Broken caliper bolt

[Timco]

Originally Posted by tommy583

Well I'm ready to go back at it. I'm first going to run to the hardware store for some nuts (for the 2 nut method). I filled up the hole in the back of the bolt with PB blaster around 5pm so by the time i get the wheel back off it will be around 18 hours. I'll see if there is any progress before i go with heat. I'll report back, wish me luck.

Luck!!!!!!!!

[bwillia080261]

I did the brakes on my 01S not too long ago. The car had come from back east and all four top Caliper bolts had buggered threads on the very end. And all four came out very slowly and with great difficultly. I had to then chase the threads, put some anti seize on them and re-install. Not sure why this happens to the top bolts. The bottom bolts all around were fine. The fronts were particularly bad and I had to go back and forth, back and forth all the way out and was convinced they were going to break any second. What an incredible pain in the A## that was.

[Topless]

Originally Posted by bwillia080261

I did the brakes on my 01S not too long ago. The car had come from back east and all four top Caliper bolts had buggered threads on the very end. And all four came out very slowly and with great difficultly. I had to then chase the threads, put some anti seize on them and re-install. Not sure why this happens to the top bolts. The bottom bolts all around were fine. The fronts were particularly bad and I had to go back and forth, back and forth all the way out and was convinced they were going to break any second. What an incredible pain in the A## that was.

Yep, the top bolts terminate into a little well that has no drainage. It captures moisture and road salt over time which works into the threads causing galvanic corrosion. A small drain hole or simply filling the well with silicone after installation might help solve this. The bottom bolts gravity drain so not nearly such a problem. I always use a high temp thread lube on caliper bolts to help with removal next time.

[tommy583]

Well my mechanic had a go at getting the bolt out. He wasn't successful. He also wasn't comfortable trying to put in a helicoil with brake mount / hub on the car. So since he was going to take it off anyway I purchased a new (used) one from our good friend Woody. I also had him try to get the bolts out of the rest of the calipers while he had it there. It turns out the drivers side top bolt is frozen as well as one of the rear top bolts. So I guess I will need to address the other hubs before I will be able to fit new rotors on the car. It's funny how a simple brake job has turned into this mess. On the bright side maybe the new (used) hubs i purchase will have newer wheel bearings in them.

[Jamesp]

I took my calipers off and the top bolts did not budge at all pulling on them. A 3 lb. sledge hammer on a breaker bar did the trick. I did not have to deal with salt water dribbling into the well near the bolt however.

How to bust a bolt loose with a sledge and a breaker bar: Get the socket wrench (six point or Allen in my case) well engaged on the bolt. Load the breaker bar as much as you can with one hand. Strike the end of the breaker bar with the hammer. Loading the breaker bar before striking is imperative, as is using a heavy hammer. Using a sixteen ounce carpenter hammer, or striking an unloaded breaker bar is wasting your time.

[Pdwight]

A dead blow hammer is also great...doesn't bounce so much

you can buy Kroil direct from manufacturer

http://www.kanolabs.com/

[tommy583]

OK update. The bolt never came out of the hub. I had Woody send me a used one. Had my indy remove the old one and put the new one on for me. I also had them try to loosen the remaining bolts on the other three hubs. Front drivers top bolt stuck, to rear top passenger bolt stuck. The good news is the drivers rear isn't stuck. I ordered some Kroil from the manufacturer $20 for 2 cans. That arrived today. So I'm going to fill up the little well on both of the stuck bolts with Kroil tonight. Actually I'm going to do it on all three. I will let that soak for a few days and see what happens. Thanks for all of your help so far guys.