threads and any drilling needs to be done knowing the bottom of the hole is smaller than the entry.
Any new larger hole should also be tapered, which requires a special tap or die and possibly a taper drill bit

I always use a small box wrench and a 6-point box wrench.


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[TonyAngel]

As said above, replacing the caliper is the easiest route. If you are determined to try to "fix" it, you could look into a helicoil kit. Actually, I'm not sure that helicoil kits even exist for such an application, but you could look.

Regardless, I'd first try a broken screw extractor. Just take care to accommodate the tapered profile of the screw.