AAARRRGHH!!! Can't get caliper bolts off!!
Discussion
So, I have a day off today and its beautiful. I had been planning my disc and pad change for a while, have bought all the necessary parts/tools etc.
Quite proud of myself once I ge the wheels off, spray a bit of brake cleaner everywhere etc. Then Haynes tells me to get my head in the arch and unbolt the lower mounting bolt of the caliper....
...after much constipatory grunts and sore wrists, I give up - it's stuck like s
t to the seat. I applied a liberal spray of WD40, tried attaching the wrench and hammering the bugger but no avail!
Any ideas chaps??
Quite proud of myself once I ge the wheels off, spray a bit of brake cleaner everywhere etc. Then Haynes tells me to get my head in the arch and unbolt the lower mounting bolt of the caliper....
...after much constipatory grunts and sore wrists, I give up - it's stuck like s
t to the seat. I applied a liberal spray of WD40, tried attaching the wrench and hammering the bugger but no avail!Any ideas chaps??
Go to the gym for a few months to grow some bigger muscles? 
But seriously, they shouldn't really be too tight. You might want to try a longer breaker-bar or just a tube over the ratchet handle to extend it a bit.
Are you sure you are doing the right bolt? 14mm yes? And you are sure you are doing it the right way? Anti-clockwise (clockwise as you look at it)?
(sorry for the dummy questions but I have no idea of your technical skills)
When you finally get all the bolts undone and you come to refit don't do the slide bolts up too tight, they don't need it.
But seriously, they shouldn't really be too tight. You might want to try a longer breaker-bar or just a tube over the ratchet handle to extend it a bit.
Are you sure you are doing the right bolt? 14mm yes? And you are sure you are doing it the right way? Anti-clockwise (clockwise as you look at it)?
(sorry for the dummy questions but I have no idea of your technical skills)
When you finally get all the bolts undone and you come to refit don't do the slide bolts up too tight, they don't need it.
Hi Lawrence, yeah pretty sure it is the right bolt - there is only one at the lower end of the caliper.
Seriously, I tried everything - not sure if they are threadlocked, but they seem pretty rusted over. Almost lookslikes no-one has been down there for years!
Ok, I will try a breaker bar see if I have any joy. From what you say, I seem to have spent long periods of time trying to turn it the wrong way, which won't have helped!
Seriously, I tried everything - not sure if they are threadlocked, but they seem pretty rusted over. Almost lookslikes no-one has been down there for years!
Ok, I will try a breaker bar see if I have any joy. From what you say, I seem to have spent long periods of time trying to turn it the wrong way, which won't have helped!
Front or rear?
I had similar problems with my front discs on saturday. Ended up buying a longer bar but still had problems with it.
Then my neighbour suggested turning the wheel to give us more access. That and the longer bar worked a treat.
where you based? you can borrow my breaker bar if that will help? if not they're 20 quid in halfords.
I had similar problems with my front discs on saturday. Ended up buying a longer bar but still had problems with it.
Then my neighbour suggested turning the wheel to give us more access. That and the longer bar worked a treat.
where you based? you can borrow my breaker bar if that will help? if not they're 20 quid in halfords.
I'm not sure those bolts should rust - they are the slide-pins that the callipers move on - I thought they were made from stainless steel or something. My guess is that they were tightened a bit too much - that along with the fact that the constant hot/cold heat cycles tend to tighten them.
When I change my brake pads I usually remove the top bolt rather than the bottom one but if you are going to replace the discs then you need to remove both anyway. There are then 2 move bolts that hold the calliper bracket on which are likely to be a bit tighter and possibly rustier.
When I change my brake pads I usually remove the top bolt rather than the bottom one but if you are going to replace the discs then you need to remove both anyway. There are then 2 move bolts that hold the calliper bracket on which are likely to be a bit tighter and possibly rustier.
MX-5 Lazza said:
There are then 2 move bolts that hold the calliper bracket on which are likely to be a bit tighter and possibly rustier.
These are the one's I had trouble with. Getting the caliper off wasn't a problem... just getting the caliper bracket off to allow removal of the disc was the hard partBe very gentle with a breaker bar - the torque you can apply could easily snap the stud. 6-sided socket is a must.
If you round it off, you might need to try some Irwin bolt grippers see:http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/5-piece-bolt-grip-set
Try more WD40 or get some GT85 from http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/gt-gt85-1ltr-pump
If it's that badly rusted, the caliper is probably done in and just wait 'til you get to the mounting bracket bolts!
Good luck!
If you round it off, you might need to try some Irwin bolt grippers see:http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/5-piece-bolt-grip-set
Try more WD40 or get some GT85 from http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/gt-gt85-1ltr-pump
If it's that badly rusted, the caliper is probably done in and just wait 'til you get to the mounting bracket bolts!
Good luck!
Reidy10_0 said:
Before you carry on any further and end up with your car lying with its throat cut unable to move because you have sheared a bolt etc, take it to a garage.
It sounds like you dont have the know how or enough tools to do the job.
Sorry for being so blunt.
Thanks for your opinion, but I can only learn by doing. I realised when I did not have the right tool to stop as I know not to damage the bolt - I will try with a socket once I can get my hands on one, and if that does not work then I may well take your advice It sounds like you dont have the know how or enough tools to do the job.
Sorry for being so blunt.
skinny said:
oh is this the caliper bolt or the caliper bracket bolt? the latter can be done up quite tight, but i don't think you should need to use a big breaker bar on the caliper bolt, it's only little...
