Bleeding brake system without opening FR caliper valves?

[QueenTheCar]

The valves on my front right caliper (a brand new "Cardone" knockoff) are wayy to tight to open, even after trying heat and penetrating oil. There is hella air in the system from replacing all four calipers and the soft lines in the front. Is there a way to get enough air out through the other calipers for the system to be functional?

[Redwood Chair]

No.

[Redwood Chair]

You have to cool the brass fitting with an ice cube after heating since non ferrous expands at twice the rate of ferrous.

[Mr. V]

I'd remove the caliper from the car and put it in a vise to try and work the stuck fitting off as stated above.

If it breaks you can either drill it out, re-tap it and put in and oversize fitting or simply toss it and buy a new one.

[cleanflametrap]

Originally Posted by Redwood Chair

You have to cool the brass fitting with an ice cube after heating since non ferrous expands at twice the rate of ferrous.

Isn't this about bleeder valves?

Originally Posted by QueenTheCar

The valves on my front right caliper (a brand new "Cardone" knockoff) are wayy to tight to open, even after trying heat and penetrating oil. ...

Being hollow, I'm always afraid to put any slow brute force on these, so I will (in the case of the original 8mm bleeders) put the box end of an 8mm combo wrench on the bleeder valve and knock at the the wrench with a small ballpein hammer. Haven't broken one this way ... yet. Surely have the other way.

[Redwood Chair]

Originally Posted by cleanflametrap

Isn't this about bleeder valves?

Same principle but better odds with like materials.

[2turbotoys]

Return/replace the caliper as defective, Cardone will do that.

Edit: A Cardone knock off? How about buying a better brand? A Cardone knockoff is like buying the generic version of a generic version of something, don't do that

[QueenTheCar]

Originally Posted by Redwood Chair

You have to cool the brass fitting with an ice cube after heating since non ferrous expands at twice the rate of ferrous.

Makes sense! Made some ice cubes overnight and will try this after turkey.

[QueenTheCar]

Originally Posted by 2turbotoys

A Cardone knock off? How about buying a better brand? A Cardone knockoff is like buying the generic version of a generic version of something, don't do that

Is Cardone a reputable caliper brand? Pretty sure its the actual Cardone brand, which as it is is a knockoff of the Volvo ones.

I suspect they cast their own calipers instead of rebuilding original Volvo ones cuz the casting quality was hella blobby. Not only that but the bleeder valves use an odd size wrench somewhere in between 1/4 and 7/32. AND they make them too damn tight to open without destroying.

Don't buy Cardone calipers!!

[Redwood Chair]

Originally Posted by QueenTheCar

Makes sense! Made some ice cubes overnight and will try this after turkey.

Furthermore you should have thouroughly & completely bled each corner after replacing components, otherwise you may get air stuck in the rear proportioning valves.

Bad juju very bad juju.

[Redwood Chair]

And don't forget the cleanflametrap brake stick™ when you do have the system open.

[MasterBlaster]

Originally Posted by QueenTheCar

The valves on my front right caliper (a brand new "Cardone" knockoff) are wayy to tight to open

Originally Posted by QueenTheCar

Not only that but the bleeder valves use an odd size wrench somewhere in between 11/16 and 5/8.

Um... 11/16? 5/8? That seems awfully huge for a bleeder.
You sure you're trying to unscrew the right part?

Here's a Rockauto Cardone Reman RF caliper for a 1979 245 with vented rotors.

The center bleeder seems to be screwed into an adapter of some kind, possibly to repair previously stripped bleeder threads. If that's what it is, you do NOT want to unscrew it.

[QueenTheCar]

My bad i misremembered the sizes
The size of the bleeder valves was actually somewhere between 1/4 and 7/32, without any adapter fitting.

I appreciate the research tho man!

After spending hours trying the ice cube trick to no avail I ended up bleeding the RF from the flare nut fittings where the mini hard lines go into the caliper: Open flare nut, press pedal, cleanflametrap brake stick™, close flare nut, release pedal, repeat. Now both front calipers seem to clamp down equally strong. (although the rears aren't great it should be enough to stop the car)

Mega pissed at Cardone for making their bleeder valves so stupidly tight that unscrewing rusted 43 year old ones seemed like a walk in the park.

[Radtap]

Sure it isn’t 8mm?

[Redwood Chair]

Originally Posted by Radtap

Sure it isn’t 8mm?

On OE brakes it is.

[MarioDrivesaBrick]

Originally Posted by Redwood Chair

And don't forget the cleanflametrap brake stick™ when you do have the system open.

At what point is this done when opening a brake system?

[Redwood Chair]

Originally Posted by MarioDrivesaBrick

At what point is this done when opening a brake system?

Before opening the system to prevent flow from the MC.