Stuck brake bleed valve

[deltabronco]

I have a stripped out bleeder valve. Whats the best way to remove the damn thing?

 

[70_Steve]

I have a stripped out bleeder valve.

Can you expand on "stripped out"?

 

[KyleQ]

Heat the area around the stuck bolt without heating the bolt. Get a vise grips as tight as you can on it and tap on it counter clockwise and hope it comes out.

 

[JAFO]

Had four bleeders that would not move. That is how I got them out...carefully heated the caliper around the bleeder and with vise-grips on the bleeder they finally backed out.

 

[CopperRanger]

Once you get the old bleeders out, use a flare nut wrench to loosen and tighten them up. It will lock on to the bleeder better than a regular wrench, and help prevent it from getting stripped out. There is not a lot of room to use the wrench so I heated on up and slightly bent it on an angle, this gives you a little more room.

 

[savage]

X-3 on heating around bleeder screw and using vise-grips.

 

[KyleQ]

Whenever I start on brakes I take a hammer and bang on the bleeder straight down and then put a 6 point socket on it with an impact and rarely have an issue.

 

[deltabronco]

Got it unstuck and replaced it. Bought some flare nut wrenches. Thanks for the advice gents!

 

[JAFO]

Used wisely heat is your friend. I own a 96 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4. Bought it new in 96. Anyway, all the drive train was original (before this past weekend and week) and I had never (don't ask me why) replaced the oxygen sensors. Just never gave them any thought. Anyway, past weekend and week was spent going over the truck. Any vehicle I own has to be reliable. I had to heat around the bung of both oxygen sensors before they would move. Just used my propane torch. Finally did get them both out and had to clean up the threads in the down stream bung and went ahead and chased the threads upstream too. Both sensors new now, with anti-seize on the threads. As well as new rear wheel bearings, seals, axles, loc-rite in rear, new u-joints, new front upper and lower ball joints. New tie rods. New sway bar bushings and rods. New shocks and steering damper. Just shotgunned the whole drive train. 200K miles and just wanted to freshen everything up. Peace of mind.

 

[deltabronco]

I actually just ground flat spots on either side of the fitting. Then used a good crescent wrench and slowly turned it. Heat was going to be my next option.

 

[JAFO]

I actually just ground flat spots on either side of the fitting. Then used a good crescent wrench and slowly turned it. Heat was going to be my next option.

You probably got it hot grinding it. Maybe hot enough to change the metal enough so it expanded, contracted to break free.

 

[deltabronco]

Probably, that thing was a bit warm when i was done.

 

[Rustytruck]

Another good thing to do when using the vise grip method is to slid the shank of a close fitting drill bit down the inside of the fitting. That way the fitting doesnt crush and break when you crush down on it with the vise grips.