My brake fluid's two years old so I've been trying to change it. I did two wheels fine, but one of the bleed valves rounded and I can't get it to budge. Eventually I decided to replace the cylinder, which so it wasn't the end of the world. I dismantled the brakes and tried undoing the brake pipe... that's rounded as well now!

I refitted the brake and I've got to do the whole job again. It was supprisingly difficult to find somewhere that sells brake pipes, but I found a local place that made one up for me. Got a few extra tools which may help too. So when I get chance I'll have to replace that too. I'm hoping that the other end of the brake pipe doesn't round off too.

I remember a couple of years ago the bleed valve actually snapped off, but the brake pipe came undone reasonably easily.

Have you guys ever had similar problems? Is it common on these vehicles? It's only the rear ones that have the problem, the fronts were fine. I wonder what would have happened if I got the car serviced at a garage, I suspect they just wouldn't bother bleeding the brakes.

are you sure your using the right spanners u should only use metric size and iv thay rust or anything try a bit of wd40 before you start

its quite common on any vehicle. usaly on the last one and on a sunday afternoon when every where is shut

dave said:

its quite common on any vehicle. usaly on the last one and on a sunday afternoon when every where is shut

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lol how did you guess. I actually planned for this, so I did it on Saturday . The first one took the longest (emptying the resivoir) and the second was quite quick. I thought I'd be finished in 30 mins, and then it rounded, even though I was being gentle .

It was the right size spanner (metric), although after rounding it I've tried just about every spanner possible (some of which have now opened up a bit), including hammering on a socket a size smaller. I used penetrating oil (loads of it) to help, and also hammering it a bit. I gave the end of the brake pipe a squirt of penetrating oil too, and I'll give another squirt when I do the job.

mole grips, and turn it a bit tighter first some times helps

Ah, beat me to the mole grip answer.

A good quality set of mole grips can save lots of hassle.

Cheers

D

the mini visegrips work the best! Ant

I've used mole grips, but after it was rounded. Are they best to use to start with, or only after it's been rounded?

It its the brake pipe thats not shifting with the claw foot, then its better to use the moles to start the process, then you can go back to the clawfoot or even a standard spanner.

Nipples can be done with a ring spanner, a six point is better than a twelve, but again moles can be used for the initial release.

Cheers

D

No probs like that I'm pleased to say. I have a selection of union/flange spanners that do the job and for the nipples, as D says, 6 faced give the largest surface area and so are least likely to round. I can't remember the size now, for the nipples, but its metric.....I have a set to do them.

For bleeding though, a pressure bleeder, is a god send in my opinion, only about £15 and saves SO much hassle! Shame the seal has gone on mine.

Don't be tempted to apply heat to the seized components though....brake fluid is flammable stuff :devil:

Kristian

the caps in some presure bleeding kits no fit a cinq or punto very well though, so i got cap off old punto and made one from that

kritip said:

Don't be tempted to apply heat to the seized components though....brake fluid is flammable stuff :devil:

Kristian

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Brake fluid is so much more than flammable, it doesn't need a flame to set it off, heat will do it. Most cars bursting into flames after an accident are nothing to with fuel but is brake fluid spontaneously combusing on the exhaust manifold.

Silicon brake fluid does not.

Cheers

D

dave said:

the caps in some presure bleeding kits no fit a cinq or punto very well though, so i got cap off old punto and made one from that

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That's what I found. I used a pressure bleeding kit last time, and wasn't impressed. I needed two people, one to hold a rag around the brake resivour and keep an eye on it. I used a cheap kit (pipe in a bottle) this time and didn't it (well as far as I could get) on my own. It was pretty reasonable, especailly after I got used to the rate that the fluid came out.

rallycinq said:

It its the brake pipe thats not shifting with the claw foot, then its better to use the moles to start the process, then you can go back to the clawfoot or even a standard spanner.

Nipples can be done with a ring spanner, a six point is better than a twelve, but again moles can be used for the initial release.

Cheers

D

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What's a clawfoot?

Its what I call one of these to differentiate it from a normal spanner

cheers

D

rallycinq said:

Its what I call one of these to differentiate it from a normal spanner

cheers

D

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I've got a few of those, I call them brake pipe spanners.

Liam

My kit fitted fine, it was a Gunsons pressure kit, and I had been told it may not fit, but it was fine. Its just one day i didn't seat the seal properly, screwed it down and mangled the seal Otherwise, works ace.

I call thouse union or flange spanners, not sure if they are just made up names, but it was what i was refereing to also. They have the cut out to slip over a pipe, but still more faces than a normal spanner, and they are a lot thicker for more surface area.

Kristian