[Slaab4life]

So I'm an idiot, and too strong apparently. I sheared a rear brake bleeder screw. Thankfully no fluid is leaking out. But I'd like to get the broken part out pronto to keep what remains from rusting to the caliper. A look at Autozone's website shows they don't have the bleeder screw in stock. But they do have other GM brand bleeder screws in stock. So first, does anyone know what other GM brands and years share the same bleeder? I'd bring a good one in for comparison, but then my car would be left leaking brake fluid all over the place. Maybe I'll try going in with whats left. If that cross referencing plan doesn't work I'll just take a drive to the salvage yard and walk a half mile to the Saabs (they keep all the imports as far away from the gate as possible). Second, how the hell am I going to get what remains out of the caliper? It sheared flush with the caliper surface. I suppose I could drill it out, but I fear that metal scrapings will be introduced into the brake system.

 

[PMI]

To keep it from leaking, I would clamp the rubber hose, which is what you are supposed to do while working on the calipers anyway. penetrating oil or anti-seize will keep it from rusting for a while.

I suspect the caliper will have to come out to do this on the bench. You may be better off checking the prices of remanufactured calipers at Autozone, they are not that bad compared to the amount of work to get the screw out. Saab p/n for the screw if you need it: 4467148, $16-17 list (I checked before I took my rear brakes apart last week)

PIB, either way you do it. Did you shear it off trying to get it loose, or tightening it?

Fortunately mine stayed intact. Took a couple applications of PB blaster a few days apart before the bleed screws came loose. Same thing on the union nuts between the hard line and the caliper. Those took some tapping on the end of a 10-mm flare nut wrench before they came loose, after getting the rust off with a brush. ( I mean gentle tapping, not hitting with a hammer)

 

[earthworm]

To have a parts interchangeability list would be a most valuable thing for a man to possess, for any car.

The trouble is, we are talking American GM and Euro GM. Some Cadillac Cateria ? parts will fit..
A $1 or so bleeder screw should be no big deal. A few of these were broken off on the old VWs - never a leak - I just left them that way.

PMI has given some good advice on this.

Use that Seafoam or PB Blaster,(only the best will do) time, some vibration, a left hand thread drill, slow and careful, and the old bleeder can be extracted.

But I have never heard of pinching off the hydraulic brake hose - that it is far too stiff.. Just keep fluid in the reservoir..

 

[Slaab4life]

I was tightening it back on. Felt like it just kept going, till POP. It was knackered. Its not leaking one bit. I think its on there tighter than it was before. I think that caliper might be a bit sticky anyways, so that caliper will probably have to be replaced before I ever bleed that one again. So perhaps I'll just leave it as is. Went to Autozone to try and match bleeders screws but none matched. Now if I could just get that rotor off to mess with the handbrake shoes and such I'll be a happy camper, but no luck with that either. Stupid rotor securing screw is jammed good and stripped. Time to break out the drill.

 

[PMI]

...But I have never heard of pinching off the hydraulic brake hose - that it is far too stiff.. Just keep fluid in the reservoir..

That is a good point. I did not have to take the caliper all the way off, so I did not need to try the clamp.

I loosened the 10-mm brake line nut first. Then the 19-mm caliper mounting bolts on the back side of the caliper. Both needed a couple applications of PB-Blaster a few days apart, and cleaning some of the rust first (is Seafoam similar?). The brake line nut really does need a flare nut wrench, seems very fragile.

After taking the 19-mm bolts out, I unclipped the hard brake line from the plastic clips on the back side of the wheel, and slid the caliper off. Then I swung it around 90 degrees, and propped it up on a box. Could not see how it can be tied to anything and suspended w/o putting stress on the brake line. Either I am missing something, or that direction is wrong. A few drops of brake fluid did seep out of the brake line at the nut, but not much.

Rotor set screw came out ok, but the size on that one seems odd, I had to use a larger Torx bit than I first thought. Stripping that seems like a definite possibility.

The rotor was loose then, but hung up on the brake shoes. The hand brake adjuster had to be backed way down before taking the rotor off...

Pics:

• Caliper bolts and brake line nut
• Location of the hand brake adjuster with rotor removed
• Caliper rotated out of the way, still attached to the brake line, rotor removed for access to the hand brake

Torque specs:

• 19-mm rear brake caliper mounting bolt, 59 lb-ft
• 10-mm brake pipe union nut, 10 lb-ft
• rear rotor set screw, 7 lb-ft

Locktite is recommended on the caliper mounting bolts, but it seems like they should hold ok just by tension if tightened correctly. The threads on mine did not need much cleaning.