Club 80-90 Forums

Just swapped a front caliper today and although I got the bleed nipple undone with an adjustable spanner and my small spanners have gone awol but I was worried about rounding the head wanted to get a flare spanner for the other side. I thought the head was 8mm but the interweb is quoting 7mm. Most sets start at 8mm. Does anyone know if its 7 or 8

Normally 7mm, sometimes 9mm or 11mm

Cheer BH ordered a 7mm to arrive tomorrow

IMO an eight flat long series box or ring spanner has least risk of rounding off bleed nipples rather than a flare spanner which is I believe, principally of use for brake pipes.
Just a thought
CS

Box spanner with a long rod through the hole - this enables you to push/pull at the same time lessening the chances of wringing it off as so often happens to people who use a spanner.

After YEARS and YEARS doing v-dub brakes, I found the technique with old ones is to get some good molegrips (not cheap chinese ones) and clamp it on base of nipple tight. Light tap with hammer will move it, at which point you move to the 7mm ring spanner

Start with the spanner and you'll almost certainly round it off or even snap it if you're unlucky. In one extreme case I had to bleed via the flexi-hose as the nipple had vanished. Not the way to do it though

The mere mention of bleed nipples and mole grips is the first tool I reach for. It just works.

Spoilt for choice. Thanks Gents. Dont have box spanners or molegrips. Tempted to go down the molegrip route as its versatile tool and I can get rid of some crappy pliers I've got in the van

Sir Brixalot wrote:Spoilt for choice. Thanks Gents. Dont have box spanners or molegrips. Tempted to go down the molegrip route as its versatile tool and I can get rid of some crappy pliers I've got in the van

You can buy brake nipple spanners. Stockwell motors would probably stock them, don't bodge it with mole grips.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LASER-2602-BR ... SwUuFWwyfG" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Bodge? bodge? It works well and does no damage to the nipple. Sure, you can buy dedicated tools but it'll be a minority that do. Most owners work with what they've got but its a high probability with a bleed nipple thats not been undone for possibly years, to round off with a 7mm ring spanner then probably have to strip the whole thing down. Not worth risking it and just about everyone has molegrips. Its only to start it after all. Takes a second.

CovKid wrote:Bodge? bodge? It works well and does no damage to the nipple. Sure, you can buy dedicated tools but it'll be a minority that do. Most owners work with what they've got but its a high probability with a bleed nipple thats not been undone for possibly years, to round off with a 7mm ring spanner then probably have to strip the whole thing down. Not worth risking it and just about everyone has molegrips. Its only to start it after all. Takes a second.

Well I am known for my bodging capability but do find that mole wrenches can spring and round off hexes if under adjusted and crush if over adjusted. But I do use them end on and very tight for undoing misused cross slot round headed screws.
CS