Broken Brake Bleeder Screw Removal

Showing the real world removal of a broken brake bleeder screw and what happens all too often with a screw extractor.

[@paintslee4524]

You just saved me €250 . Snapped the bleed nipple on my 1996 Iveco Daily motor home this morning. Tried all the ususal tricks, even put it in my deep freeze for a hour and this evening snapped a troax head in the hole. Just a 1 mm stub protruding. Welded a nut to it like you did and on the third attempt it worked. I've just opened a bottle of wine :)

[@robertsmithjr4344]

Thank you for using a bleeder screw that was actually broken and rusted in. Most other videos looked like they were working on a late model car that was kept in a garage........didn't look like it was stuck in the first place,........yours was deff. stuck. Great Video.

[@deespasojevic3013]

I can smell the Marlboros from here!😅

[@JediMindTripp]

Could’ve swore it was Lucky Strikes!!😶‍🌫️

[@kohlllll]

mmmm cigarettes

[@lorettacaputo6997]

Been there, done that. I just had a corroded brake line at a fitting and it turned into a caliper replacement also as I went down this road of bleeder screw horror. I am now convinced that backing out all the bleeder screws and coating with anti seize is the way to avoid playing with torches, and extractors. Someone on another video mentioned using a drill bit into the bleeder screw if you go the route of vice grip usage.

[@williammanning3174]

Solidarity brother! There's always a solution for every problem. Keep cracking on, my man!!

[@whasumara73]

Where there's a will, there's a way. Good job, and thanks for the instructions. I'm waiting for brake parts to replace on my 2000 Ford F150, and I thought I would replace the bleeder screws first; but they haven't been disturbed for almost 20 years ( since I bought the truck brand new). So you can imagine how rusty they are especially here in the Midwest where we get road salt every winter. They've probably "rust welded" themselves to the caliper by now :) Thank you again.

[@piovo5222]

The fluids never been changed?

[@tjoyce81]

How ever many years you have in experience - just saved me! The 'welding on a nut' trick worked perfect for me. Thanks a lot for sharing your skills....

[@BEERSnGEARS]

He says "walled a nut".... walled, not weld

[@asmongoldsmouth9839]

Awesome video. I always enjoy watching other people's tactics. However I must state that a standard propane hand torch absolutely will work on heating up cast iron calipers. I've been doing it for decades. You just got to be a little more adamant and keep that blue flame tight to the caliper surrounding the bleeder screw.

[@erniemartin654]

Nothing ruins your day like having an easy out break off in a fastener you've drilled into.

[@dham99]

my 1991 SE miata was sitting on dollies for almost 6 years...just got it running, runs great..brakes were spongy. All good pads and rotors, flushed the fluid...as i got to the 4th wheel/bleeder, i snapped my bleeder screw. I'm hoping I can tap it but all i have is the propane torch...hoping thats enough if i need it! Thats a much cooler vehicle to have this problem on though!

[@pondersoa8223]

this guy is good he explains in real world terms how to get stuff done a lot of the cars encountered in the real shop are not just 6 or 7 years old.... and these kind of problems happen to ppl with classic cars ...nice fckin work man !!!

[@paulhayestiling2214]

Great video lad, I snapped the head off my bleed nipple on my 1989 Renault 19 hatchback last night!!! Will be trying your methods tonight. All the best from Ireland.

[@ryancarpenter9222]

I had to do the same thing to a TDI glow plug. Kid I got the engine from snapped the tap off in the plug, since the head is aluminum and the plug is steel it was pretty easy to weld with an old stick welder. Kudos to you for welding on such small cast though. Also I enjoyed the singing rendition! Keep up the good videos

[@aaronengland855]

Well done! Wished I had a welder right now! Thanks for a great video that shows new parts.

[@ElPants21]

thanks a ton brother. your attitude and your "weld on a nut" idea saved my project. respect to you

[@tommylarsson2025]

Good reason to change brake fluid a little more often and check the system regulary. Good job!

