Stripped wheel lugs
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 4,017
Likes: 492
From: Poughkeepsie New York
Yesterday I went to remove my rear driver side tire for polishing and 2 lugs stripped on me. Just what I need, more work. Bought the 2 lugs and lug nuts and started to disassemble the brakes. Got the caliper off and zip tied up. Removed the upper brake bracket bolt. Went to take the lower bracket bolt off and now I'm stuck. The emergency brake bracket and cable are right in the way and there's no room for a socket and ratchet let alone the breaker bar that should be used. So what tips/tricks do you guys use to get that bugger off? I could really use some advice. Thanks!
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 4,017
Likes: 492
From: Poughkeepsie New York
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
Likes: 487
From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
There shouldn't be a big problem removing the caliper bracket bolts. The lower bracket bolt does hold the cable bracket but the bolt "should" be easy to remove. It does help to raise the rear of the car as high as possible mostly to be able to get a socket and breaker bar on the bolts. Have you tried a long extension??
Once the bolts are out, clean the threads of the bolts using a wire wheel. Apply some Blue Loctite and tighten the bolts to 70 ft-lbs. The FSM says to toss the bolts, but that's because the factory bolts have a pre-applied threadlocker.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 4,017
Likes: 492
From: Poughkeepsie New York
He's got an 86 according to his profile. There shouldn't be a big problem removing the caliper bracket bolts. The lower bracket bolt does hold the cable bracket but the bolt "should" be easy to remove. It does help to raise the rear of the car as high as possible mostly to be able to get a socket and breaker bar on the bolts. Have you tried a long extension?? Once the bolts are out, clean the threads of the bolts using a wire wheel. Apply some Blue Loctite and tighten the bolts to 70 ft-lbs. The FSM says to toss the bolts, but that's because the factory bolts have a pre-applied threadlocker.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 347
Likes: 25
From: Rockford Illinois
I just took that bracket off and reinstalled it yesterday on my 1985 using a 18mm gear wrench, it will fit in that little space and it works great. I didn't need a breaker bar or penetrating fluid, just a few taps with a rubber mallet.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 4,017
Likes: 492
From: Poughkeepsie New York
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 4,017
Likes: 492
From: Poughkeepsie New York
Ahhh the sweet smell of success. Kinda like a mix of brake cleaner and penetrating oil.
18mm wrench and some taps from a hammer did the trick nicely. I really think the penetrating oil helped a lot.
Thanks again for the help.
18mm wrench and some taps from a hammer did the trick nicely. I really think the penetrating oil helped a lot.
Thanks again for the help.
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