Caliper removal *&!@!

[overhere]

Here I am again, asking for help from the guru's of PH Chim forum. I could post this on a Sierra forum if there was one, and it wasn't full of numpties, they're just Ford brakes!

Got my new disks and pads, got all my tools ready, got off work early, got stuck in. I've done brakes before and I know the caliper retaining bolts can be a bitch, loctite, rust and corrosion...

I've been at it for hours, soaked in WD, beat with a hammer, got good leverage, can't budge the buggers. Steve Heath says try a blow torch if they are stuck, I'd go buy one (or borrow if poss) if someone tells me that's the answer.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Time for a beer!

[CaptiV8ed]

The old "blue spanner" as I've heard it called, can be very effective. You should be able to pick one up from a hardware shop for next to nothing. These bolts are a pain in the backside being little allen bolts, so you risk rounding them off. Get a flame on it for 5 mins or so, and it should free up nicely!

[Ballistic Banana]

Yep deffiantly can help if you heat them up a bit. You can get cheap ones in an areosol type can that should last long enough to do do it. Just be careful not to heat it up so much yu melt the piston seals/cover.

BB

[fergusg]

Can't seak for brakes, but blow torch worked for me on exhaust manifold bolts. I spent a week before I tried this, soaking in WD every night and trying t shift them. The blow torch did the trick on the fist try. I got a cheap one from Halfords which was just a nozzle screwed onto a gas bottle.

[GreenGriff400]

You could try a "Freeze Spray" with this you spray the head of the bolt and leave it for a few minutes, the contracion o fthe bolt breaks the torque and the bolt should come out. i found some on the shelf in my loval Halfwits.

[spend]

I've always found kettle of hot water just as effective. Was introduced to this by old timers who had lots of torches closer to handier than kettle - but they preferred 'gentle' heat on alloys.

Some advise brake fluid rather than penetrating oil - I've only resorted to it a few times but seems to work.

Copper slip the contact faces, lock the threads on assembly, (and dont let the bloody garage monkeys touch them) is probably the best advice.

Dave

[overhere]

Got the buggers off! I tried hot water (Thanks Spend), beat them with a hammer and got more leverage, my knuckles are battered but almost done! Next thing it the pads don't look right, they're smaller (like the rear pads) so I can't put it together, What a pisser, the pads are Mintex "reds" may take this opportunity to go fo the Ferodo SD200o or Mintex 1145's (?)

Thanks for all your help!

Cheers

Jack

[deva link]

overhere said:

I've been at it for hours, soaked in WD,

I know you've done this now, but WD40 isn't a penetrating oil - something like Plus Gas is better.