As per the title. I have a caliper but the nipple is sheared off. I am thinking about drilling and tapping it. Has anyone done this or even better, any ideas on how to get the thing out. Keeping it central may be a bit of an issue drilling.
The rest of the caliper is good so would be usable one sorted out.
I would just add this is on a ZX rear caliper so if anyone knows the size and pitch in advance it would be helpful.
Sheared Bleed Nipple
Sheared Bleed Nipple
Prefer it to the Lamborghini, like Signor Gandini!
from my experience, buy Citroen bleed nipples!! God knows what there made of but there stupidly hard and very difficult to snap, twice the price of 'factor nipples (so like £1 each) but worth there weight.
Thus far i have never needed to drill and tap which is good because i'm not very good at taping holes out, i've always managed to either simple use another caliper (scrappy one for £5) or get the rest of the stud out. Prefered method is to screw into the remains of the nipple with a screw which is a tight fit, wind it back out (the theory i base this on is that it will expand the nipple a little and stop it being seized), then heat the whole thing up loads (off the car), let it cool naturally and then while still warm wind the stud out with an 'easy out'.
Have only had to do this a small number of times as i usually have a spare caliper on the shelf and put that on until i get chance to overhaul the rest of the caliper. The technique is developed from the advice of people on here so expect more usefull input
Thus far i have never needed to drill and tap which is good because i'm not very good at taping holes out, i've always managed to either simple use another caliper (scrappy one for £5) or get the rest of the stud out. Prefered method is to screw into the remains of the nipple with a screw which is a tight fit, wind it back out (the theory i base this on is that it will expand the nipple a little and stop it being seized), then heat the whole thing up loads (off the car), let it cool naturally and then while still warm wind the stud out with an 'easy out'.
Have only had to do this a small number of times as i usually have a spare caliper on the shelf and put that on until i get chance to overhaul the rest of the caliper. The technique is developed from the advice of people on here so expect more usefull input
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Timmo
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only had to do it once on a 309 gti caliper, it is prolly easier to do vanny's way and get another caliper!!!
there was an american company i think it was westwood tools or something like that quite some years ago that made left hand turning drill bits especially for things like this! never found any over here though!
there was an american company i think it was westwood tools or something like that quite some years ago that made left hand turning drill bits especially for things like this! never found any over here though!
Timmo 
After all i am the Cornish one!
Its Because its French!
Bx16v club - Sharing the love for the unloved!
After all i am the Cornish one!
Its Because its French!
Bx16v club - Sharing the love for the unloved!
Extractors;
I keep calling these easy outs, which are a specific brand name (might be Irwin Tools)
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/produ ... and/clarke
Alos infinately useful, nut splitter!;
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/produ ... and/clarke
I keep calling these easy outs, which are a specific brand name (might be Irwin Tools)
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/produ ... and/clarke
Alos infinately useful, nut splitter!;
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/produ ... and/clarke
Vanny,
That looks a nice set. When I visit Sears now and then they have all sorts of things like that. I keep buying kits which I think will be handy. If I use them once they have normally saved me a packet and a lot of hassle.
Anyway, I have been out messing about this morning and drilled the item to produce a clean hole. The bit pooped throught the bottom of the nipple (I hope that is what it was
). Tried the oversized screw method, no joy at all there.
Tomorrow will buy a couple of nipples (best in pairs I think
) from Citroen as you suggest and a tap. Will give it a go that way. I have read on the french forum about a ball bearing being placed in the hole. This is in case the line-up is not right.
I do not think there is sufficient metal now to use the easy-out method.
That looks a nice set. When I visit Sears now and then they have all sorts of things like that. I keep buying kits which I think will be handy. If I use them once they have normally saved me a packet and a lot of hassle.
Anyway, I have been out messing about this morning and drilled the item to produce a clean hole. The bit pooped throught the bottom of the nipple (I hope that is what it was
). Tried the oversized screw method, no joy at all there.Tomorrow will buy a couple of nipples (best in pairs I think
) from Citroen as you suggest and a tap. Will give it a go that way. I have read on the french forum about a ball bearing being placed in the hole. This is in case the line-up is not right. I do not think there is sufficient metal now to use the easy-out method.
Prefer it to the Lamborghini, like Signor Gandini!
citroen will provide standard sizes, i don't know if they can provide over sized nipples. I found that after a tour of 8 local factors none could provide oversized nipples however one did give me his entire collection to try (to no avail). You might struggle to find over sized nipples for a PSA car so you might need to go look at fords and vauxhalls for something bigger!
I was hoping to keep the same size. I have not drilled beyond the threads, in fact I think the biggest bit I used was 4.5mm. Hence there is still something to tap into to recover the original size. Do you think this will work? Or just end up with a load of shredded bits?
Or what about one of these but not sure it would work
http://www.bsr-aerotek.com/store/produc ... ts_id=2566
Or what about one of these but not sure it would work
http://www.bsr-aerotek.com/store/produc ... ts_id=2566
dont think that will work at all as its a banjo bleeder and for a different purpose (to my knowledge it goes through banjo break pipe connectors as found on kit cars, motorbikes etc similar to industrial hydraulic connectors).
