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Brake caliper bracket removal....94 Cutlass Supreme


vdaily89
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Sorry to bring this tread up again. My fronts wheel bearings are making grinding noises when I turn. I bought new wheel bearings for the front and left. I started with the passenger side. I got everything off smoothly and fast until I hit this bracket bolts. I have the star that's a 3/8 with an. Adapter to 1/2 for the torc wrench. We tried everything to get this to break and no such luck. We took a sledge and tapped it. We tried a 4' long pole to attach to the torc wrench. No luck. We did not push as hard as we could. We were afraid it would strip the bolt or break the star. We even tried the pb spray. Waited 45 mins. Still nothing. I heard people say that they used heat. I do not have a heating device. I am debating on taking it to somewhere, but not sure. Should I try it after I drive the car for awhile that way the bolts would be hot and spray pb then try it? Any help would appreciate it.

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I used a acetlyn torch on mine till it got red hot and then broke it free with a 4 foot cheater bar. That bolt is a stubborn one. It rusts on the inside of the sleve. So pb blaster has a hard time getting in there.

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A remember something about breaking the torx off on it and using a pipe wrench with a hunk of pipe on the end or a big combo wrench hooked over it that first time. Pardon my poor memory, it was 2009.

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I haven't had the pleasure of removing mine yet but before I take a torch to it try this.

 

As someone is applying pressure to the Torx with its proper bit, have someone else take a hammer and bang on the top of the sleeve to sort of duplicate an impact gun. I have had luck with this technique on different stubborn bolts including those massive beasts that hold the rear suspension together at the knuckles, rusted trailing arm bolts etc.

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I know that the rosters have been changed a few years ago. So they would have been off for those. But man there on there.

 

What do guys in the dealership or other garages do to get these off?

 

We we did try the impact gun, no luck. And we tried the torc with me tapping it with a hammer.

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If you couldn't get it with a 4 foot long bar then chances are it aint coming off. Heat it up like Nate said get that bar back on there and put some azz behind it. If it does strip then you might have to drill it out and it will require special hardened bits if that is even possible. You can get a propane torch at Home depot for not much. If you are really worried about it than take it to a brake shop and prepare to pay.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well I think this week I am going to try to work on the wheel bearings. I have a torch for heat and I have a everything else. I did see the photo. Question I do have is, What size is the Nut that holds on the wheel bearings? 1994.

 

post-7802-14368916769_thumb.jpg

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For the axle nut I use a 36mm socket, the 4 bolts for the front wheel bearings should be 15mm. They will likely be crusty too, if your caliper bolts were a PITA. I recommend hitting em with some PB blaster/kroil/etc first.

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Good Luck:thumbsup: If you can get those caliper bolts out and the axle nut off it all downhill from there. If you were somewhere close to middle TN I`d swing by and help you out.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just wanted to share I have tried several times to get them off. no such luck, waiting on the money to take them in the shop for 150$. If I were able to break it, that would have been my pump money. lol

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1. Penetrating oil is worthless in this application. The oil cannot get to where it can do any good.

 

2. Cheap Torx sockets are not going to be helpful if the bolts/sleeves are truly seized.

 

3. Heating the bracket where the female threads are isn't the correct place. Heat the steel sleeves over the bolts until they glow red, then let them cool for a minute or two. DO NOT heat the bolt-head where the Torx socket fits into. Propane will not be hot enough. MAP (real MAPP isn't available any more) might be hot enough. I use oxy-acetylene. Some folks don't even realize that the sleeve is SUPPOSED TO TURN FREELY ON THE BOLT (after pressure is released, of course.) The bolt and sleeve are NOT one-piece! Once heated like this ON THE CAR, the bolt/sleeve is probably deformed and the bolt/sleeve should be scrapped.

 

 

 

 

 

The "real" problem is that the shank of the bolt corrodes to the inside of the sleeve. The wide end of the sleeve has "teeth" that provide tremendous, localized pressure on the bracket. Trying to turn the bolt AND the sleeve is nearly impossible. If you can break the corrosion between the bolt and the sleeve, the bolt can turn, releasing the pressure between sleeve and bracket. It will thread out easily. Problem is, it's REALLY difficult to break the corrosion between bolt shank and sleeve--so you're forced to brutalize the bolt and Torx socket trying to turn the bolt/sleeve assembly.

 

Once out, I can pretty reliably free the bolt from the sleeve on the workbench using a torch and a vice-grip; and while I always try to work some anti-seize chemical into the bolt/sleeve gap and down the shank of the bolt, the next time I remove them they're always seized again. Note that since I use a QUALITY Torx tool, the female Torx of the bolt head is in re-usable condition, and not beaten to fukk by a slipping, sub-standard tool. Because I heat them OFF the car, there's no problem with deforming due to heat.

 

1610158

Replacement bolts/sleeves are about seven dollars each, and available at any parts store. These are NAPA NOE 6751244

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx/Caliper-Housing-Bolt-Front/_/R-NDP6751244_0390047919

Edited by Schurkey
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btw, you guys might get a kick out of this. I bought a T60 at Autozone, duralast. Last time we tried the Star piece brook out of the socket... Gotta take it back... or is that too cheap of a socket? lol

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I have 2 Lisle sockets from Pep Boys. I've broken one of those before, too. I think I still have it, been sitting around broken probably 15+ years. Just never got around to exchanging it (Lisle tools have lifetime warranty).

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  • 2 months later...

I just stumbled on this thread and read about all the broken bits and sockets. I had to take the same bolts out of a 94 GP that had never been removed.

 

I did not have the T-60 in my tool box. I pulled out the largest hex key wrench out of my 2 long Husky sets and it fit snug and deep in the T-60 slot. I took about a 6' pipe and slipped over the long part of the L on the hex wrench and just lifted until they came free. No heat, no lubricant, no bolt damage and no broken or bent tools. This was out of with a hex set that was about $12 for the metric and the same for the SAE. Of course I had to buy a T-60 later to torque them. If I get a chance I'll come back and give the exact size.

 

Anyway thanks for all the info here and I hope this might help someone who has limited tools like myself.

Edited by Brutus
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