Preventative maintenance

[muddypaws]

Afraid my post winter checks have resulted in a casualty - 7 of the brake bleed nipples are fine, but the 8th isn't. After a firm push on the ring spanner it snapped off at the level of the calliper. I'll try to post as picture but too mad at the moment to work out how to reduce the image size.

The question is, where to go from here.....  

 

[iborguk]

Drill out I guess or send away to someone like https://www.bcs-automotive.co.uk/#/

Links to photos hosted on Flickr/Imgur are the recommended ways of posting pics.

 

 

[muddypaws]

Thanks - I guessed as much!

[muddypaws]

Here's the gruesome picture 

Richard

Edited April 5, 2023 by muddypaws

[Patt]

NS or OS ?

When one of mine went it took the outer edge of the caliper with it. I bought a complete front brake assembly as it was during the plague and the only thing available,

I have a spare calliper that has only done 18k before it got swapped out for 6 pots.

[daz05]

I have a contact that you can post these to and he will fix them and send back. A proper 'man with a shed'!

This happened on my Cayenne and his workmanship was absolutely brilliant and much less than the usual suspects.

https://www.northeastbrakes.co.uk/

Don't try and drill them yourself leave it with a professional who will do it perfectly straight.

Edited April 6, 2023 by daz05

[GTSMarky]

Put an 'EASY OUT' in there & soak with Pro Gas or similar beforehand.

[GTSMarky]

For example:  Bahco 1435/5 5 Piece Screw Extractor Set M4-M18 Easy Out | PrimeTools

 

[daz05]

6 minutes ago, GTSMarky said:

Put an 'EASY OUT' in there & soak with Pro Gas or similar beforehand.

The risk is that it will snap (highly likely) and make the situation worse and then you are drilling through that as well.

[andygo]

I have 2 mint rear calipers off my 2016 GTS with  one inner stripped threads on both. I managed to get the nipples out in one piece but left damaged threads. I got the calipers replaced by Porsche under warranty.Just need threads repairing. Best solution is the 'Time Sert' thread repair which I think Daz's man uses.

Edited April 6, 2023 by andygo

[½cwt]

I'm about to send my calipers to BCS after stripping them. They have said a simple shears removal is £35, but if I want to mess around myself first, could well be £95 if they have to send it to their specialist machines shop.

Get an expert to do it. Even at PalmerSport we sent out calipers with any sheard fitting and we had 10 or 20 a year across the fleet at Thurleigh despite experiences race mechanics and a fully equipped machine shop.

[muddypaws]

Thanks for all the 'shearing' advice. I'll get the calliper off first then research the best option. The nipple doesn't look rusty but the broken bit has a smear of red paint on it. 

So, I suspect it has had a calliper repaint in situ that made extraction difficult.........

[½cwt]

My point was the risk of a DiY failure will cost a lot more than a basic professional removal.

Edited April 6, 2023 by ½cwt

[daz05]

2 hours ago, muddypaws said:

Thanks for all the 'shearing' advice. I'll get the calliper off first then research the best option. The nipple doesn't look rusty but the broken bit has a smear of red paint on it. 

So, I suspect it has had a calliper repaint in situ that made extraction difficult.........

They merge into one and even once drilled the threads will be damaged and it won't seal.

Be careful removing the line and prepare to replace it for all it will cost you.

[BoxsterLL11]

I replaced all my caliper bleed nipples 2 years ago when I flushed the blake fluid.  As you, one sheared off.  But the calipers have 2 bleed nipples per caliper and it was an inner one that sheared off so I just left it as was.

Suspect OPC mechanics only bled the system from the outer bleed nipple anyway so probably the inner one that sheared had never been loosened off since the day it was installed.

Replaced the outer ones with stainless bleed nipples from ProBolt.

Brembo M10 x 1.0 x 30mm long

Edited April 7, 2023 by BoxsterLL11

[muddypaws]

9 hours ago, BoxsterLL11 said:

 

Suspect OPC mechanics only bled the system from the outer bleed nipple anyway so probably the inner one that sheared had never been loosened off since the day it was installed.

