Really Screwed Myself On This One

[ShirleySerious]

The brakes on my 2000 RX300 were feeling a little soft and the brake pedal was going all the way to the floor, so I decided to bleed my brakes. I bought Speedbleeders because I don't have any reliable friend to help me bleed them in the traditional fashion. I got the old bleeder screw off with no problems. When I screwed in the Speedbleeder, I must have used too much force and broke off the head and nozzle. The threads are sticking out about 1-2mm and the ball bearing that the Speedbleeder uses is exposed but won't come out. I tried using a vise grips and two kinds of pliers but it's stuck in there.

Luckily, brake fluid doesn't come out when I step on the brake, but I put some silicone on the ball bearing to seal it up. Any idea how to get it out?

[GDixon]

The brakes on my 2000 RX300 were feeling a little soft and the brake pedal was going all the way to the floor, so I decided to bleed my brakes. I bought Speedbleeders because I don't have any reliable friend to help me bleed them in the traditional fashion. I got the old bleeder screw off with no problems. When I screwed in the Speedbleeder, I must have used too much force and broke off the head and nozzle. The threads are sticking out about 1-2mm and the ball bearing that the Speedbleeder uses is exposed but won't come out. I tried using a vise grips and two kinds of pliers but it's stuck in there.

Luckily, brake fluid doesn't come out when I step on the brake, but I put some silicone on the ball bearing to seal it up. Any idea how to get it out?

Remove the caliper and take it to a machine shop. Ask at just about any auto parts store where a good machine shop is located.

[ShirleySerious]

The brakes on my 2000 RX300 were feeling a little soft and the brake pedal was going all the way to the floor, so I decided to bleed my brakes. I bought Speedbleeders because I don't have any reliable friend to help me bleed them in the traditional fashion. I got the old bleeder screw off with no problems. When I screwed in the Speedbleeder, I must have used too much force and broke off the head and nozzle. The threads are sticking out about 1-2mm and the ball bearing that the Speedbleeder uses is exposed but won't come out. I tried using a vise grips and two kinds of pliers but it's stuck in there.

Luckily, brake fluid doesn't come out when I step on the brake, but I put some silicone on the ball bearing to seal it up. Any idea how to get it out?

Remove the caliper and take it to a machine shop. Ask at just about any auto parts store where a good machine shop is located.

Any idea how much that would be? Not really sure if I can even take the caliper off.

[carguy07]

From their site: http://speedbleeder.zoovy.com/c=Xl2suJCLYH.../category/news/

Repair Service with a Smile

Occasionally a customer will break a Speed Bleeder off in the caliper or wheel cylinder of the vehicle that they are working on. I guess they don't know their own strength. Well, we understand that these things do happen. Since we don't want the experience of installing Speed Bleeders to be totally devastating we are doing something about it. If you do break one off in your wheel cylinder or caliper, it is a tricky operation to remove . Unless you have access to a few specialized tools it is very hard to remove. This is what we propose.... Remove the caliper or wheel cylinder and ship it to us. We will remove the broken Speed Bleeder at no charge and return it to you repaired with a new Speed Bleeder installed. Generally it will be repaired the same day we receive it and will be returned the following day. We will return it to you via United States Postal Service. It will be sent "Parcel Post" and we will pay the postage. If you want it returned quicker you pay the postage. Send the caliper or wheel cylinder to:

Speed Bleeder Products, Inc.

13140 Apakesha Grove Rd.

Newark, IL 60541

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Procedure for removing a broken Speed Bleeder

For those who would like to remove a broken Speed Bleeder themselves, I will explain the best way to remove the broken Speed Bleeder. Read these instructions over and over until you understand the procedure and feel comfortable tackling this job. If you still have questions or don't understand the steps you can call me or e-mail me for clarification.

Do not use an EZ-Out! I can't emphasize this enough! This tool is too brittle and hardened and nine times out of ten you will snap it off and loose any hope of removing the broken part. Before you can remove the broken part you will have to remove the spring and stainless steel ball. You cannot and will not drill through the hardened stainless steel ball. The spring can be removed by using a piece of wire or pick. The ball can be removed with a blast of air from an air compressor. If you still cannot remove the ball because of a burr at the area where the break occurred you can use a drill bit to clean up the burr. Then the blast of air should remove the ball. Next, drill a 1/4" deep hole in the Speed Bleeder with a 5/32" drill bit. A good quality cordless battery powered drill such as "Dewalt" works best for this step. It is easily maneuvered and has a built-in clutch to minimize drill breakage. Try not to go all the way through the bottom of the Speed Bleeder. Then take a 5/32" hex wrench (allen wrench) and tap it into the hole that you just drilled with a hammer. Use a quality hex wrench. A quality hex wrench will be hardened and tempered which makes it strong and ideal for the job. The corners of the 5/32" hex wrench will bite into the sides of the hole forming a hex socket. Then carefully turn out the broken part of the Speed Bleeder. If the wrench spins in the hole and will not remove the broken Speed Bleeder use the next larger size drill bit and corresponding hex wrench. This procedure is one way to remove a broken Speed Bleeder and works very well. Be patient and be careful when doing this procedure. I don't want to see anyone get hurt. Wear eye protection!

