Brake Caliper Mounting Bracket Bolts
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 935
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Brake Caliper Mounting Bracket Bolts
Do you folks reuse the front and rear brake caliper mounting bracket bolts? The 1996 FSM states to install new bolts, however the rear bolts are no longer available from GM. I don't see why I couldn't reuse the existing bolts and apply blue loctite when installing and torquing.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
The bolts can be reused. The erason the FSM says to discard them is because the factory bolts already had a threadlocker applied. If you had brake work done at a dealer, the tech would only have to swap bolts.
If you have a wire wheel on a bench grinder, simply use that to remove any traces of the old threadlocker. A wire brush will work too. For the female threads in the abutment bracket, you can use a 12 or 16 gauge shotgun brass cleaning brush to clean them. Use non-chlorinated brake parts cleaner on the threads to help dissolve the old stuff.
Then apply a light coat of blue threadlocker to the bolts and torque to spec. (70 ft-lbs).
You can do the front bracket bolts the same way. Also, clean and re-use the small bolts that hold the caliper guide pins to the brackets. Clean the threads, apply blue loctite and torque down. But these small bolts can be purchased at Home Depot or Lowes if you want to use new ones. Just make sure they have the same grade (metric 8.8) as the old bolts and apply Loctite.
If you have a wire wheel on a bench grinder, simply use that to remove any traces of the old threadlocker. A wire brush will work too. For the female threads in the abutment bracket, you can use a 12 or 16 gauge shotgun brass cleaning brush to clean them. Use non-chlorinated brake parts cleaner on the threads to help dissolve the old stuff.
Then apply a light coat of blue threadlocker to the bolts and torque to spec. (70 ft-lbs).
You can do the front bracket bolts the same way. Also, clean and re-use the small bolts that hold the caliper guide pins to the brackets. Clean the threads, apply blue loctite and torque down. But these small bolts can be purchased at Home Depot or Lowes if you want to use new ones. Just make sure they have the same grade (metric 8.8) as the old bolts and apply Loctite.
Last edited by c4cruiser; Aug 4, 2011 at 09:03 AM.
Le Mans Master
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St. Jude Donor '12
I've been re-using the original bolts since I got the car. And my mounting brackets have been off and on a lot since then. Just clean and inspect them before re-using.