The caliper bolt. To be fair, none of my frigging spanners fitted the lower caliper bolt and all I was left with was an IKEA adjustable wrench!! Hopefully a solid socket should see me home.MX5-Lazza - are the calipers different on the Mk2? Haynes manual says to unbolt the lower caliper bolt and swing it up, attaching it to the suspension with a cable tie etc.
Edited by Legend83 on Wednesday 7th May 10:41
Legend83 said:
Reidy10_0 said:
Before you carry on any further and end up with your car lying with its throat cut unable to move because you have sheared a bolt etc, take it to a garage.
It sounds like you dont have the know how or enough tools to do the job.
Sorry for being so blunt.
Thanks for your opinion, but I can only learn by doing. I realised when I did not have the right tool to stop as I know not to damage the bolt - I will try with a socket once I can get my hands on one, and if that does not work then I may well take your advice It sounds like you dont have the know how or enough tools to do the job.
Sorry for being so blunt.
I have learned from my mistakes and now have a garage full of tools for all the easy jobs like calliper bolts that go wrong.
Most of them will never see the light of day.
A good quality 6 faced socket with a breaker bar should do the job.
Good luck!
Reidy10_0 said:
Legend83 said:
Reidy10_0 said:
Before you carry on any further and end up with your car lying with its throat cut unable to move because you have sheared a bolt etc, take it to a garage.
It sounds like you dont have the know how or enough tools to do the job.
Sorry for being so blunt.
Thanks for your opinion, but I can only learn by doing. I realised when I did not have the right tool to stop as I know not to damage the bolt - I will try with a socket once I can get my hands on one, and if that does not work then I may well take your advice It sounds like you dont have the know how or enough tools to do the job.
Sorry for being so blunt.
I have learned from my mistakes and now have a garage full of tools for all the easy jobs like calliper bolts that go wrong.
Most of them will never see the light of day.
A good quality 6 faced socket with a breaker bar should do the job.
Good luck!
Surprisingly (well to me anyway), the caliper slide bolt is tightened to a higher torque than the mounting bracket bolts. The bracket bolts are also threadlocked though.
When you look at the bolt you're trying to undo you'll see that the bolt head tightens up against a piece of the caliper. The other side of this piece of the caliper is a hex shaped piece that you grip with a 17mm spanner. This will stop it rotating as you try to undo the bolt.
Mk2 calipers are exactly the same as Mk1 AFAIK, Mk2.5 sport calipers very similar but bigger (and won't fit under 14" wheels - don't ask me how I know... [luckily had some 15s lying around]).
The comment about taking it to a garage is very valid if it's your only transport. It's a horrible feeling struggling with something, it's even worse when you know that without the car back on the road you can't get out to get the bits to fix it (again, don't ask me how I know...) If, however, it's not the only car in the household, it's a great way to learn. Get yourself to Halfords and buy a decent metric socket set and the world is your lobster.
When you look at the bolt you're trying to undo you'll see that the bolt head tightens up against a piece of the caliper. The other side of this piece of the caliper is a hex shaped piece that you grip with a 17mm spanner. This will stop it rotating as you try to undo the bolt.
Mk2 calipers are exactly the same as Mk1 AFAIK, Mk2.5 sport calipers very similar but bigger (and won't fit under 14" wheels - don't ask me how I know... [luckily had some 15s lying around]).
The comment about taking it to a garage is very valid if it's your only transport. It's a horrible feeling struggling with something, it's even worse when you know that without the car back on the road you can't get out to get the bits to fix it (again, don't ask me how I know...) If, however, it's not the only car in the household, it's a great way to learn. Get yourself to Halfords and buy a decent metric socket set and the world is your lobster.
You've got me questioning myself now. But as I'm in Germany and my many calipers accumulated over time are in the UK it'll be tomorrow before I can check / post a photo to try to clarify my poor use of descriptive English.
A big pair of water pump pliers can be used in place of a caliper tool as you don't need to wind either the fronts or rears back in as you do on some cars, just push.
A big pair of water pump pliers can be used in place of a caliper tool as you don't need to wind either the fronts or rears back in as you do on some cars, just push.
MX-5 Lazza said:
Another thing you will need is a calliper piston compressor otherwise you won't be able to press the piston back in to get the calliper back on over the new discs & pads.
I don't remember my old Mk1 having the 17mm clamp nut (though I do have a crap memory)...
Bought a G-Clamp to push the piston back in, should do the trick.I don't remember my old Mk1 having the 17mm clamp nut (though I do have a crap memory)...
MX-5 Lazza said:
Another thing you will need is a calliper piston compressor otherwise you won't be able to press the piston back in to get the calliper back on over the new discs & pads.
I don't remember my old Mk1 having the 17mm clamp nut (though I do have a crap memory)...
well a G Clamp worked for me...I don't remember my old Mk1 having the 17mm clamp nut (though I do have a crap memory)...
but remember not to try it with the rear calipers - they are wound back by a screw thread. to do this theres a shot bolt on the back of the rear caliper, unscrew this and theres an allen key fitting inside (4mm i think) wind this back and it will pull the piston off the disk.
and if you find the disk is stuck then there should be a small threaded hole on the disk to screw in a suitable bolt to help pull the disk off the hub.
I had a heck of a job before finding this out when replacing the rear disks.
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