[@Grunchy005]

BEFORE you break the bleeder screw in the first place, first thing is go and buy all new bleeder valves, they are still pretty cheap. Make sure you know what size wrench they need. Except don't use a wrench, you get a 6-point impact socket. Tap it onto the rusty bleeder valve (gently) and make sure to try tapping sideways on it, all angles. That helps break it loose. Sadly the first corner I did the bleeder snapped, same as shown in this video. All 3 other ones, they unscrewed easily because I tapped them all first. As soon as I got them out, they all got chucked into the garbage. Even with the protective caps they were all plugged full of rust etc. (Handy hint: because you've got the replacement bleeder you know exactly how much you can drill the seized one.)

[@michaeldvorak5556]

I haven't tried this with such a small screw, but I did snap off a backout and used a cement drill with a carbide tip to drill it out. I've seen this welding trick done for bolts, and the thought ran through my mind to use it on a bleeder with snapped off backout that I'm currently working on, but my welding skill is so so and I didn't want to weld everything to the caliper. You gave me hope. Thanks.

[@keng5170]

Teflon tape on the bleeder threads works really good for preventing this problem 😷

[@Letusbeguided]

what I normally do I weld on a cheap spanner. massive concentrated heat works everytime. always renew the piston seal afterwards

[@randalnielsen6495]

7g yt? 76pm ghar iii

[@BeigeEyesCroissantDragon]

Now try doing it with no torch, no welder, and no lift in the mud n dirt.

[@dicklongmire6836]

LOL! Been there. Wife said I sounded like Darren McGavin in Christmas Story.

[@UMepher]

The secret trick to that: replace the damn caliper, they aren't that expensive.

[@danlevesque5437]

@@UMepher try saying that about a motorcycle caliper some are discontinued yet plenty of rebuild parts great projects during commercial time between the game since it may be days or months to fix correctly

[@garygorman2199]

@jubjub247 yes so right.

[@dieselsmiths]

jubjub247 😂 you obviously haven’t witnessed the hole drilling skills of the majority of average or even slightly above average wanachanics? I did say majority and not all. There are other ways to bleed brakes than from the bleeder screw if you are In a bind. Just realize that air goes to the high spot and make whatever you can get to be open to atmosphere be the high spot. If they need more detail then they should probably leave it alone.

[@lemagreengreen]

Welding on a nut is my go-to method these days, I barely bother with the torch or extractors unless I'm feeling really confident.

[@oliverrojas7117]

Thanks, this job takes a lot of skill, patience, and deliberation

[@AwesomenessIskey]

Another thing too you can try is to use candle wax when its hot to seep into the threads and help pull it out

[@garyaanderson214]

Candle wax is awesome on exhaust studs

[@AandWProductions]

The reason you snapped the easy out is because of the heat that it soaked up when you pounded it in. Made it brittle. The heating and cooling would work, but you have to wait till it's cool before putting the easy out in.

[@davidrsmith8222]

Nice to see one of those still around, I've had one for 43 years

[@allenperkins5098]

I know the caliper may not be completely shot just cause the bleeder is froze... but honestly if you snap a bleeder off and it's not leaking I think the best bet is to just wait and save up for the new caliper. You may go through all this effort and then the piston has been sitting on brake fluid that's more water than hydraulic fluid and seize up in a month. I totally understand saving a buck, especially if it's a beater... I'm just saying the thorough way would be to just replace it and rest assured the entire assembly is now free and clear of obstructions, which is why you were probably trying to bleed the brakes In the first place...

[@onpsxmember]

I'm here cause I rebuild the caliper and it gets a shiny new piston, seal and protective boot. A new bleeder valve is ready but the old one doesn't want to offer it's seat. The new one will get some ptfe tape or thread on it.

[@Kyokunek]

Subscribed because of the last sentence. Thanks for the idea.

