BAT

Ok boys and girls, learn from my mistake. When a bolt calls for loc-tite, USE it! I dodged a major problem which could have resulted in a nasty crash and/or major repairs! I was extremely lucky!
Driving home yesterday from a Corvette meet in RI, exiting the expressway, when i applied my brakes, I heard an awkward sound, clunking, slamming, etc. I looked around, saw nothing (expected to see something behind me that I might have run over). Applied the brakes again, LOUDER noises and now I saw little parts go flying from the right front corner. I instantly thought,.... lug nuts!!! I pulled over and stopped right away. All lugs are in place. No visable signs of anything wrong, missing, broken, anything. Until I saw what looked like my caliper a little too close to the wheel. I grabbed a lug wrench I had in the trunk (recently had the wheels off to lower the car) and used the end to actually move the caliper!!!! It would appear the lower caliper bolt was either broken or gone. I limped home, down shifting as much as I could (its an auto so....). Got home and parked the car in the garage. Waited until today to see exactly what happened.
Tonight, when looking into what happened to my brakes, the lower caliper bolt was gone. Not broken, not anything but it was worked loose, and fell out! Turns out, what I saw flying were all the wheel weights from the inside of the wheel. The caliper looked like it gouged the barrel, but it only scratched some of the paint. After about 2000 miles, it was enough to vibrate its way out, then off.
I don't care how much of a PIA it is to remove something with loc-tite, I'll muscle my way through it, again.
DON'T CUT CORNERS, DON'T TAKE THE EASY WAY. Do it right, or don't do it at all.

I'll get another bolt, some blue loc-tite, and redo all the caliper bolts. Lucky, and lesson learned!

FX VETTE

Glad you got out of that predicament safe and with minimal damage.

Rover01

Holy crap! Glad you wern't stranded or worse! Good post.

mstromquist

As soon as I read your first paragraph I knew what you were going to say. I had that happen to my truck quite a few years ago also. Exact same thing but it didn't rub or damage my wheel. I just happen to see it wasn't sitting right through the spokes. Glad you made it home without to much damage.

Mickeyrx70

Glad it wasn't worse.

Vetteman Jack

Good reminder about doing things right. Sure glad you made it home OK and the damage to the car was minimal.

~Josh

I've never used loctite on my caliper bolts, and I've probably changed easily 20 SETS of brakes on all my cars over the years.

All mine have been major pains to remove. No loctite needed. Simply torque properly.

Choreo

I have always replaced my caliper bolts with new ones (like the Manual recommends) which come with the Red Sealant already applied.

Hope you were only a block from home when you realized the problem!

getherejune

Thanx for that BAT!-(glad you were aware and were able to get home safe and sound!). I just replaced a front wheel stud this past weekend (PO had stripped it out) and had to remove the caliper bracket and caliper-forgot the loctite! Guess what i'll be doing tomorrow morning

cvm

I change 10+ axles of brakes a week ( unfortunately a mechanic by trade) and we never use locktite on calipers. many kits come w/ new bolts w/ locktite on them and I always use them too. Knock on wood.
Now locktite on a motocross bike is another whole thing.

But then I'm one of those ase/gm certified yahoos @ a "stealership" that you guys rail on. You should see what the real world does w/ your precious 270* torque angle crank bolts haha

runner140*

Thats why we call them "stealerships".

mfi

I had a 69 lemans. Once watched the rear tire go past me on the turnpike..then things got bad.

nsogiba

Never used loctite on caliper bolts, never had an issue. I think it's more likely the bolt wasn't torqued properly. Regardless, glad you got home safe. Be sure to follow the torque spec using a quality torque wrench!

BAT

This I'll do now too. I've changed a few sets over the years too, and never previously used Loctite or proper torque (I've always pretty much wrenched them as hard as I could). Never had an issue like this or close to this before. Safe to say I'll use the proper procedures from this point forward.

ArtClassShank

I just take my big *** breaker and crank on them. No problems so far! I know I did it right when I curse my past self trying to get them loose.

Mistrezz 06

Thanks for the heads up, good thing nothing bad happen.

doublenut9

I am amazed that you did not do more damage then you did! Then to limp home to boot without assistance. I am glad the damage was minimal and it was an easy fix. I guess they write procedures for a reason. Good post.

ErikwithAK01

I always give those bolts 2 or 3 ugga dugga's from the impact gun haven't had any problems.

001pewter

tzeller

Thanks for your post. I am glad that there was no severe damage or worse. I know that I will remember this and follow torque specs and use lock tight when needed.