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Brake Caliper Removal
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
From: Sherwood Arkansas
Brake Caliper Removal
I'm trying to remove the rear brake calipers to install some Baer rotors and brakes. The top bolts that hold the caliper came off easily. However, the 21mm bolts that hold the pads, can't budge.
Suggetions? I've just sprayed some wd-40, waiting on to soak in.
I don't want to put too much weight on the spindle, because it's flexing.
Suggetions? I've just sprayed some wd-40, waiting on to soak in.
I don't want to put too much weight on the spindle, because it's flexing.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 16,795
Likes: 62
From: Lake Havasu City, AZ
The large bracket bolts are torqued to 125 ft-lbs and have red locktite on them... you need a breaker bar or a strong impact gun to break them loose.
The caliper bolts have blue locktite and should only be torqued to 23 ft-lbs... they should be snap.
The caliper bolts have blue locktite and should only be torqued to 23 ft-lbs... they should be snap.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 377
Likes: 0
From: VA
St. Jude Donor '06
Originally Posted by rws.1
The large bracket bolts are torqued to 125 ft-lbs and have red locktite on them... you need a breaker bar or a strong impact gun to break them loose.
The caliper bolts have blue locktite and should only be torqued to 23 ft-lbs... they should be snap.
The caliper bolts have blue locktite and should only be torqued to 23 ft-lbs... they should be snap.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
From: Sherwood Arkansas
Thanks for the bump and all the info.
Managed to get one of the top 21mm bolts off, still working on the bottom. I thought that my air compressior would handle, but doesn't seem to have enough juice. It's 125 psi. What do you need to be able to use?
Managed to get one of the top 21mm bolts off, still working on the bottom. I thought that my air compressior would handle, but doesn't seem to have enough juice. It's 125 psi. What do you need to be able to use?
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 21,325
Likes: 3,841
From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
it's the red loctite that is the problem... 125 ft lbs is not that difficult to achieve....the stuff turns to cement.. it need to be really bullied, or shocked to break it lose.. a non loctited bolt torqued to 125 is not that difficult..
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Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,590
Likes: 1
From: Littleton Colorado
I had one of the 21mm on the rear that would not budge. I got a 36inch long 3/4 black pipe to put over my breaker bar and then jumped up and down on it until it turned 
Serriously, I'm 190lbs an it took all my body weight on the end of that pipe to break the bolt loose.
Good luck, and be careful not to put your Vette on the ground trying to remove that bolt
Serriously, I'm 190lbs an it took all my body weight on the end of that pipe to break the bolt loose. Good luck, and be careful not to put your Vette on the ground trying to remove that bolt
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 151
Likes: 0
From: San Diego California
St. Jude Donor '06-'07
Originally Posted by Evil-Twin
it's the red loctite that is the problem... 125 ft lbs is not that difficult to achieve....the stuff turns to cement.. it need to be really bullied, or shocked to break it lose.. a non loctited bolt torqued to 125 is not that difficult..
This red loctite stuff sounds like fun to work with
.. Is it needed for the assemble process??
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,370
Likes: 8
Originally Posted by yellow01
If you have a torch, gently heat the spindle where the 21mm goes in. This will help release the loctite.
- This worked for me on similar situations... Doesn't take too much heat and use a long breaker bar. I have heard some people place a small jack under the bar and carefully uses the jack to break the hold. However, if you do that, watch to see if the bar doesn't bend or if it is lifting the car up... Good Luck
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 4,275
Likes: 4
From: Vancouver WA
Originally Posted by Milkman2
This red loctite stuff sounds like fun to work with .. Is it needed for the assemble process??
.. Is it needed for the assemble process??You are suppose to use new bolts for the calipers and the caliper brackets that has the loctite already made on it.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
From: Sherwood Arkansas
Originally Posted by RED99
You are suppose to use new bolts for the calipers and the caliper brackets that has the loctite already made on it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 8,762
Likes: 2
From: Murphy TX
Originally Posted by dcking04vette
Can't I use the old bolts w/new red locktite?
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 23,682
Likes: 9
From: Flagstaff Az.
brake bolts
Just went thru the process myself. I got a box end wrench on the bolt head and took a 5 lb. hand sledge, held tension against the wrench and whacked it with the hammer. They came right off. I tried my impact first and it couldn't do the job. The hammer worked easily on all four brakes. After the first whack the air gun did the rest.
Team Owner
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 34,551
Likes: 505
From: Auburn Hills MI
Go buy a Harbor Freight Earthquake 600ft lb impact.
Its cheap stuff, $79, but mine has never failed me and I oil it after every use.
It will make easy work of those bolts and take them right off.
I just did this 2 days ago.
If your trying to use a air ratchet it won't budge those.
I've tried the jack under the wrench part too, not on the C5 but on my wife's Miata. I lifted the entire car off of the jackstands about and it didn't move, this was before the air compressor and impact
Its cheap stuff, $79, but mine has never failed me and I oil it after every use.
It will make easy work of those bolts and take them right off.
I just did this 2 days ago.
If your trying to use a air ratchet it won't budge those.
I've tried the jack under the wrench part too, not on the C5 but on my wife's Miata. I lifted the entire car off of the jackstands about and it didn't move, this was before the air compressor and impact
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,132
Likes: 1
From: Morganton, NC, USA
Count to 60 seconds for the propane torch on each boss that the 21mm bolts torque into. Wire brush to clean the threads on the orignal bolts and apply red Loctite when you re-install. A mechanic with a lift has it much easier in the rear because he can have the handle of the breaker bar down. Can't do this in your garage because of the floor and can't get a decent size breaker bar inside the wheel wells. Front brakes are a lot easier for the same bolts because you can turn the wheels so that the end of the breaker bar is outside the fender.
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
A breaker bar -- with a length of black pipe (home depot) over it to lengthen and increase your torque. Cheap and it works. I use a 30" long, 1 1/2" black pipe.
Last edited by r2d2nate; May 12, 2006 at 06:37 PM.