[@limogesfarmer6326]

Not that I can do half of what you're demonstrating, but hats off to the welding of the nut. BTW, as soon as the tip snapped, I could tell by how your hand moved and the sound it made. Sounded exactly how it did when I stupidly snapped the bleeder screw to begin with! :D

[@Be4tJumper]

I've given up on extractors. Welding is the only reliable fix for everything :)

[@billymorrison7919]

Get your arc welder out crack an arc on the center of the broken bleeder , in short arcs build up a stub about 1/4 in High abort the same diameter as the bleeder find a scrap nut to drive over the stub run a good Weld on stub and nut let it cool past red , ring.spanner on nut and rock until movement is felt ,use penetrating oil increasing the rocking until it unscrews freely the welding heat is concentrated in the bleeder screw and will not effect the unit This worked for me seldom had to do the welding again

[@shaneparwey]

That comment at the end earned my thumbs up 👍

[@joecnc3341]

Thanks for putting the video together. I agree with your approach. The only thing that I would be cautious of is the heat-and cool with penetrating oil (it may flare up on you). A farmer taught me this trick..heat it - quench it with water... do that about 10 times .. generally they come out. I'm a firm believer in anti-seizing everything - yes - including brake bleeder screws. You did an EXCELLENT job in discussing removing rusty stuff.. I'd have given up and bought a new caliper..

[@jacobh.7076]

I just broke a bleeder screw on my 1983 C10. I was going to do this to save the caliper, but I ultimately said F it and got 2 new calipers for each side. They were only $25 a caliper so I think it was worth it to save the time and effort. I'll try this in the future with more expensive calipers.

[@TopDedCenter]

My caliper is aluminum and the bleeder screw was steel, i just used my tig welder to put a nub on the end of it for my vice grips to grab. the caliper got warm, but i think the heat stayed pretty focused on the steel only.

[@arizonacolour8793]

7:21 GREAT MESSAGE!! One you should all consider on a daily basis

[@glenn101]

Should have done it the easy way, is you drill it out with a 1/8 inch drill bit and hammer in a little spike and hold it with vise grips then turn the car on a rotisserie rack to loosen.

[@chrisbeck9936]

This was a lot of help, did the same thing and snapped my bleeder valve almost in the same place.

[@travissmith8415]

Like how the AMC had a completely engulfed wheel well and you're like "derp. look at that fire, then you bust your easy out ..laugh bahaha. Dang, well that sucks. ..I think the fire department knows our address? I mean it's not like they aren't here every few days..oh well, It's not my car."

[@andrewjames2932]

"Never give up, there's always a way to fix a problem." I like that, what I've been doing the last month on my mini. Will say at times the way can get kind of sketchy, blow torch in the wheel well or angle grinding too close to the sub frame, still though if the plan is consciously executed it's worth the risk. Working on a classic car is kind of like stunt work. Falling down stairs looks really easy cause anyone can but as a stunt (not getting hurt doing it) it happens to be one of the most dangerous ones you can do. Same with a classic car, removing a nut or bolt looks easy but the consequences of screwwing it up are far graver than most people could comprehend. Had a similar problem with my mini, the bleed nipple a $2 item was broken in it's mount (by the previous owner and badly patched). While the problem seems trivial it's directly connected to a "it'll cost you $1500 to replace this part if you cock this up front left calliper". I got a good sense of the victory you felt when you eventually pulled that nipple out, well done, good on ya. I'm gonna use that welding a nut to the thread trick if i ever need it, nice one.

[@addaz786]

I used your method of heating and cooling and it worked . Great. Thanks

[@limogesfarmer6326]

Gotta love a mechanic that sings Peter Gabriel! :)

[@whatthehell6340]

Hahah I laughed really fast, I like this natural sense of humor.

[@mickeymouse12358]

i would never use an easy out 1/2 the size and twice as brittle asking for trouble welding a nut best option

[@finkthreely7089]

Brake fluid is very flamable. If you have been replacing parts and bleeding them already or your lines are leaking - you will find out very quickly how flamable dot3/4 fluid is.

[@markcherriman6136]

Now that you have cooked the caliper I hope you are going to replace the seals in it as well ?.

[@jamalthomas1724]

jubjub247 this is true. And I know many people who do this😂

[@W333dm4n]

i think welding a nut is the way to go. no risk damaging the threads or the seat and if it snaps off you just try again until the sucker comes out.

[@joeclarke9782]

Good vid but would have liked to see the nut welding.

[@htmaxpower]

It's too bright. A KZbin garage video producer isn't going to have the necessary equipment to film that.

