Front caliper hose fitting seized

[hotpurple]

Hi all, I’ve been at this about an hour but so far no luck. I’ve got a pair of front callipers to fit to my 2001 S2 Elise, but I’m having some trouble getting the hydraulic fitting undone. It seems to be seized in solid. Has anyone got any tips for what I can try? I guess it’s not been undone in 19 years and has corroded in to the aluminium body of the caliper. I’ve tried hitting it with a copper mallet, hitting the spanner with said mallet and also hearing it with a blow torch. I’m being quite careful with the latter as I’m acutely aware that there’s a rubber hose coming out of the fitting. 

 

[Phil S1]

If you have any Plusgas or the like to hand then I would give it a good spray with that and leave it overnight before having another go. I would have thought that and some more carefully directed heat towards the alloy body ought to do it.

[Daveb99]

These can be a real pig, as can the bleed valves on the other side.   You could try soaking it in PlusGas or similar, are you using an open ended ring spanner so it grips on the flats?   Maybe put a bar / tube on the spanner to try and get a bit more torque, but be careful.

Failing this, more heat is the only other thing I can suggest ...

[Daveb99]

Haha, great minds Phil......!

[Phil S1]

1 minute ago, Daveb99 said:

Haha, great minds Phil......!

Lol, what are the chances 😄

[MrWill]

Plus gas... lots of

I"d Clap the piston and cut the line so I could get an impact driver/socket on the end. or failing that a breaker bar. 

If you do heat it up, wait for it to cool before hitting it with a hammer - the heat and cooling cycle and the impact shock sometimes break the surface bond. Then  intimidate it with the impact driver or a breaker bar. 

Good luck 👍 

 

[hotpurple]

Thanks guys, pretty much exactly what I’ve already tried. I’ll have another go soon, I’ve sprayed more 3 in 1 on it so hopefully it’ll work. Fingers crossed. 

[MrWill]

I suspect a garage with a heat induction gun would have it off in a jiffy. Many times I wish I had one... but the cost makes me cringe. 

Surprised the impact driver hasn't worked. As for your breaker bar have you extended with a pipe by another meter. 

Keep going with the spray / heat / impact driver and breaker. Your best weapon is going to be persevernce and patience 😉

If you want something left of field then IF you are able to clamp the caliper solid so the pipe is horizontal you could Put a spanner on it / or your breaker bar and use a small scissor jack out of the wife's car to push the spanner/breaker up i.e. Turn the hose end.  Be careful I wouldn't do this unless your set up is rock solid like it would be if it was still attached to the car. If somthing goes 'ping' under load you won't have time to duck 🤕.