Replace rear disks on Citroen dispatch

[scottyp123]

Has anyone managed to do this successfully, what a pain in the arse. There are two E16 male torx bolts that hold the pad carrier to the bearing assembly but you can't get a socket on them due to the sub frame being in the way, you can get a spanner on but they are incredibly tight, probably with threadlock on them as well. According to citroen you are supposed to undo the 4 21mm bolts that hold the bearing assembly to the sub frame, disconnect the ABS sensor and get at the torx bolts that way but you can't get a socket on them either because the spring is in the way.

It can't be that hard just to change a disk, it looks to me that it was intentionally designed to be that way to make what should be a simple home mechanical job into a main dealer one instead. I've done one side with a lot of effort but I've managed to knacker up the head of one torx bolt using the spanner, it just slips off now and I cant get a grip of it I've tried with grips and all sorts and it just won't budge, not tried any heat on it yet though but there is not much left of the head now anyway.

What annoys me is the thread of the bolt is probably 12mm or more yet the torx head is relatively small, the equivalent hex would be 13mm looking at it. If it was a normal hex bold it would probably be 19mm which would be much more durable.

I suppose my question is if I grind the bolt off where do I get another one from, I thought they would be all over E-bay but I can't find them anywhere it just keeps linking to the guide pin bolts.

Edit : a picture of the bolts

Edited by scottyp123 on Monday 26th April 17:28

[scottyp123]

stevieturbo said:

It's a bolt, just buy a bolt, bolts are available everywhere.

And it's a nightmare because it's French, they're terrible designers.

Could do with knowing the thread size though, I should have checked when I managed to do the first side but I didn't know at the time I wouldn't be able to get the other side undone and I wasn't going to start removing the first side again on a Sunday afternoon. Thats the problem, if I commit to cutting it off this weekend I need the van up and running for Monday for work, if I leave it and use my car it will end up on stands for ever and I'll end up wrecking my car.

[scottyp123]

I'm going to have a go again this weekend, might just cut them off and see what I've got in my box of bits to put it back together. I've never been defeated yet by a stuck bolt and I've had engines and gearboxes out and in bits over the years before now.

I wouldn't mind but I'm only changing them because the MOT inspector last year said that they would probably need doing this year but they dont look too bad to me, the wear lip is probably 1-1.5mm max all round.

PS I though M10 was M10 and M12 was M12 etc, never knew the pitch could be different.

[scottyp123]

This is turning into a right saga now. This is the first day that both, has not rained and I've got time to do the job. I think I'll attempt the fronts first as they look nice and easy, you can get a torx socket on the front ones and I've got all the new disks and pads in the shed ready to go on.


So I undo the front drivers side with ease and get the disk off, open the box for the new disk and its the wrong fking one, looks nothing like a Dispatch front disk, so yet again I put it all back together having accomplished nothing.

Come inside to try and sort a return out with ebay and discover that in fact the other new disk I've not opened yet is the correct one, the fool has sent me two odd disks for the front, the label says its for a Mitsubishi, so at least I could have got the new disk on one side for now without putting all the old st back again, dearie me. Now I've got to go through all the hassle of trying to explain it to E-bay, I'd better look and see what the other new rear disk is from as well whilst I'm at it.

Edit, this is crazy, I've just realised that I've already got a brand new disk for the front in the shed somewhere, I bought a second hand hub of ebay a while ago because the wheel bearing was noisy and it came with a brand new disk, I've been moaning for ages now that you cant buy a single disk by itself to save some money. I'll just use that instead of disappearing down the black hole of ebay returns.

Edited by scottyp123 on Sunday 9th May 12:15

[scottyp123]

The fronts are all done and dusted now, found the other disk, it was a bit rusty but cleaned up ok. Just got the last one to do on the back now, the torx spanners have arrived so hopefully there is enough left of the bolt to still get some purchase on it.

[scottyp123]

All done, so much easier when you have the correct tools, came out quite easily in the end with a torx spanner despite me butchering it with a chisel.

[scottyp123]

Even with a missing lug the spanner was rock solid on it, better than a ring spanner on a hex I must admit. I don't like female torx though, I've snapped a few bits over the years trying to undo them, then you have a piece of bit left inside the torx head you can't get out.