[@daleslover2771]

Total b*******

[@asmongoldsmouth9839]

Put a pair of vice grips onto the nut. Center the opening of the nut over where the broken bleeder screw is and keep the nut flush to the caliper and start laying your bead inside of the opening of the nut after cleaning all surfaces of course. It'll bind to the bleeder screw and it will bind to the nut.

[@milwaukeebiker]

For over 35 years now as soon as I see scaly rust on the caliper I don't even bother with a wrench 1st. I heat the bleeder screw up and the surrounding area on the caliper or wheel cylinder, and after good and hot, and immediately after taking the heat off I touch a standard old school size ice cube to it until the bleeder screw is completely consumed by the ice cube, or about 3 to 5 seconds, then remove ice and spin it out with the wrench. Or vise grips if you've already rounded off the hex bleeder.

[@colinellicott9737]

Nice persistence. My method: 50:50 ATF & Acetone in a small needle delivery bottle, a few drops on thread circle & down hole only. No flames. No Oxy-Acetylene. No welder. No propane. No MAP gas. No freeze spray. No fire/ heat damage. A center punch and hammer, use punch to reverse the screw out by punching it axially close to its edge, then carefully hammering it out at an angle, tangentially, in a counterclockwise circular motion. Takes a little handy precision & patience, but quick, low risk & cheap. Then teflon tape the new thread.

[@Oldsmob455]

Do you live in the rust belt?

[@colinellicott9737]

@@Oldsmob455 If Maryland counts - then yes.

[@patdennis3751]

It can all be avoided if when you rotate the tires once a year, crack the bleeders loose and tighten. That way nothing freezes up.

[@burtreynolds3143]

great vid. sorry about your easy-out.

[@mtnhillsman]

I have a similar situation, got the one side out after tig welding a nut on. 2 things: it's extremely hazardous to weld on a chamber that has flammable liquid in it. people die every year but generally the explosion happens from welding on thin wall tanks. This is a bit different but i was still very reluctant to take it on. it worked though. i think the heat of welding on the bleeder screw really helped. Great video and topic though. So now i'm on the 2nd side. havent snapped it off yet. i have oxy/acetlene but worried about overheating the caliper and destroying the rubber gaskets inside if i actually get it red hot. Thoughts??

[@kevinmahoney5923]

"the explosion happens from welding on thin wall tanks" Please explain. What is a 'thin wall tank"?

[@mtnhillsman]

@@kevinmahoney5923 think 55 gallon drum, air compressor tank, fuel tank, etc...

[@chipper442]

I'd imagine the cup seals are about melted out, next video; "Rebuilding Your Caliper".

[@em1j797]

chipper442 lmao!

[@Detroitdiesel285]

Yep

[@ljguy300]

Yeah kids dont put any heat to a bleeder

[@scirockalot8v]

Going to do the weld method on my father's jeep pretty soon. I have done it on my 79 f150 calipers. Works like a charm

[@suleshangodoyin]

Good views as a source of learning process, thanks. It's me, Sule Shangodoyin.

[@patrickpk6299]

haha, nice job...got it to work in the end, usually the way it goes with me. I was about to break off the bleeder, said, maybe I should go watch some videos first before I really f this up!

[@MetalingKid]

A positive PSA at the end! Good idea with welding!

[@Toobezeee]

Great video. I just busted mine. Will try your way. Thanks

[@seeforyourself7841]

If you don't have a welder and you break off the extractor you can buy a carbide drill bit. It will punch through. They are very brittle though so buy a couple.

[@jeffruebens8355]

Some spray Fluid Film on the bleeder screws and other parts under the car every fall to prevent rust, also inside door panels. For 2 calipers, I painted them with ceramic brake caliper paint from an Advance auto parts store, about $10 for a large spray can. The caliper surface was getting corroded, and they looked bad for a motorcycle front wheel.

[@m.g.540]

My TIG torch is my best way of applying intense localized heat to a broken stud or bolt, always gets it loose and without the collateral damage a Act/Oxy torch can inflict.

[@garyaanderson214]

Also if you can use left hand drill bits.I deal with broken bolts on a daily basis great video great technique. I also use a high rpm drill 4000 rpm.

