Bleeder Screw

[JOblenes]

If this starts happening to a few people then I would think this would constitute a factory defect either in materials (bleeder too brittle) or workmanship (no anti-sieze on parts that are meant to be removed) and should be covered under warranty. Ryan, are you still under warranty, I see you have a few miles on your truck, but thought you might have the extended warranty. If it were me I would definitely look into a warranty claim. Even if you broke it, it is clearly defective. When I get under my truck to do the transmission/TC/diffs this weekend I am going to give my bleeders a try and if they break I will be at the dealer first thing Monday morning (truck is less than 1 year old).

 

[lmills]

I am going to take a loook at mine this weekend. I already used it to plow last year, and I am getting ready for this season. I guess I would rather be safe than sorry.

 

[HOBrian]

Ryan, I have an 03 and I tried the right rear. The bleeder screw is so weak, the walls of the screw are so thin that just by hitting my the 3/8 drive with my hand started to move (I thought was going to loosen) and then broke. There is no way anybody is going to get these to loosen without breaking. They are in there way to tight and the screws are cheap. :{

 

[Extreme1]

Did any of you guys try the hammer trick? IT WORKS!! I haven't broken a screw in ANYTHING since I started doing that.



Give it a try.

 

[HOBrian]

Hammer trick??? I can try getting hammered but I don't know if that will loosen the screw. Although now that I think about it, it always worked at the bar. :-laf :-laf

 

[jsimpson]

They happened to have a micro wire feed welder. The person said wait here. He made a 'puddle' of weld on the bleeder screw and pushed a 1/4" bolt into the puddle while still molten. Then he took a pair of pliers and easily removed the bolt. No charge.

NO CHARGE???? You're surely NOT in south Florida!!!

 

[jsimpson]

I've already ordered the Hansen (Irwin) set of extractors that I posted earlier. I had considered the possibility that the conical shape of the extractors might force the bleeder tighter against the walls. But wouldn't they do that with every screw you tried to remove anyway? And people seem to be able to use them successfully.

I've had a number of sets of conical extractors over the last fifty years of wrenching. I've never successfully removed a broken bolt or stud with any of them and have broken a number of them off in the hole drilled in the bolt or stud. I'm ready to try the Rigids. I have had considerable success with heating stubborn bolts or studs with a microtorch before continuing to attempt to remove them however.

 

[jsimpson]

I know, I was just being a smart-you-know-what.



-Ryan

Try "slotted".

 

[rbattelle]

Did any of you guys try the hammer trick? IT WORKS!! I haven't broken a screw in ANYTHING since I started doing that.

I pounded the crap out of the bore that holds the bleeder with a 3 lb hammer to no effect. I'm telling you guys, that thing is welded in place.



If I get time this weekend I'm going to pull the caliper and replace it, then work on the broken bleeder on my bench.



-Ryan

 

[Briman]

Ryan, If the bleeder screw did not come out don't be too sure that the brake line will come out either. Before you round off/ twist off the flare fitting on the brake line make sure you are using flare fitting wrenches. If it appears to be a no go then get out the heat. It could get ugly. I know this personally, just not on a Dodge. A micro torch may save your bacon. I might try a torch, then a glass of ice water before attempting to loosen the bleeder. I hate the thought of the dealer totaly screwing things up when I can do it myself, extended warranty or not.



How do we get a recall started because of this? My Volkswagen requires brake fluid changes every two years and I don't expect to have this problem with it. My truck will be two years old in December and the bleeders should loosen with ease and not be a *****.

 

[rbattelle]

Ryan, If the bleeder screw did not come out don't be too sure that the brake line will come out either.

Oh, believe me I'm already worried about it. It's not a flare nut type fitting, it's a banjo at the caliper. The banjo bolt is HUGE. If that sucker breaks it will be bad bad bad bad news.



-Ryan

 

[Briman]

Thanks for correcting me on the type of fitting used at the caliper. At least if the banjo bolt does twist off it shouldn't destroy the brake line. Good luck to you.

 

[barbwire]

Ryan, I agree with Tkerrigan. I have successfully removed many twisted bolts and identical fittings ( like yours) by welding them, like he suggested. Also, by looking at your last pic, I would say that you would have better than great success with this method. Because, after welding the inside of that bleeder, it will shrink as it cools. JMO

 

[HOBrian]

Oh, believe me I'm already worried about it. It's not a flare nut type fitting, it's a banjo at the caliper. The banjo bolt is HUGE. If that sucker breaks it will be bad bad bad bad news.



-Ryan

I didn't think about it :{ Man am I glad I belong to the TDR.

 

[EErmert]

Hey Ryan: What size extractor did you use? Yep, broke off the LR, have not had time to remove it... any help here would be greate!... Thanks for the time and info...

Eric '03 QC SLT SWB SRW LIMITED 6SPD 3:73 4X4 STOCK EXCEPT THE SCFFINACKER'S (SP) MIRROR'S

 

[rbattelle]

Hey Ryan: What size extractor did you use? Yep, broke off the LR, have not had time to remove it... any help here would be greate!... Thanks for the time and info...

Eric '03 QC SLT SWB SRW LIMITED 6SPD 3:73 4X4 STOCK EXCEPT THE SCFFINACKER'S (SP) MIRROR'S

None of the extractors worked! I started with a left-hand drill, then the spiral extractor for that bit. No effect. Then I tried the multi-spline screw extractor. No effect.



Then I stepped up to the next larger drill. And repeated the process. Again, no joy.



So I gave up and decided the only way to to this was to remove the caliper and bore the bleeder hole on a drill press (or better yet, a mill). I bought a brand new caliper so I could swap calipers and still drive the truck while rebuilding the old one.



And that's where I left it. The new caliper is still sitting on a shelf. The old caliper with broken bleeder is operational on the truck.



I'm not sure when I'll get around to fixing it right. I fully expect all the calipers to do exactly the same thing to me, so I see 4 brand new calipers in my future.



Some day.



Ryan

 

[Scooby]

Arggg - see my newest post - I just snapped off one of my bleeders also!!



The first one just opened right up and the second... ... snapped in an instant.



So I'm searching the site and was discouraged by the fact that my fresh new extractors should be expected to work!!



AND I can't find any replacements at the dealerships in the area!