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Front brake caliper bleed nipple cross threaded??

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Old Mar 24, 2021 | 08:13 PM
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Default Front brake caliper bleed nipple cross threaded??

Hi guys,
just took possession of this '02 Fatboy and went to bleed the front brake as it is pretty soft / spongy / weak....

The bleed nipple hex section is very burred / rounded and wrench is difficult to turn it, but it does turn and I was able to bleed it a bit.

But my thinking is that the whole bleed nipple is crooked in the caliper and has been torqued down and cross threaded by the previous owner.

Does it look cross threaded / crooked to you?
It's not leaking or weeping really?

Thanks for any advice.



 
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Old Mar 24, 2021 | 08:17 PM
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Needs to be removed and the bleeder needs to be inspected. The calipers threads also need to be inspected. Possibly just a screwed up bleeder.
 
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Old Mar 24, 2021 | 08:21 PM
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That doesn't look good from here
 
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Old Mar 24, 2021 | 09:17 PM
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Does not look out of alignment, looks like a wrong size open ended wrench was used. Should use a 6 point closed end wrench for opening and closing bleeder nipples. Does not take much force to bugger them up. If you are going to get new bleeders, get some speed bleeders, you can thank me later. http://www.speedbleeder.com/

 
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Old Mar 24, 2021 | 09:46 PM
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+1 on speed bleeders.
 
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Old Mar 25, 2021 | 05:55 AM
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Remove it, use a tap to correct the threads in the caliper and if the threads are ok on the bleeder reinstall it with Teflon paste.
There wasn't any reason to remove the bleeder that it was installed crooked unless it was replaced.
It might already be a speed bleeder.
 
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Old Mar 25, 2021 | 05:57 AM
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Looking at it again , it looks like the wrong size bleeder.
 
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Old Mar 25, 2021 | 09:01 AM
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Unless my screen is cockeyed that bleeder screw is big time crooked ... Gotta wonder how it seals ... Optical Illusion ??
 
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Old Mar 25, 2021 | 09:46 AM
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Originally Posted by Uncle Larry
... Optical Illusion ??
Yes, the caliper has a radius across the the threaded opening ... makes it look "off"

Look how inline the casting around the screw Bore is with the screw

Plus it should leak if not inline with it's "seat"


But I'm not saying that those can't be cross threaded or even thst this one isn't



.
 
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Old Mar 25, 2021 | 11:17 AM
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Take the bleeder out. And inspect the thread in the caliper. Possible that the bleeder is bent. Does the bleeder leak? Don’t put Teflon tape on the threads. The bleeder seal with the taper on the bottom of the bleeder. Speed bleeder or Oem replacement bleeder.
 
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