[@secondstance3380]

Had the same thing happen to me, yesterday; my "Extractor-Bit" snapped off inside the "Bleeder. I didn't think to Weld a nut on there, however; I spent the $55.00 for another Caliper from Auto Zone...

[@logangreen957]

Exactly what just happened to me on my Audi Q7... no way i'm giving up and buying a $500 6 piston new caliper. Bringing to a machine shop.

[@geraldevans2535]

That’s called an “Easy Out” 😁

[@erniehenshaw4161]

From the pressure build up of the torch the brake hose usually explodes. Should dis connect brake line to caliper.

[@albertmorales2126]

Dude .. Your awsome.. remind me of a couple of drinking work buddies!! 🤘🏾

[@jsjj4b]

I have found using canned air as a good cooling method by turning upside down and squirting. Between heating and freezing I have been able to get out of some bad situations with bolts and even a broken spark plug.

[@stephensomersify]

Always use the last resort first :-)

[@ToreDL87]

And be left no options if it goes sideways. Hmmm, no thanks! :)

[@badgasser]

good video. my dad tough me how to stick weld out broken bolt and the like back when i was a kid still riding a bicycle, i'm 66 years old now. tried easyouts a few times pretty much a waste of money. i go right to the welding a nut on, heat several times, douce it, tap it, cool it, sometimes the nut breaks off and i have to weld on another one. old school rules

[@cousinles80]

I welded old sockets on my strpped out caliper bolds to get out once. I probably should of used a nut.

[@8000RPM.]

Wow,....does anyone else, other than me, recognize this car!!!!!

[@pete5137]

Excellent....perfect....you stayed at it and mission accomplished

[@calais321]

awesome dealing with exact prob myself ... very true at the end, there is always a way !!!

[@zackarilow]

god i wish my mechanic was a willing to go the extra mile like this guy. mine would've just replaced the whole cylinder out of laziness. (i go there because i get cheap labour due to being a family member)

[@gerrylaidler1492]

I do understand about a propane torch not having enough heat and there is nothing like a bit of red hot to loosen a bolt, but how do you know that you havent damaged the O ring that the caliper piston runs through inside with all that heat? Did you have to strip the caliper to replace the O ring? Good video thanks

[@nigelmitchell351]

I think I would remove it to the bench before getting serious with it, been there, what a bastard! By the time you've drilled for a decent sized easy out, the easy out is speadingthe nipple making it even tighter, if that were possible. My sympathies.

[@ArghBlahr]

My kind of dude, humble and cheerful. Comes off as a guy that probably have fucked up several times when working on cars, as we all have (and should), and doesnt try to hide it ;-) If Im lucky my bleeder will come out with the EZ out, as I dont have access to a welding machine...

[@chuckmaleman5216]

Now that was worth watching.very cool method of removal.

[@ashleythomas5216]

Hahaha I haven’t laughed so hard like that in a long fucking time. That shit just got me man. As soon as I seen how much weight you put behind that easy out then “!snap!” Last ditch effort was to weld a nut to it? That’s too funny. That’s always my first method. Fuck I wish it would have sprayed fluid out of it. I would have died! Lolz

[@5050johnsmith]

U can also use a cutting bit for metal looks like a tiny beer can .actually for milling but they make for dremels to diamonds for cutting

[@damienaspin2679]

Haha that was more entertaining than informing :P but good video straight to the point.

[@PONDRIVERBOYS]

can u bleed it by bearly loosening the metal break line that connects to the rubber hose?

[@jajaid6]

I have done it this way but first removed the caliper,turned it over so the rubber hose nut is at the top(highest point)put a block of wood between the brake pads and had someone pump the brakes (old brake bleeding method)while I crack that nut open a few times and air does come out!just a little more work but it does do the job if that stupid bleeder screw is frozen,like usual,in Michigan.

[@patrickduggan9360]

Take it from an old man heat up the bleeder cherry red then instantly cool it with a garden hose easy out we'll take it right out

[@guzforce]

That's so funny! At least my Crown Vic has new DOT4 on the master cylinder and a bleeder bolt without a head on the passager rear calliper. I go for the Z26 STREET WARRIOR BRAKE UPGRADE KIT when I have some money..

