How do you remove a rounded over brake bleeder valve?
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- dbtroudy
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How do you remove a rounded over brake bleeder valve?
This afternoon I started to rebuild the front brakes on my '76 Yellow. I discovered that the brake bleeder valve on the left side brake caliper was rounded over and an 8 mm wrench or socket would not grab the valve to remove it from the caliper body. I tried heat, PB Blaster and taping the valve - no luck in budging it. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Don
Don
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DBTroudy
Fullerton, CA
'03 GW GL1800 Yellow
'76 GW GL1000 LTD #859
'75 CB200T
Fullerton, CA
'03 GW GL1800 Yellow
'76 GW GL1000 LTD #859
'75 CB200T
- tomk1960
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Re: How do you remove a rounded over brake bleeder valve?
Since the bleeder is ruined, I'd heat it up good, then grab it well with vice grips and try to break it loose. Try moving it a little bit, then heat some more, move a bit more, etc.
1986 VFR750F Interceptor
1983 Honda CB1100F Super Sport - Red 1123 Resto-Mod
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1983 Honda CB1100F Super Sport - Red 1123 Resto-Mod
1978 Honda GL1000
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Re: How do you remove a rounded over brake bleeder valve?
When it's hot hit is with PB blaster. Try this a few times and then try the vice grips. cycling it hot-cold with PB blaster will help the stuff get down into the threads.
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- dbtroudy
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Re: How do you remove a rounded over brake bleeder valve?
I did take a propane torch to it and got it pretty hot. I then used both a large and small set of vice grips without success. Tomorrow I’ll pop out the piston and remove the rubber seal and give it another try.
DBTroudy
Fullerton, CA
'03 GW GL1800 Yellow
'76 GW GL1000 LTD #859
'75 CB200T
Fullerton, CA
'03 GW GL1800 Yellow
'76 GW GL1000 LTD #859
'75 CB200T
- wog
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Re: How do you remove a rounded over brake bleeder valve?
Sounds silly, but drill a hole in an icecube less than the size as the bleeder, heat the caliper area nice and toasty, place the ice on the bleeder to cool (shrink) it, and remove with pliers.
Great to keep these old 'Wings flying on down the road.
- JamesPal
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Re: How do you remove a rounded over brake bleeder valve?
Good idea getting the piston out first.
Try filing some flats on the bleeder. Get them as close to the base as possible. The flats should give your vice grips some purchase on the caliper body. The body is aluminum alloy and the bleed valve is steel. Heat will cause the aluminum to expand more than the steel. Hot and cold cycles will break the corrosion.
Try filing some flats on the bleeder. Get them as close to the base as possible. The flats should give your vice grips some purchase on the caliper body. The body is aluminum alloy and the bleed valve is steel. Heat will cause the aluminum to expand more than the steel. Hot and cold cycles will break the corrosion.
"If everything is under control you are not going fast enough" - Mairo Andretti
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- calif wingnut
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Re: How do you remove a rounded over brake bleeder valve?
I snapped off one trying to remove, so I drilled it out with the next size smaller bit and picked the threads out. You could also try heating it and using candle wax.
- 5speed
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Re: How do you remove a rounded over brake bleeder valve?
Heat the caliper up really well around the bleeder screw then hit the bleeder screw with pb blaster.dbtroudy wrote:I did take a propane torch to it and got it pretty hot. I then used both a large and small set of vice grips without success. Tomorrow I’ll pop out the piston and remove the rubber seal and give it another try.
1982 1100 standard. (sold)
1986 Yamaha FJ1200
2000 Yamaha Roadstar
1976 GoldWing. running but not on the road
1978 Goldwing. future cafe project.
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1983 Shadow 500. (sold)
1986 Yamaha FJ1200
2000 Yamaha Roadstar
1976 GoldWing. running but not on the road
1978 Goldwing. future cafe project.
2019 Can-Am ryker (boss's new ride)
2002 Shadow American Classic(sold)
1983 Shadow 500. (sold)
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Re: How do you remove a rounded over brake bleeder valve?
Candle wax as lube or ??calif wingnut wrote:I snapped off one trying to remove, so I drilled it out with the next size smaller bit and picked the threads out. You could also try heating it and using candle wax.
