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Brake job gone wrong

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10+ Year Contributor
1,073
1
Sep 2, 2012
Findlay, Ohio
So I had another derp, but this one is baddddd. So I cross threaded a mounting bolt on the caliper and I couldn't afford to not be able to drive an I can't afford another caliper, so I put it in as much as I could and had to drive 3 hours to a funeral, on the way there, the bolt decided to scram and I found this out when I hit the brakes and a horrible grinding sound appeared. I pulled over slowly and was brought to a rough stop *ooooof, checked out what happened and the caliper was digging into the rim as it was half way on, out of desperation, I stole a bolt from the passenger seat bracket and stuck it in there, it's holding, but just barely, the slightest turn and it will come out with ease. So my question is, are there any cheap solutions, or do I just need a whole new caliper?
 
You have balls messing with your brake like that,you need a new caliper get one before you get someone killed.
 
Hmm, guess there are no cheap solutions LOL. It's really scary for me, but I truly can't afford to be careless for a second. Time to hunt for a caliper I can afford.
 
I have to say it was incredibly dangerous driving a vehicle with a known weak point on your caliper mounting. You really need to think of others on the road before doing something like that.

With that done, you can take the caliper to a machine shop and see if the threads can be repaired. Otherwise you're kind of out of luck and will have to find a new caliper.
 
You could also just helicoil it. I imagine you cross threaded the bracket the caliper bolts to. You could also just get another bracket in the classifieds, Craigslist, or junk yard.
 
I'd look on craigslist for a part out. You might get it cheap.
 
Ill look into tapping it, never did that before. I cross threaded the part of the caliper that the bolt goes into to attach it to the mounting bracket. I made the 4 hour drive back ok, and I have to make another 7 hour drive tomorrow for another emergency. I used RTV along with that last resort bolt and I think that's helping it stay for now.
 
Ill look into tapping it, never did that before. I cross threaded the part of the caliper that the bolt goes into to attach it to the mounting bracket. I made the 4 hour drive back ok, and I have to make another 7 hour drive tomorrow for another emergency. I used RTV along with that last resort bolt and I think that's helping it stay for now.

I don't mean to sound harsh, but DO NOT drive it, you are going to get killed or kill someone else driving it like this. Brakes are not something that should be done half ass like this. Pull the caliper bracket, run a tap thru it, go grab a grade 10.9 bolt from the hardware store and put it in there. There is no emergency that is worth dieing or killing someone else over.
 
I don't mean to sound harsh, but DO NOT drive it, you are going to get killed or kill someone else driving it like this. Brakes are not something that should be done half ass like this. Pull the caliper bracket, run a tap thru it, go grab a grade 10.9 bolt from the hardware store and put it in there. There is no emergency that is worth dieing or killing someone else over.

You always show up when I have brake issues :p I'll have to at least drive it to the hardware store, and get the stuff. Its kind of hard to find a clear article online about "tapping" if someone could send me in the right direction, that would be great. Would I need any power tools for this? Because I have none and no access to any.
 
Tapping a hole is easy (insert sexual pun). It's pretty self explanatory. Just use some lube. God, this entire line is sexually suggestive.

Just get the correct tap, and thread it in there. I've always used a ratched and socket to turn the tap.
 
:notgood:YOU SIR ARE A ASSHOLE FOR DRIVNG LIKE THAT AT ALL. YOU COULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE.

Thanks for the flame and not offering any HELPFUL advice. As you can read above, I've been flamed enough, I've learned my lesson and I am trying to make an ample effort to fix it.

Tapping a hole is easy (insert sexual pun). It's pretty self explanatory. Just use some lube. God, this entire line is sexually suggestive.

Just get the correct tap, and thread it in there. I've always used a ratched and socket to turn the tap.

Thanks for the useful help man. Where can I find the numbers for the tap and bolt I would need? I'll do this tomorrow.
 
Step-by-step process:

1: Take a good bolt to the part store so you can get the correct tap.
2: Put some sort of lube on threads.
3: Thread the tap in.

