Brake Caliper Bolt

[intimidator2000]

I am trying to change my front brake pads and now and I am trying to take the top bolt off and I can't seem to get it off I don't know if someone used an air gun tighten that bolt but it's to tight but I can't get it off, does anyone have any advise I already sprayed wd-40 still nothing.

 

[housegsx]

Use a breaker bar on a socket wrench. Which bolt are you trying to remove? The top one to remove the whole caliper assembly or just the guide pin to swing the caliper out? If one way doesn't work, take it apart the other way.

 

[baxsom]

soak it in PB blast

works like a charm

 

[GSGoinFast]

Definitely try a breaker bar with a cheater pipe. Mine wouldn't come off without a pipe on the end of the socket wrench.

 

[Dark DSM]

well if they put it on with a impact gun then turn the wheel for easier access, and use an impact gun to loosen it. Now that works like a charm.

 

[intimidator2000]

I changed the brakes by using the top bolt I got off but the bottom bolt I went to the store and bought a bar to put on the end of the socket but I won't come loose I ended up rounding the head know I don't know how to get it of now because next time I will need to replace the rotors.

 

[Talon ESI-T]

IF you rounded the bolt off you close to being screwwed. Here are a couple options:

Heat the bolt with oxy/acetalyne and use a round off nut remover. (craftsman has a nice set for 60.00)

or IIF you have single piston calipers:

Cut the bolt with a die grinder and buy a used set of calipers/brackets for under 30.00

Terry

 

[alex]

What I always use on my rusty suspension bolts and on the brakes is heat. I just let the heat sit there right on the bolt for a good 5 minutes. Its never let me down yet. I've taken off some pretty rust struts like that.

 

[Dark DSM]

you wana quick suggestion, get a new bolt for when you put it back together, but in the mean time buy a cheap ass socket and weld the bi*** on, BEENTHERE DONE THAT then throw it away unless you think you can reuse it later. SHould work, and yet so many options

 

[Mr4G]

I agree with welding a socket on. Did you use a 12 point or a 6 point socket to take it off. Always use a 6 point. Also some advice, grease all the caliper bolts before putting them back in. Good luck.

 

[intimidator2000]

The bolt is so rounded now that a socket can't even grip on.

 

[baxsom]

take a file or grinder and cut sides into the head of the bolt
basically make the head a square then do the vice grip thing

 

[intimidator2000]

Thats the thing with the bolt I used a vice grip and what you said I filed the head to make grip and the won't bolt even move or budge.

 

[XMasta19]

if you can get the vise grips on it, then you should be able to get it off with enough leverage applied. just add a breaker bar or something to basically extend and spread the amount of force you're trying to apply.

 

[baxsom]

torque =forceXlever arm

the longer the arm the greater the torque

i found that on stuck bolts a large set of grips locked as tight as i could and a 10 pound dumbell works wonders

 

[InfiniteGSX]

Lugs on my car break, but everything else on the car is easy as hell to work with. Even the calipers. I've taken them off plenty of times, and the first time was as easy as it is now. Just put some muscle into it, not much, just enough, and you hear a snap... not the breaking snap, just the breaking loose snap. And Boom, your done!

 

[intimidator2000]

when I get the vice grip on and the use the breaker bar the vice grip keeps slippin off and it won't break and little steel flakes from the head keep coming off.

 

[dr1665]

Here's a cheap idea for you. Go through your sockets and find the next smallest size that seems like it is barely too small to fit. Note that size.

Go to Autozone and pick up a can of PB BLASTER. While you're there, find the cheapest socket set they have. (You might consider checking Sears for a single Craftsman socket.)

Soak that bolt in PB BLASTER. Come back in half an hour and hit it again. Come back in another half an hour and hit it again. Before you go to bed, hit it again. Make sure it's liberally saturated with PB Blaster.

Next morning, take whichever of the two sockets you now have in that one size and determine which one you wouldn't mind throwing away. Find the the way it lines up "the best" on that shit bolt and use your hammer to pound that ####er onto the bolt.

Once the socket is fux0red onto that bolt "head," hook it up on your wrench and slip your breaker bar over it.

If you do not have a proper breaker bar, now might be a good time to bum another ride to Home Depot and ask someone if you can get a 30" section of pipe cut. I've got a 30" long section of pipe that's about a 3" OD with thick walls (about 1/8"). It weighs about 20lbs by itself and has never, ever let me down. I had to get it to break the same bolt loose that you're dealing with.

So you slip the breaker over the wrench and try to break the bolt free this way. If you've soaked it really good with the PB BLASTER, it should give way and let you win this battle.

Altogether, you're looking at under $30 if you have to buy the PB, socket and bar for this method. I don't have access to a welder either, so this is how I had to do it.

Good luck. Put those Vice-Grips away.

 

[wret]

You don't need to remove the top bolt to change the pads. Just remove the bottom bolt and rotate the caliper up and away from the rotor. Doesn't solve your problem though. Just postpones it.