Please explain.
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- dbtroudy
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Re: How do you remove a rounded over brake bleeder valve?
I took my Dremell grinder and squared up the sides of the bleeder so I could put a 7 mm wrench on it. I also removed the piston and rubber seal and filled the bleeder hole with Liquid Wrench. I’m going to let it sit for a while and then heat up the caliper with my propane torch and see how it goes from here!
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DBTroudy
Fullerton, CA
'03 GW GL1800 Yellow
'76 GW GL1000 LTD #859
'75 CB200T
Fullerton, CA
'03 GW GL1800 Yellow
'76 GW GL1000 LTD #859
'75 CB200T
- 5speed
- Honored Life Member
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Re: How do you remove a rounded over brake bleeder valve?
the wax melts and gets down in the threads and free's it up.SnoBrdr wrote:Candle wax as lube or ??calif wingnut wrote:I snapped off one trying to remove, so I drilled it out with the next size smaller bit and picked the threads out. You could also try heating it and using candle wax.
Please explain.
1982 1100 standard. (sold)
1986 Yamaha FJ1200
2000 Yamaha Roadstar
1976 GoldWing. running but not on the road
1978 Goldwing. future cafe project.
2019 Can-Am ryker (boss's new ride)
2002 Shadow American Classic(sold)
1983 Shadow 500. (sold)
1986 Yamaha FJ1200
2000 Yamaha Roadstar
1976 GoldWing. running but not on the road
1978 Goldwing. future cafe project.
2019 Can-Am ryker (boss's new ride)
2002 Shadow American Classic(sold)
1983 Shadow 500. (sold)
- dbtroudy
- Titanium Member
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- Joined: Tue May 06, 2008 5:32 pm
- Location: Fullerton, CA
Re: How do you remove a rounded over brake bleeder valve?
Using the suggested methods of grinding flats on the sides of the bleeder, heating the caliper with a propane torch and shocking the bleeder valve with ice, I was able to break the bleeder loose and remove it from the caliper.
Thanks everyone for your help!!
Don
Thanks everyone for your help!!
Don
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DBTroudy
Fullerton, CA
'03 GW GL1800 Yellow
'76 GW GL1000 LTD #859
'75 CB200T
Fullerton, CA
'03 GW GL1800 Yellow
'76 GW GL1000 LTD #859
'75 CB200T
- Oldewing
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Re: How do you remove a rounded over brake bleeder valve?
wog wrote:Sounds silly, but drill a hole in an icecube less than the size as the bleeder, heat the caliper area nice and toasty, place the ice on the bleeder to cool (shrink) it, and remove with pliers.
Now I got a picture in my head of you in your shop, drilling a ice cube....
but, if you are suggesting it, I am sure it works, but the picture is still funny
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06 GL1800 Road bike, as in Rode alot...
Sometimes I wrestle with my inner demons.........
Other times we just hug.......
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And always remember: beer has some food value--but food has NO beer value...
06 GL1800 Road bike, as in Rode alot...
Sometimes I wrestle with my inner demons.........
Other times we just hug.......
Team 898
Team LTD 993
Team 76 R2B3
And always remember: beer has some food value--but food has NO beer value...
- dbtroudy
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- Joined: Tue May 06, 2008 5:32 pm
- Location: Fullerton, CA
Re: How do you remove a rounded over brake bleeder valve?
Believe me, it worked. A hole in an ice cube and all!!
DBTroudy
Fullerton, CA
'03 GW GL1800 Yellow
'76 GW GL1000 LTD #859
'75 CB200T
Fullerton, CA
'03 GW GL1800 Yellow
'76 GW GL1000 LTD #859
'75 CB200T
- wog
- Platinum Member
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- Joined: Fri Sep 16, 2011 9:08 am
- Location: FL
Re: How do you remove a rounded over brake bleeder valve?
Oldewing wrote:
Now I got a picture in my head of you in your shop, drilling a ice cube....
but, if you are suggesting it, I am sure it works, but the picture is still funny
Yeah, but I do it with the CNC mill, got to be extremely precise when machining frozen H2O!
Dbtroudy, glad it worked for you.
Great to keep these old 'Wings flying on down the road.
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