It's that simple. I usually thread it in a bit and then back it out and clean out the shavings, then thread it in deeper.

It's a simple process.

Thanks for the flame and not offering any HELPFUL advice. As you can read above, I've been flamed enough, I've learned my lesson and I am trying to make an ample effort to fix it.



Thanks for the useful help man. Where can I find the numbers for the tap and bolt I would need? I'll do this tomorrow.

Just take one of the good mount bolts. They should all be the same. Get one off the other side if you have to. Then go to a parts store with it (use Napa) and tell them you need a tap that is the same thread. They'll get you the right one.
 
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Step-by-step process:

1: Take a good bolt to the part store so you can get the correct tap.
2: Put some sort of lube on threads.
3: Thread the tap in.

It's that simple. I usually thread it in a bit and then back it out and clean out the shavings, then thread it in deeper.

It's a simple process.



Just take one of the good mount bolts. They should all be the same. Get one off the other side if you have to. Then go to a parts store with it (use Napa) and tell them you need a tap that is the same thread. They'll get you the right one.

Doing that tomorrow first thing in the morning. You sir have probably saved multiple lives, including a fellow DSMer! 2nd time my life has been saved by these forums
 
You always show up when I have brake issues :p I'll have to at least drive it to the hardware store, and get the stuff. Its kind of hard to find a clear article online about "tapping" if someone could send me in the right direction, that would be great. Would I need any power tools for this? Because I have none and no access to any.

You can't have a friend pick you up or something?? I definitely wouldn't drive it.. Extremely unsafe.. And not trying to be rude or anything but if you thought that putting a bolt in a cross threaded hole on a brake caliper was a good idea and was safe to drive a car like that, you probably shouldn't be doing repairs on your car yourself. You might want to have someone who is a bit more knowledgeable do it or as least help you do it.
 
You can't have a friend pick you up or something?? I definitely wouldn't drive it.. Extremely unsafe.. And not trying to be rude or anything but if you thought that putting a bolt in a cross threaded hole on a brake caliper was a good idea and was safe to drive a car like that, you probably shouldn't be doing repairs on your car yourself. You might want to have someone who is a bit more knowledgeable do it or as least help you do it.

I have already received enough flame for this, I didn't ask for a lesson on safety, I asked for a solution. I recognize the fact that it is not safe, but technically is the fact that the car has no air-bags. It was intended as a temporary fix, unknowingly cross-threaded, and didn't know the bolt would come flying out. The secondary bolt was intended as a side-of-the-highway fix until I could get home and post this very thread, which in-turn got me the answers I needed. If I truly wanted to be the unsafe asshole you are making out of me, I would have made no attempt to explore other solutions. I will come back and mark this as resolved tomorrow if tapping the caliper goes through. Thanks again to those that actually helped.
 
Start the tap thru the back side of the hole where the threads are still good so it goes thru straight. The tap should be a 12x1.25 .
 
This explains tue basics of tapping, i was a kid when i first tapped and i had no instruction so it really is that easy buddy

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.
 
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I have already received enough flame for this, I didn't ask for a lesson on safety, I asked for a solution. I recognize the fact that it is not safe, but technically is the fact that the car has no air-bags. It was intended as a temporary fix, unknowingly cross-threaded, and didn't know the bolt would come flying out. The secondary bolt was intended as a side-of-the-highway fix until I could get home and post this very thread, which in-turn got me the answers I needed. If I truly wanted to be the unsafe asshole you are making out of me, I would have made no attempt to explore other solutions. I will come back and mark this as resolved tomorrow if tapping the caliper goes through. Thanks again to those that actually helped.

:nono: I'm not trying to "flame" you. And the fact that your car has no airbags is just unsafe for you and whoever is riding in it. A brake caliper falling off and possibly causing you to have no brakes is unsafe for not only you but anyone who is driving around you. And I did give you advise.. Have somebody who knows what they are doing help you. If you don't know how to do something as simple as rethreading or tapping a surface you probably shouldn't be working on a critical part of your car like that if you don't know what you are doing.
 
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