The latest way to remove a broken Speed Bleeder if the above procedure fails:

Usually the Speed Bleeder is broken off flush with the caliper. Take a common 3/8 x 16 nut and lay it centered over the broken Speed Bleeder. Then take a GMAW (gas metal arc welder) or wire feed welder and apply weld through the center of the 3/8 nut to weld the nut to the broken Speed Bleeder. Fill the nut flush with the top of the nut with weld and then let it cool. This essentially welds the nut to the broken Speed Bleeder. Take a 9/16" box wrench and turn the nut counter clockwise and remove the broken Speed Bleeder with a few turns. Before performing the weld process take some common clear packaging tape and cover the caliper with a few wraps of tape to protect the caliper from weld splatter. It works very well. After the Speed Bleeder is removed chase the threads with a clean tap of the correct thread size. Then use a razor blade and carefully remove the tape. The caliper is as good as new.

[ShirleySerious]

From their site: http://speedbleeder.zoovy.com/c=Xl2suJCLYH.../category/news/

Repair Service with a Smile

Occasionally a customer will break a Speed Bleeder off in the caliper or wheel cylinder of the vehicle that they are working on. I guess they don't know their own strength. Well, we understand that these things do happen. Since we don't want the experience of installing Speed Bleeders to be totally devastating we are doing something about it. If you do break one off in your wheel cylinder or caliper, it is a tricky operation to remove . Unless you have access to a few specialized tools it is very hard to remove. This is what we propose.... Remove the caliper or wheel cylinder and ship it to us. We will remove the broken Speed Bleeder at no charge and return it to you repaired with a new Speed Bleeder installed. Generally it will be repaired the same day we receive it and will be returned the following day. We will return it to you via United States Postal Service. It will be sent "Parcel Post" and we will pay the postage. If you want it returned quicker you pay the postage. Send the caliper or wheel cylinder to:

Speed Bleeder Products, Inc.

13140 Apakesha Grove Rd.

Newark, IL 60541

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Procedure for removing a broken Speed Bleeder

For those who would like to remove a broken Speed Bleeder themselves, I will explain the best way to remove the broken Speed Bleeder. Read these instructions over and over until you understand the procedure and feel comfortable tackling this job. If you still have questions or don't understand the steps you can call me or e-mail me for clarification.

Do not use an EZ-Out! I can't emphasize this enough! This tool is too brittle and hardened and nine times out of ten you will snap it off and loose any hope of removing the broken part. Before you can remove the broken part you will have to remove the spring and stainless steel ball. You cannot and will not drill through the hardened stainless steel ball. The spring can be removed by using a piece of wire or pick. The ball can be removed with a blast of air from an air compressor. If you still cannot remove the ball because of a burr at the area where the break occurred you can use a drill bit to clean up the burr. Then the blast of air should remove the ball. Next, drill a 1/4" deep hole in the Speed Bleeder with a 5/32" drill bit. A good quality cordless battery powered drill such as "Dewalt" works best for this step. It is easily maneuvered and has a built-in clutch to minimize drill breakage. Try not to go all the way through the bottom of the Speed Bleeder. Then take a 5/32" hex wrench (allen wrench) and tap it into the hole that you just drilled with a hammer. Use a quality hex wrench. A quality hex wrench will be hardened and tempered which makes it strong and ideal for the job. The corners of the 5/32" hex wrench will bite into the sides of the hole forming a hex socket. Then carefully turn out the broken part of the Speed Bleeder. If the wrench spins in the hole and will not remove the broken Speed Bleeder use the next larger size drill bit and corresponding hex wrench. This procedure is one way to remove a broken Speed Bleeder and works very well. Be patient and be careful when doing this procedure. I don't want to see anyone get hurt. Wear eye protection!

The latest way to remove a broken Speed Bleeder if the above procedure fails:

Usually the Speed Bleeder is broken off flush with the caliper. Take a common 3/8 x 16 nut and lay it centered over the broken Speed Bleeder. Then take a GMAW (gas metal arc welder) or wire feed welder and apply weld through the center of the 3/8 nut to weld the nut to the broken Speed Bleeder. Fill the nut flush with the top of the nut with weld and then let it cool. This essentially welds the nut to the broken Speed Bleeder. Take a 9/16" box wrench and turn the nut counter clockwise and remove the broken Speed Bleeder with a few turns. Before performing the weld process take some common clear packaging tape and cover the caliper with a few wraps of tape to protect the caliper from weld splatter. It works very well. After the Speed Bleeder is removed chase the threads with a clean tap of the correct thread size. Then use a razor blade and carefully remove the tape. The caliper is as good as new.

