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!!!!!!!!

[Hogosha]

Heat, check. Nuts, check. PB blaster, check. Big ass breaker bar, check!!!! Good luck! And as others have said, tapping the bolt with a hammer may cause micro fractures in the rust and help break it free. It seems you have all bases covered.

[Jamesp]

Be sure to tap the bolt after the nuts are installed!

[Bruce Wayne]

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.

Good Luck

[tommy583]

Well it's still stuck in there. Should i put the nuts towards the hub or on the end of the bolt?

[Bruce Wayne]

can you get some heat on it ? by some.. i mean enough to get it glowing red

preferably from inside the wheel arch out, so you dont burn up you sensor cables or the drop link bushes.

[tommy583]

Originally Posted by Bruce Wayne

can you get some heat on it ? by some.. i mean enough to get it glowing red

preferably from inside the wheel arch out, so you dont burn up you sensor cables or the drop link bushes.

Yes I think can. I was hoping not to have to put a helicoil into the hub if I can help it. I may cut the lawn and let the PB blaster soak for a while. I can't just sit here and look at it lol.

[KRAM36]

Originally Posted by tommy583

Yes I think can. I was hoping not to have to put a helicoil into the hub if I can help it. I may cut the lawn and let the PB blaster soak for a while. I can't just sit here and look at it lol.

Work on another set. See if another bolt breaks.

[tommy583]

Originally Posted by KRAM36

Work on another set. See if another bolt breaks.

Kram that actually made me LOL! I was thinking about trying that. What ever you do DONT REUSE THE CALIPER BOLTS when you do your brake job. You can get a whole set for around $40 from ECS. I have all new ones, I just wish I could get them in

[KRAM36]

Originally Posted by tommy583

Kram that actually made me LOL! I was thinking about trying that. What ever you do DONT REUSE THE CALIPER BOLTS when you do your brake job. You can get a whole set for around $40 from ECS. I have all new ones, I just wish I could get them in

Already have them added to cart at ECS Tuning, with some more stuff I need. Still trying to figure out the pad/rotor combo I want to go with. I have to make a call to Centric Parts Monday to see if some rotors I'm looking at are High Carbon rotors or if some sites are listing them incorrectly.

Good Luck with the current broken bolt, hope the rest come out without issue.

[tommy583]

Originally Posted by KRAM36

Already have them added to cart at ECS Tuning, with some more stuff I need. Still trying to figure out the pad/rotor combo I want to go with. I have to make a call to Centric Parts Monday to see if some rotors I'm looking at are High Carbon rotors or if some sites are listing them incorrectly.

Good Luck with the current broken bolt, hope the rest come out without issue.

Well I can tell you this POS bolt isn't high carbon. Even with the two nuts on it, the bolt just seems to strip the threads. Even without a breaker bar, just a 19mm wrench I can see the nuts moving. The bolt wont move at all. At this point I'm thinking of putting it back together minus on caliper bolt and having it towed to my indie this week. The last thing I want to do is screw up drilling it out. I think I'd rather let him have a go at it. If he has to drill it out and put a helicoil in it I trust he would do a better job then me.

[Bruce Wayne]

i feared this bolt wouldnt shift.. seeing as it was tight enough to shear the head !

you could just pull the hub carrier and take it to an engineering shop (or your indie - but they would probably do the same thing.) its a lot of bolt to drill out and it wont be done with a hand held drill. a metal shop engineering place would have the tooling to shift a stuck bolt.

just my 2 cents worth !

[ilikeching]

Originally Posted by Bruce Wayne

can you get some heat on it ? by some.. i mean enough to get it glowing red

preferably from inside the wheel arch out, so you dont burn up you sensor cables or the drop link bushes.

Heating is the best solution, and use/cut and form a piece of metal/aluminium sheet to protect other things like Bruce mentioned...

[tommy583]

OK guys here is the status. Bolt still stuck. Filled up the hole on the back side of the bolt with PB blaster. Put old rotor back on. Put wheel back on. Letting it sit for at least another night. I did put some heat on it, but not enough to get it red hot. I was really hoping to save the threads in the hub. I'm thinking if i get everything red hot then the threads are shot.

I will call my indy in the am to see if he has any tips. I will probably let it sit with the PB blaster for a couple days as the weather will be crappy anyways. Right now the caliper is hanging behind the hub with some zip ties. The nuts are still on the bolt. After the weather clears up in a couple days I may give it one more try. Depending on what the indy says I may go with red hot heat. Or i may just tow it in later in the week. Any new tips or prayers are appreciated lol.

[particlewave]

Weld an old socket onto it and use an impact wrench.

I feel for ya, buddy!

[Mark_T]

Originally Posted by particlewave

Weld an old socket onto it and use an impact wrench.

That's a good idea, as long as he has a really good impact gun.

No welder required though, according to this guy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PV5oLPLUzrM

[tommy583]

Originally Posted by Mark_T

That's a good idea, as long as he has a really good impact gun.

No welder required though, according to this guy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PV5oLPLUzrM

Well I have an impact gun. Now I just need to take the battery out of the Boxster and my wifes car. The video makes it look easy enough, I think i'll give it a shot in the morning. What could possibly go wrong?

[Mark_T]

Just use some coat hangar wire for a rod. Make sure you hook the batteries up in series to get 24 volts!

I take no responsibility if you actually try this, btw. None. Zip. Nada. I'll put this on the same page as using ether to set your tires on the bead.

Be pretty cool if it worked though... Probably S.O.P. for the boiler banger.

[ianacole]

Can you get a die grinder in there? In cases like this, when encountered in the past, I would grind two flat surfaces at the end of the bolt so I can get another wrench on it, then lots and lots of heat (as others have mentioned), breaker bar, and a hammer. I use the hammer on both the end of the bolt, and on the breaker bar as opposed to continuous, increasing pressure, in hopes of snap-breaking it free. Otherwise... new upright or machine shop...

[Hogosha]

Call a couple of local gun shops to see if they have Kroil. I am not saying it is magic, but I have always had better luck with Kroil over PB. I know you are trying everything you can, so I'm still wishing you luck