Removing rounded off hex head caliper mounting bolt?

Removing rounded off hex head caliper mounting bolt?

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jammy_basturd

Original Poster:

29,778 posts

212 months

Wednesday 17th June 2009
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Spent most of this afternoon trying the above without success.

The normally hexagonal hole has been completely rounded!

Can't bang a socket on to it as the recess in the caliper isn't large enough.

My current method has been to try and weld a nut on, but no matter what settings I try on my welder the nut just comes straight off without much torque. Now one of the welding bits has snapped in half in the end of the gun, so NOW I'm currently trying to remove that (just snapped an easi-out bit in it. Maybe I can weld a nut to it... scratchchin

Any more ideas on the caliper bolt? Seems the only option I have left is to grind straight through the caliper spacer and bolt.

jammy_basturd

Original Poster:

29,778 posts

212 months

Wednesday 17th June 2009
quotequote all
Sorry, as you say its not a hex head bolt, its a socket head!

I don't think it is in that tight, so once I've got something on it with some purchase I've no doubt it will come out, the problem is getting to that point. The welder I have is a MIG 150 Turbo, so it should be up to the job, just not sure why it currently isn't working! Now the socket is full of weld, so can't go along the route of welding an allen key in it.

jammy_basturd

Original Poster:

29,778 posts

212 months

Thursday 18th June 2009
quotequote all
Erm, the bolt isn't seized at all (I don't believe), its just rounded off.

Steve, how did you grind the bolt head off? Did you grind away the recess it sits in?

jammy_basturd

Original Poster:

29,778 posts

212 months

Friday 19th June 2009
quotequote all
Nah, the discs are knackered and the corners need a overhaul all round really. Plus if I just leave it then I'm just postponing the neckache.

jammy_basturd

Original Poster:

29,778 posts

212 months

Wednesday 8th July 2009
quotequote all
Some reason no amount of welding things on was getting it to budge. The bits I kept welding either would snap at the weld, or just snap.

Ended up grinding through the bolt behind the caliper (through the spacer). Had to hacksaw half of it due to clearance issues.

Don't think the bolt was seized actually though. The bolt head came out of the caliper easy enough, and the remainder of the bolt came out of the hub relatively easily with some mole grips.

Anyway, problem solved. Thanks for everyone's help.

jammy_basturd

Original Poster:

29,778 posts

212 months

Tuesday 19th August 2014
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I have two sets of extractors that I hardly ever use. When they snap they turn a nightmare situation into an impossible one!

jammy_basturd

Original Poster:

29,778 posts

212 months

Friday 22nd August 2014
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Tanguero said:
Just drill the head off the bolt, dead easy with a hex cap. Then take the stub out with mole grips when the caliper is out of the way.
I'm pretty sure this is what I did in the end!

I think I remember that the bolt was either slightly bent or very corroded within the caliper.