This is a PSA for the DIY'ers. Play with your brake nipples at least once a year during tire rotation, don't forget to put some anti-seize or hi-temp caliper grease on the threads at minimum...just to ensure they can spin and never freeze up.

Attempting my 60k scheduled brake fluid replacement, all went smooth except the last caliper on the front drivers side, the brake nipple broke off even with soaking with PBblaster for 15-20 min. . My RX is a 2010 CPO picked up at 37k. Brakes were last serviced by Lexus 2 years ago for pads. Apparently a pad slap and possible rotor resurface was performed. I have to drop the caliper off in the morning at the machine shop. My attempts with a reverse drill bit and ez-out with heat and quenching with pb-blaster, ice, and wax have failed ..short of breaking off an ez-out i don't trust to shear. I expect the shop to build some beads and weld on a nut to spin it off.

 

PB Blaster is junk, and so is WD40! Make your own solution of 50% acetone and 50% automatic transmission fluid.... Shake vigorously before using because the components will separate if left sitting very long... much cheaper, doesn't stink, and 10x more effective than any "penetrating fluid" you can find in a local box store. There are some commercial grade penetrating fluids which are excellent, but the better ones are hard to find (i.e. JB 80 by Justice Brothers, Kroil products by Kano Labs, Penetro 90 by Schaeffer Manufacturing being the BEST).

 

50/50 acetone and atf works great, I just didn't think to use it in this application. The torque spec according to the manual should have been a light 8 ft/lbs. Anyways, I've decided to get a re-manufactured caliper. It may or may not cost me the same without a lifetime guarantee if i get the machinist to back out the broken nipple....with typical heating methods used for extraction, he may fry my seals in the process. All hardware, dust boots and seals will be new and no labor needed to pull apart and regrease the slide pins.

 

Dang! F250, that's how you rollin'?....Note taken!

Thank you!

 

Just use a reverse cut drill (easy out). Having a drill press and proper clamp with tons of grease on the bit will do the trick. Just rinse out the innards to flush out any burrs. You can always get a caliper from a salvage yard.

I think some one went ape while torquing.

Salim

 

reverse cut drill and ez out are two different tools. Ez out has become more a generic term for screw extractors, but the right one would have been a straight fluted style extractor I don't own, the spiral ones that you referred to would expand the damaged bolt in the bore and tighten the upper portion in the threads. With stubborn stuck bolts with small diameters like this brake bleeder, you must have 100% confidence in the spiral cut extractors to handle the torque load. Grease would be useless in this type of situation.

Everything equal..nothing on a vehicle is more important than brakes, i would not cheap out on a junkyard caliper that potentially sat a long time and have frozen pistons in its bores due to exposure to the elements or water attracting old brake fluid. For the labor involved and trips to the store to refurbish a junkyard caliper it simply isn't worth it. New and fresh refurbished calipers are everywhere and often with lifetime guarantee for oem applications.

 

Good luck with your effort. There are more than one solution to the problem so take the route that works for you.. If any one does opt for a salvage yard, cleaning and servicing the slave piston would be a must,

Salim

 

In a previous life, I was an independent rep for Schaeffer and did a LOT of testing with competing penetrating fluids and engine oils. I still have a residual supply of some Schaeffer products (a couple grades of high moly grease, Penetro 90, some oil, ATF, and fuel additives. The Pentro 90 is out of this world in its effectiveness, and though it doesn't smell very nice, it's not nearly as stinky as PB Blaster and works 10x better!