If you get really stuck and can't get an original from citroen then i have a big load of them individually wrapped and while i'm not looking to get rid of them they might help in the short term.
So long as you have some thread left you should be okay getting it back out, but i'd be surprised if you have drilled it out already if it isn't nice and loose, carefull application of a screw driver might help to unwind it?
If you get really stuck and can't get an original from citroen then i have a big load of them individually wrapped and while i'm not looking to get rid of them they might help in the short term.
So long as you have some thread left you should be okay getting it back out, but i'd be surprised if you have drilled it out already if it isn't nice and loose, carefull application of a screw driver might help to unwind it?
Just to mention I have bought the said item from Citroen. They are very nice being solid gold inside under that silvery finish but I suppose I should expect that at £5 each!Vanny wrote:from my experience, buy Citroen bleed nipples!! God knows what there made of but there stupidly hard and very difficult to snap, twice the price of 'factor nipples (so like £1 each) but worth there weight.
How much? 
Vw also use a similar M7
Breaking throgh the bottom of the nipple is common, make sure you've not gone to far into the alloy! as for nipples most calipers in std form use a fine M7 thread, so I just tap them out to M8 and use common ones from factors and coat them librally in copper grease. if there's not a good base for the cone of a normal nipple to seat on then ball bearing is fine, and just pressure it with a short bolt.
as for prevention, allways clean nipples first, and try using Loctite freeze and release spray - it brilliant. especially if used BEFORE trying to turn it!!!
Also dont try to turn them with 12 point wrenches or in fact any spanner! as you can get weird shear loadings which is what busts them, far better to use a closefitting 1/4 drive socket and T bar so you get purely twisting action.if theyre mangled or worm use an imperial socket and if neccessary tap it on with a mallet the shock can hardly hurt its chances.
as for remains removal try vannys method but don't cook the seals with youre heat!! domestic blow torches are fine a s calipers are designed to gte hot, just noy glowing oxy acetylene hot...
if you wish to use an tapered easy out thats great but they expand the remains as you turn, I find it better to drill throiugh the centere with small pilot drill and use a parallel extractor - or in most cases a Small size TORX bit which just get hammered in!!
Ollie
Vw also use a similar M7Breaking throgh the bottom of the nipple is common, make sure you've not gone to far into the alloy! as for nipples most calipers in std form use a fine M7 thread, so I just tap them out to M8 and use common ones from factors and coat them librally in copper grease. if there's not a good base for the cone of a normal nipple to seat on then ball bearing is fine, and just pressure it with a short bolt.
as for prevention, allways clean nipples first, and try using Loctite freeze and release spray - it brilliant. especially if used BEFORE trying to turn it!!!
Also dont try to turn them with 12 point wrenches or in fact any spanner! as you can get weird shear loadings which is what busts them, far better to use a closefitting 1/4 drive socket and T bar so you get purely twisting action.if theyre mangled or worm use an imperial socket and if neccessary tap it on with a mallet the shock can hardly hurt its chances.
as for remains removal try vannys method but don't cook the seals with youre heat!! domestic blow torches are fine a s calipers are designed to gte hot, just noy glowing oxy acetylene hot...
if you wish to use an tapered easy out thats great but they expand the remains as you turn, I find it better to drill throiugh the centere with small pilot drill and use a parallel extractor - or in most cases a Small size TORX bit which just get hammered in!!
Ollie
nips
I always give them a good clean and plenty of plus gas the night before, if they do snap then my trusty stid extractors come out to play, never failed me yet.
Cheers
Luke
Cheers
Luke
Please call me Luke 
1989 BX 16valve White 70k almost up to scratch
1989 BX 16valve White 70k almost up to scratch
All wise words and good tips,ollie wrote:How much?
Breaking throgh the bottom of the nipple is common, make sure you've not gone to far into the alloy! as for nipples most calipers in std form use a fine M7 thread, so I just tap them out to M8 and use common ones from factors and coat them librally in copper grease. if there's not a good base for the cone of a normal nipple to seat on then ball bearing is fine, and just pressure it with a short bolt.
as for prevention, allways clean nipples first, and try using Loctite freeze and release spray - it brilliant. especially if used BEFORE trying to turn it!!!
Also dont try to turn them with 12 point wrenches or in fact any spanner! as you can get weird shear loadings which is what busts them, far better to use a closefitting 1/4 drive socket and T bar so you get purely twisting action.if theyre mangled or worm use an imperial socket and if neccessary tap it on with a mallet the shock can hardly hurt its chances.
as for remains removal try vannys method but don't cook the seals with youre heat!! domestic blow torches are fine a s calipers are designed to gte hot, just noy glowing oxy acetylene hot...
if you wish to use an tapered easy out thats great but they expand the remains as you turn, I find it better to drill throiugh the centere with small pilot drill and use a parallel extractor - or in most cases a Small size TORX bit which just get hammered in!!
Ollie
the situation is now addressed but I like the sound of the Loctite stuff and will be getting a tin
