Caliper bolts wont buge
 

Trying to remove the caliper bolts on a 1977 and can't get them to come lose. I soaked them with liquid wrench and let them set for a couple days. I've tried a cheater bar on the end of my ratchet with no luck even a little heat from a propane torch. I am afraid I'm going to strip the head on the bolt or break it off completely. Any advice? Also if I get em out is there something I can put on the threads to keep it from doing this again cause I'm sure I'll be redoing these calipers again at some point from what I hear?

Are you sure you are trying to turn the bolts in the right direction?

OP, hopefully you're applying heat to the spindle, and NOT the bolt. Assuming you can eventually get the bolts removed, use some anti-seize on the threads, as well as a torque wrench, when you re-install them.

Classic, do you have access to an impact wrench? If so, try that route. I have never had an issue removing those bolts with the aid of my trusty IR impact. :thumbs:

Dave

Well, you are doing everything right except I have had better luck with PB Blaster. Soak it, let it set overnite. Heat the bolt up, breaker bar and a 6 point socket.

I would never put anti-seize on brake parts. Consider that product for items that are frequently removed (sparkplugs). You sure don't want brake parts coming loose! Once the bolts are off, use LocTite Blue on the threads, common sense. Keep at it, you'll get it.

1/2 in breaker bar with a 3 foot pipe should work. Shouldn't break. Bubba might have put loctite on them??

I have always used Never-Seize on my caliper mounting bolts; mainly to prevent rust.

Every 'brake' mechanic needs an impact driver. This is the hand-held gizmo that you strike with a BFH to get super-tight bolts/nuts loose. If you need this kind of device frequently, buy a good brand name product; if you don't, go to Harbor Freight for the 'cheapie'.

It will get the job done without damaging your bolt or the caliper.

I'll second the anti seize... Never had one back out in 40 years. Now I have snapped more than a few off from being corroded on... And wanted to have an in depth discussion with a few people who have used loctite on them.
PB blaster definitely and sometimes a good wack to loosen instead of just pressure will break the corrosion bond.

The best commercial stuff to squirt on seized bolts is PB Blaster, in my experience. A 50/50 mix of acetone and ATF, shaken well before spraying it on the seized parts, works very well, too.

Heat should be applied to the area immediately around the bolt, not directly to the bolt itself.

Add me to the list of fans of "impact drivers." I've got a 1/2 inch drive one and a 3/8 inch drive on. Select appropriate impact rated 6 point socket, put it on the driver, set it for loosen, put it on the bolt head and hit it hard with a BFH. Best done with the surrounding metal is hot from the torch, and some fresh PB blaster or acetone/ATF has been applied.

Heat and impact are the key. And patience. Don't break the bolt head with too much force applied slowly with a wrench. That's a bigger problem with more difficult solutions.

If you must use a normal socket and breaker bar or ratchet, hitting the ratchet head / breaker bar head end with a BFH, pounding it toward the bolt, puts some vibration into the joint and can also break it loose.

:iagree: You can't get much torque using a ratchet without breaking it. 1/2" breaker bar gets the job done usually.

Yes unless they are reverse threaded

No need for name calling here. I'm just saying I put LocTite Blue on all my suspension parts and drivetrain parts. I don't worry about getting nuts & bolts loose. I worry more about coming loose at over 100 MPH.

Loctite makes bolts come out kind of hard. It won't make them impossible to remove. In fact, it will seal the threads to keep water out so it works like never sieze. A bit of propane heat will release the loctite. And loctite won't break a bolt 3/8th or smaller. Not red, so certainly not blue.

You might try striking the head of the bolt with a hammer. Same as hitting the end of the socket except more direct. The vibration could very well make it break loose.

The first time I had to remove my front calipers I had to use like a 3 foot pipe on a half-inch drive bar. I am quite sure they were loctited....probably red at that.

I now have a real oxy-acetalyne torch, and if I had to do it today I would use heat, instead of pure brute force. In my experience the oxy-acetalyne will work wonders where a propane torch will not.

I would suggest PB blaster soak and an impact wrench, and----if not successful then get out the oxy-acetalyne torch and warm it up. If you'reg going to use a cheater bar, then do NOT use it on a ratchet, if the ratchet breaks you can injure yourself and/or damage things. Just something to keep in mind.

I also use a "touch" of blue loctite when assembling the generic suspension component.

Heat it up and then soak the bolt in FREEZE OFF. It cools the bolt and usually frees the bolt

Sometimes shock such as an impact or hitting the breaker bar works better than brute force.

Be sure to use an impact 6 point socket.

Just don't pull the car off of the jack stands on top of you!

Welcome to the world of working on old cars. Stuck bolts. I made the mistake of using my favorite 1/2 inch ratchet, which already had an 18 inch handle, and put a 5 foot pipe over the handle to remove a stubborn lug nut on my truck. The sound of high quality tool steel shattering sounds like a gun shot. Should have used my beaker bar plus the pipe.

On Vettes I've never worked on before as in friends cars I use a wrench that fits tight on the bolt then use a small mallet to hit the wrench to jar the bolt loose. Of course this is a wrench I'm willing to break.

The poster that was asking if your turning it the right way was just making sure as I've seen folks try to turn bolts the wrong way when the bolt is pointing towards them.