Wow I didn't know SpeedBleeder would do that! Talk about customer service. That seems like the most viable option, thanks for posting that.

[GDixon]

From their site: http://speedbleeder.zoovy.com/c=Xl2suJCLYH.../category/news/

Repair Service with a Smile

Occasionally a customer will break a Speed Bleeder off in the caliper or wheel cylinder of the vehicle that they are working on. I guess they don't know their own strength. Well, we understand that these things do happen. Since we don't want the experience of installing Speed Bleeders to be totally devastating we are doing something about it. If you do break one off in your wheel cylinder or caliper, it is a tricky operation to remove . Unless you have access to a few specialized tools it is very hard to remove. This is what we propose.... Remove the caliper or wheel cylinder and ship it to us. We will remove the broken Speed Bleeder at no charge and return it to you repaired with a new Speed Bleeder installed. Generally it will be repaired the same day we receive it and will be returned the following day. We will return it to you via United States Postal Service. It will be sent "Parcel Post" and we will pay the postage. If you want it returned quicker you pay the postage. Send the caliper or wheel cylinder to:

Speed Bleeder Products, Inc.

13140 Apakesha Grove Rd.

Newark, IL 60541

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Procedure for removing a broken Speed Bleeder

For those who would like to remove a broken Speed Bleeder themselves, I will explain the best way to remove the broken Speed Bleeder. Read these instructions over and over until you understand the procedure and feel comfortable tackling this job. If you still have questions or don't understand the steps you can call me or e-mail me for clarification.

Do not use an EZ-Out! I can't emphasize this enough! This tool is too brittle and hardened and nine times out of ten you will snap it off and loose any hope of removing the broken part. Before you can remove the broken part you will have to remove the spring and stainless steel ball. You cannot and will not drill through the hardened stainless steel ball. The spring can be removed by using a piece of wire or pick. The ball can be removed with a blast of air from an air compressor. If you still cannot remove the ball because of a burr at the area where the break occurred you can use a drill bit to clean up the burr. Then the blast of air should remove the ball. Next, drill a 1/4" deep hole in the Speed Bleeder with a 5/32" drill bit. A good quality cordless battery powered drill such as "Dewalt" works best for this step. It is easily maneuvered and has a built-in clutch to minimize drill breakage. Try not to go all the way through the bottom of the Speed Bleeder. Then take a 5/32" hex wrench (allen wrench) and tap it into the hole that you just drilled with a hammer. Use a quality hex wrench. A quality hex wrench will be hardened and tempered which makes it strong and ideal for the job. The corners of the 5/32" hex wrench will bite into the sides of the hole forming a hex socket. Then carefully turn out the broken part of the Speed Bleeder. If the wrench spins in the hole and will not remove the broken Speed Bleeder use the next larger size drill bit and corresponding hex wrench. This procedure is one way to remove a broken Speed Bleeder and works very well. Be patient and be careful when doing this procedure. I don't want to see anyone get hurt. Wear eye protection!

The latest way to remove a broken Speed Bleeder if the above procedure fails:

Usually the Speed Bleeder is broken off flush with the caliper. Take a common 3/8 x 16 nut and lay it centered over the broken Speed Bleeder. Then take a GMAW (gas metal arc welder) or wire feed welder and apply weld through the center of the 3/8 nut to weld the nut to the broken Speed Bleeder. Fill the nut flush with the top of the nut with weld and then let it cool. This essentially welds the nut to the broken Speed Bleeder. Take a 9/16" box wrench and turn the nut counter clockwise and remove the broken Speed Bleeder with a few turns. Before performing the weld process take some common clear packaging tape and cover the caliper with a few wraps of tape to protect the caliper from weld splatter. It works very well. After the Speed Bleeder is removed chase the threads with a clean tap of the correct thread size. Then use a razor blade and carefully remove the tape. The caliper is as good as new.

Wow I didn't know SpeedBleeder would do that! Talk about customer service. That seems like the most viable option, thanks for posting that.

It is a nice service by the company but you may want to consider the cost of shipping it to them and the amount of down time while the caliper goes back and forth. My first recommendation, taking it to a machine shop, may actually be faster and cheaper.

Taking the caliper off really isn't that much of a job. Having done it before, or having a friend that has done that work, is a big help.