I don't know how you guys up north deal with it. I am from Florida and got a great deal on a Connecticut 01 XJ. When I started removing bolts for a lift I have broken everything from shock bolts, Sway bar links, brake line and steering box and bumper bolts. But today after reparing all the hard line that broke installing the longer softlines, my damn brake bleeder broke off at the head in the rear. Sorry just some venting from a southern boy dealing with a Yankee XJ.

 

Pb Blaster and Kroil have come to be some of my best friends.

 

since moving from Colorado to Illinois i now buy Pb blaster by the gallon not by the spray can

 

 

I broke BOTH rear bleeders on the old Dodge Caravan recently. Adjusters were seized up too. Had to RIP the drums and all hardware out and replace EVERYTHING in the rears.


I think I doubled the value of the van with the $75 in new brakes.

 

My buddy broke his bleeders on his car a couple months back, it was funny, brought it in to the shop for a quick bleed, the car was left in the shop or a month cause the car was such a treat to work with. Nothing wanted to cooperate.

 

^LOL.

Yeah, my Cherokee, I stripped the bleeders... with one turn, So I called my buddy, (P)auly (B)oy Blaster, and we had a good old time. After seeing what was inside, I replaced it all. I don't know how those springs didn't shatter, I mean, hell, I touched them and they were dust.

 

At least wheel cylinders are cheap to replace.

 

That's the worst part about living in the north. Almost every nut or bolt under my jeep is rusted in place unless it has been recently replaced/broken.

 

anti-seize everything when reinstalling.

my rear wheel cylinder on the d/s isn't any good...so, I pinched the heck out of the hard line. I refuse flat out to work on drum brakes. it can wait until I have the time to put discs on it.

drums are worthless piles of garbage that take too long to replace, and cost twice as much as most discs ever will.

 

Ya if this is your first one be thankful you're not up north. I've had to replace cylinders a few times just because of the bleeder. It's not rare to come across parts with nuts and bolts so rusted/seized/corroded there's nothing you can do besides cut and replace. Bolt heads so corroded they look like big rivets (no bolt head left).

 

This.

 

I grew up in Pennsylvania - I *expect* to have to replace calipers and wheel cylinders due to bleeders being un-extractable. I'm always pleasantly surprised when they come loose. Before doing any brake work I always check them first so if I have to go buy more stuff at least the car isn't apart. kind of like always check the fill plug before draining any fluids...

 

Wait, what?

 

well glad I'm not alone, hah. This all came from me thinking I had a 5 minute job of replacing my stock brake hoses after my lift. Broke hard line in 3 places. Just got that flared and fixed to have the bleeder brake. arghh.