Got the bleeder screw, which was rusted and stripped, off the left front Brembo caliper from a set I purchased second-hand. Completely stripped on the inside, no threads.

I'm not foolish, so I know there is no other course of action that's safe for tracking besides replacing the entire caliper.

What now?

Where can I get a single (left front) caliper without it costing $$$$$? These are on my car so I can't be too patient.

I hadn't exactly budgeted for buying 5 Brembo calipers...

Thanks guys.

 

You should try using a stripped bolt extractor first. The bleeder valves are purposely made out of a pretty soft metal so it shouldnt be too difficult to extract.

 

I've heard of someone re-tapping and fitting a larger bleeder screw in it.

 

^ yes, you can do that!

Take the old bleeder with you and get the next larger size, HOWEVER, get it in a speed bleeder so you wont be removing it anymore. retap the hole to new threads.

search the end of the junkyard world in your area.......start with www.car-parts.com and go from there....


If you want a single front caliper, pm me as i know where you can get one by itself.

Im working on putting 6 brembos on my car!?!?!
-J

 

This is very helpful! Any ideas on sizing on a larger bleeder screw, or a store that would carry such a thing?

 

I purchased my speed bleeders from NAPA. They had a fairly large selection, although you may need to special order it if it's a size up from factory.

 

PM acidjake75...he dealt with EXACTLY this same issue!

napa, autozone, etc will have some brand of them.............

SPL parts has some as well in stock last i saw them in his shop...he would be knowledgeable to ask on this for sure......

-J

 

Try a coil,

They are relatively easy to do and allow you to use the same size screw. (Provided I understand the nature of the stripped item correctly)

 

Drill it out and install an insert like wilwood uses in their calipers may work.

 

Thanks everyone.
Update:

My car is at my friend's house who is helping me –– he is much more mechanically-inclined than me and generously spend part of his day off today getting a tap and die brake bleeder repair kit and drilling out the caliper. It was screwed in solid, he did an awesome job.

We bled the brakes and it there was a slight leak there where it was rethreaded. It's ****ed. We unscrewed, it looked at it, I can't possibly see how fluid could escape.

Like I said, it was in there solid, the threads go down quite far and yet it still can't seal. Ghetto rigging isn't going to work.

So, where can I get a caliper that I know is in good condition?

 

Any decent machine shop should be able to insert a helicoil (or whatever brand they carry) for you. There really is no need for a new caliper.

 

Just wanted to throw my .02 out there. You are going to want to try to get the bleeder out as smooth as possible. You can tap it yourself if you have a kit. If not, then your best bet is to just bring it to a machine shop.... 25 dollars tops will take care of it. If you have a tap kit and plan on doing it, then you will need to purchase a bleeder larger than the original. Bring the stock bleeder to NAPA or any other parts place and search for one with a larger thread. The important part is the thread pattern. You need to match the new bleeder with the tap bit you are going to use.

As far as the tap bit goes, you want a bit that you can insert into the bad thread hole 1/4 the way through. You will have to try a couple different size bits to get the right one. But make sure the tap bit you have is the same thread size and pattern of the new bleeder.

When tapping, put the bit into the hole straight as possible and give a couple small taps with a rubber mallet. Now you want to do the following very carefully by hand. With most tap bits, you will use an adjustable wrench. Make sure the bit is straight. Using the adjustable wrench or what is needed for the bit and turn the bit clock wise slowly. The important part here is to have the bit catch the metal. You want to screw the tap bit until it is half way then unscrew the tap bit.

Search around on google for some "how to's" on tapping. What i mentioned should only be used as a guide.

-NissanTracker

 

Thanks for the replies, but we've already tapped it.



It was in there really well, it was done really cleanly. The threads on the fitting go in about a half inch. And still, it leaked from around the threads when we bled the system.

Machine shops, helicoils all sound great but I'm going to have the same problem. I can take it to a machine shop and they can do a beautiful job, but in the end there is no guarantee it's going to hold pressure to bleed the brakes, let alone hold pressure at hundreds of degrees on a race track.

Because of this experience now I am now extremely cynical of rigging it, because what's on there now looks and has every reason to be an airtight connection... but for whatever reason, isn't. Every "experiment" that doesn't work is wasting more time that I'm without a car, and annoyingly, the car is at a friend's house an hour away.

So does anyone know where I can buy a single caliper, I'm leaning towards the reputable side? Whenever you search Brembo 350Z all you get is those stupid caliper covers, haha.

 

junk yard is about the only way your gonna find a single one quick and easy........

most have return policies...if an issue like this arises when you install them, they will take them back....

-J

 

Nissan, but they are expensive. Best bet is to let a machine shop get to work on it and the get the set powdercoated again.

 

I guess I don't understand. They can add metal? Also, I have no doubt that they can get a fitting but I'll have no way of knowing if it's sealed and if it will hold pressure until I put it on. If it doesn't, more wasted time without a car....

 

A good machinist will look at it and be able to tell you if they can repair it. The threads will be required to hold pressure so I would imagine they would suggest going to a larger size bleeder valve (no big deal) and then they will tap the new size fitting in with a mating fit, NPT or AN (not sure which is the standard for the valves). Disregard what I said previously about the thread insert, I forgot the amount of pressure these are required to hold without leaking. After the machinist is done with it you can get the powdercoating OEM style and your basically at about half the cost of one new caliper.