That rings true - it was the inner nipple that sheared on mine as well - 2 years after an OPC brake fluid change

9 hours ago, BoxsterLL11 said:

 

 

[GTSMarky]

On 4/6/2023 at 10:00 AM, daz05 said:

The risk is that it will snap (highly likely) and make the situation worse and then you are drilling through that as well.

I've never snapped an easy out & I've used them hundreds of times over the years.  If the force is too much it'll more than likely just not grip, so drill it out a bit and use a bigger one..  Failing that take the caliper off and mount it in a milling machine and do it more accurately.

Edited April 8, 2023 by GTSMarky

[½cwt]

3 hours ago, GTSMarky said:

I've never snapped an easy out & I've used them hundreds of times over the years.  If the force is too much it'll more than likely just not grip, so drill it out a bit and use a bigger one..  Failing that take the caliper off and mount it in a milling machine and do it more accurately.

If you have the skills, experience and the tools, great, but there are pitfalls for a first timer. £35 to a pro is probably a wise move.

[BoxsterLL11]

I have only had limited success with easy-outs.

But there are several factors that determine that success.

Quality of the tools, buy cheap ones and the will shear.

How corroded in is the item you are trying to remove with the easy out, recommend soaking in PlusGas before you attempt using an easy out.

The smaller the diameter the easy out the more likely it will shear on a stubborn item trying to be removed.

User technique - trial and error

[muddypaws]

On 4/6/2023 at 6:48 PM, daz05 said:

 

Be careful removing the line and prepare to replace it for all it will cost you.

Huge relief when I gently tweaked the brake line connector to the calliper and it smoothly came out - simple job now to get the calliper to BCS for repair when I have a mo. 

BTW, what is the consensus for replacing the calliper bolts for new? They seem perfect to me

[BoxsterLL11]

Caliper carrier bolts are usually done up to a high-ish torque (the caliper guide bolts are usually low torque).

So some caliper carrier bolts are stretch bolts so once they have been done up to the required torque setting once, then removed then they should not be re-used.

However the requirement to replace as recommended by the manufacturer is that they sometimes have a thread-lock "adhesive" on the threads when fitted/bought OE.

If the bolts have evidence of OE thread-lock, usually a blue paint-look dab halfway down the threads, then I usually clean the threads up and apply some Loctite thread-lock/stud-lock of my own and torque up.

[daz05]

3 hours ago, muddypaws said:

Huge relief when I gently tweaked the brake line connector to the calliper and it smoothly came out - simple job now to get the calliper to BCS for repair when I have a mo. 

BTW, what is the consensus for replacing the calliper bolts for new? They seem perfect to me

Make sure the threads are clean before you reinsert it, be super smooth but if there is any sign of corrosion on the brake line just replace it they aren't expensive and you are in there anyway.

[wmcg]

On 4/6/2023 at 12:32 PM, andygo said:

I have 2 mint rear calipers off my 2016 GTS with  one inner stripped threads on both. I managed to get the nipples out in one piece but left damaged threads. I got the calipers replaced by Porsche under warranty.Just need threads repairing. Best solution is the 'Time Sert' thread repair which I think Daz's man uses.

This happened to my callipers on my impreza. The eazy out is harder to drill through. Don't recommend using them at all. There is a company that does a pack called nipple therapy. It includes the drill bit, tap and replacement inserts with a new nipple. I got an engineer shop to install it and worked a treat, otherwise they would have been scrap. 

[muddypaws]

So, a quick update. 

BCS in Long Eaton came up trumps for us. I decided to take a run up there for a 'while you wait' repair.

To kill time I sauntered done to Trent Lock - a lovely spot where the mighty river Trent meets the Soar. 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/places-to-visit/trent-lock

No sooner than one narrow boat had gone through the lock, I was called to say the repair was done. An excellent service needing a helicoil & they replaced the other nipple as well for £75

  

 

So, now it's reassembly time plus flush through some nice 'cheap' Porsche brake fluid & the jobs a good'un. 

Thanks for all the helpful advice

Richard

 

 

 

[cozzykim]

Good tip re BCS Long Eaton, not too far from me if I ever need them. 👍