Anyone ever have their bleeder valve "weld" itself in the caliper? I tried to loosen the bleeder valve and it wouldn't budge. Using the correct sized socket it stripped the edges off of the valve. Then used vice grips and clamped it HARD... all that happened was a tore material off of the bleeder valve. Now I'm stuck with having to get a new caliper. Unless anyone has any ideas on how to get the damn thing out.

 

Had the same problem on my 97 rear caliper. It already looked partially stripped when I got it. Visegrips didn't work for me either. I had to pound on a smaller socket and then it took a lot of force to get it out. In the end it stripped off most of the threads of the valve but still left enough threads in the caliper to get a new valve in.

 

Try hosing it down with PB Blaster or Kroil, or any kind of creeping oil, for a day before you attack it again. Those are the best ones I have found so far.

 

Use a controlled heat.....and cool metheod

 

buy a new bleeder, determine thread type and dia. drill and tap.

 

thanks for all the input. I talked to a friend and he had this super hot torch and a heat shielding blanket that we put on the caliper and bike, then blasted the bleeder area. Used a bigger vice grip and it finally broke after a couple of tries. And I mean broke in terms of broke loose so I will put the new bleeder in tomorrow. Now I have to see if I can cancel the dealer order for a new caliper. Again, thanks for all the suggestions!

 

speed bleeders man, they rock!