Rear brake bleeding nipple

[Dutch wedge]

Hi,

New Wedge owner here, with a question on bleeding the brakes of my wedge. Seems the breakfluid is boiling as I can make up from a search on the forum. After a ride returning to the garage, no brake pressure. After cooling down it is back again. No leakage spotted and brakefluid still in resevoir.

So bought the brakefluid and a bleeder, now it turns out I do not have a bleeding nipple on my rear calliper. It seems just a bolt with an odd size for European size (I'm Dutch)

Questions:

1. It should be located on the passenger side correct (right hand side driven car)
2. Did other wedge owners experienced this and is this per design, or should there always be a bleeder? (Maybe it broke off and previous owner did not bother to fix?)
3. Any advices on next steps? I can find rearbreak bleeders for rear brakes for wedges on the web, are they always the same size?
4. Should I remove the calliper as said the location of the nipple is difficult to reach and give it another go to remove the bolt and is this something a starter / non technical person can perform or should I ask an expert?

Thanks in advance Patrick

[pk500]

That’s normally a seized calliper what makes fluid boil there about £70 for a recon unit the other thing they suffer with is master cylinder sticks a replacement is about £75

Edited by pk500 on Sunday 4th July 17:58

[Toltec]

Steve Heath used to sell a remote bleeding kit, a length of braided brake line with a fitting to the caliper one end and a fitting with a bleed nipple at the other. It makes bleeding the rears a lot easier once you have sorted them out.

On track days while the fluid never boiled the discs could get hot enough to boil the grease out of the ujs which then ended up all over said discs...

[adam quantrill]

Hi Patrick,

how about a photo of the calliper with the bolt (and also one of the other side to be complete)?

Usually as I recall the bleed side is on the left. One side the main line goes in, then a second line goes from that calliper to the other side, then next to that is the bleed nipple.

If there is a bolt instead maybe someone broke the bleed nipple, drilled it out, and tapped the hole.

[sean ie3]

I think they are an 8mm spanner size possibly 6mm and easily broken. A new calliper is the easy answer I think, If you're doing the job at home give what remains of the nipple a soak in WD40, give it a hammer on the side and try a removal tap. Then buy a new calliper.

[KKson]

As Adam says above, the way all three of my Wedges have been plumbed is flexible to rear offside brake caliper, and offside outer piston, then cross link on second threaded top connection over to the offside inner piston, then long cross over pipe to nearside caliper, inner piston, short connector from inner piston to outer piston and finally one bleed nipple. Nipples are 3/8" x 24 UNF. I've rebuilt mine with a simple rebuild kit and new stainless pistons without issue so if you can get the old bolt out there should be no reason to buy a new one. if the bolt comes out and the thread is undamaged then fine.

Here's a picture of my diff going back in. Your can see the various cross pipes. The bleed nipple nearest the camera is where the flexible feed from the master cylinder goes. I just screwed a nipple in temporarily to stop any crap getting in during the diff install.

[Dutch wedge]

Thanks guys,

That is realy helpfull. Issue and smell was with the right front brake, so will change the calliper on that as suggested. That seems to be an easier job for a newby anyway

Will have another look on the rear calliper on the right side to see if I can find the bleeding nipple, otherwise I need remove it and fix or replace it.

Some work to do!

Thanks for the advices

Patrick

[KKson]

Patrick, good luck. The rear brakes on the Wedge are the most stupidly designed item on the car for access, and I hate them with a passion. Both of my rear calipers were seized when I dragged my SEAC out of a barn after 15 years. I decided to drop the entire diff to make life easy. I really struggle to get my fat hands in to work on the rear calipers. Several people have cut a hole in the boot to gain access and then fitted a cover plate. Cheers.

[colin mee]

I think the jag has a service hatch in the boot