[@wilwiener]

Great video. But with how cheap calipers are now. I'd just but a new one instead of how much time this takes

[@Detroitdiesel285]

Willing Wiener agreed

[@aytacdede81]

after that may be you should check all rubber seals if they are still healt

[@lh98]

Those extractors always snap off! I think they’re tempered making them brittle. I’ve snapped several of them and don’t even like using them anymore because of that.

[@michaelt.4806]

I prefer to drill an as big as possible hole and hammer an allen key in, always worked for me. And if it breaks you can still drill it out and have an other go. I hate the screw extractors they tend to expand the part and make it stick even more until they snap because they are to brittle, also they give to little feedback when using.

[@Oldsmob455]

Is this video posted on a major website somewhere? Getting a toneof comments on it.

[@michaelt.4806]

Not that I know of, it's just a major problem for all mechanics so we all want to learn from one and other. Heat and cooling is number one for sure, time and patience 2, penetrating oil 3. An other trick I use is Hydrochloric acid (10%) it eats the rust not the good metal, don't leave cast iron in it for day's because it will fall apart in the end. Just trying to help, the more tricks we know the better. Keep up the good work and super video's.

[@richardhalsey6049]

EEZI OUT in a small bleed hole is fatal. Drill the hole out as large as possible to weaken the sides of the seized bleed nipple first.

[@northernoutpost3409]

Mouse alert at 3:26

[@bullrder33]

I saw that mouse. lol

[@Oldsmob455]

Ok everyone, it's not a mouse. It's a piece of acetylene ash flying through the air. No way are mice being allowed to live here.

[@xAlphaSpiderx]

Good stuff, authentic as can be 😊

[@johnwick-ii6il]

That tapered angular seat is there for a reason. It is the way the bleeders seal the pressure. It also locks the bleeder in place. They only need one pound of torque to seal properly. In other words they seal by design of the seat.....NOT by being torqued tight like other bolts Ect. People commonly believe it is a high pressure safety issue so it must be tight, Not true, they actually work so well that the bleeder is tighter to remove than it was initially installed. Torqueing bleeder screws is the number one cause of them sticking. The same is true for hydraulic jack control valves. Torqueing them tight will destroy the seat. If they need any more than finger tight to work, then its probably from somebody over tightening it in the first place.

[@onpsxmember]

'Torquing'? Tightening them by hand like crazy is definitely wrong. Looking up torque values in the repair manual for the right torque wrench setting is perfectly fine. The main failures is corrosion from the environment and salt in the winter and then there is material mismatch creating corrosion without any outside influence.

[@johnwick-ii6il]

@@onpsxmember You have been given old school privileged information. from an automotive engineer. About why there is a tapered / angled end on most bleeders. You are free to ignore it if you like.

[@fulf]

When welding a nut to a broken bolt use stainles steel nut. It wont contaminate the weld and the weld gets stronger.

[@John-Flembo]

Rip all of the rubber seals in tha caliper.

[@avenged06x]

Yup.

[@johnjude2685]

Great methods and great job of teaching Sir Thanks

[@thewholls7176]

I reckon being a bleeder nipple it’s already got a hole going down the guts so it should be easy enough to drill and a decent easy out with a sharp end should go in okay I would’ve thought..... Definitely galvanic corrosion is an issue I wonder if you replace them with stainless steel nipples if that would help

[@deanomatic5129]

after heating it the temper is out of the ez out. you could drill it out then.

[@scottfindlay2625]

Just buy new remaned calipers, the heating will destroy the internal seals no matter how quick you think you are most of the time it will destroy the pistons and seals...

[@jacquespoirier9071]

I've never had success removing a rust frozen bolt with an easy out, now, I directly weld a nut over and bingo the bolt chunk is out.

[@johnw6498]

Nice video, thanks. But not everyone has an Oxy-torch and Mig welder handy. With all of that heat the caliper seals are ruined for sure. If you're doing this for a customer, the labor will cost more than replacing the caliper!

[@Oldsmob455]

I believe that caliper is still on the car and working. Metal is cooled quickly by the brake fluid.