Stuck brake bleeder?

[Yuzhou]

I’m trying to bleed the brake system on a 1998 Toyota Tercel and the bleeder valves are stuck on the rear brakes.

I’m using a combination wrench to try to free it but it looks like it is rounding the nut. I also tried applying WD-40 all around the bleeder screw with no avail.

What are better ways to free this screw?

Topic

[george gonzalez]

You need a deep 6-sided socket.

[Its me]

Agree, those are best hit with a 6pt deep socket…. Those darn Toyota bleeders are so small and break easily… If broken, and since Time=Money; It is usually easier and faster just to by a re-manufactured caliper than dealing with drilling them out and trying to make them right again… They should cost around $40-$50…

[Yuzhou]

Ok, but would applying too much force run the risk of breaking the bleeder valve off?

[richiepearce]

yes it certainly would

[george gonzalez]

Yes it might. You can try a couple helpful measures:

(1) Get a medium-weight hammer and tap forcefully directly down on the top of the bleed screw, about 50 times. The goal is to break the corrosive bond. This often works. Don’t hit the screw at too much of an angle or you might break it off.

(2) Do the same thing to the caliper, only harder, as near as you can get to the bleed screw. You want to set up compression waves of several thousand G’s in the caliper casting. This is also known to help.

(3) WD-40, Liquid-Wrench, and PB-blaster, I have never seen these do much of anything towards breaking free the initial stuckness. Your opinion may vary.

(4) If you have some time, you can try a mild acid, like plain old vinegar. This does a fantastic job of converting rust into loose black iron trioxide or some such, given overnight.

[Author]

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