Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Brakes anyone encountered this problem I am having...

So I decided to do my front brakes today....Driver side was fine, everything came apart and went together fairly straight forward. So I proceed to the Passenger side...big problem. I can't get the bolts holding the calipers off. I put my 1/2" torque wrench to the bottom one (can't fit it in there to get to the top one) and it won't even budge with that on their. Needless to say I can't break the bolt with my ordinary 1/2" ratchet either. What should I do? Unfortunately I don't own air tools, otherwise I would try to get an impact wrench in their. This side is the worst as far as my brakes go too!

Well, that is a toughy!

I would get a closed ended wrench and a rubber mallet and bang it loose.

You're trying to turn the nut the right way aren't you

A rubber mallet works best since it has less impact harshness than a regular hammer.

I wouldn't use a ratchet since the vertical force applied is offset from the bolt itself, that's why it slips off so often.

so I went outside and tried your suggestion, however without any luck. I had been trying that earlier, but thought I would give it a shot now that I had been spraying PB blaster on it for a good couple of hours. This thing has me really baffled. My brakes haven't been done in 2.5 years, and they were done by a local place around here. I can't see how you could find the room to get an impact wrench in their, but who knows. I know they were torqued on real tight, cause everything I tried should have been able to break them.


So what should my next course of action be? Should I just take somewhere and see if they can get the bolts loostened for me?

how long is your torque wrench?? It was a beotch but I was able to get mine out with my regular ratchet, and a 1-1 1/2 foot long piece of pipe I got fomr home depot that I put over the handle. Depending on how high you have the car off the ground you might be able ot use a breaker bar too. Leverage is everything!!

Quote:

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Leverage is everything!!

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Isn't that the truth!
I had the same problem. I used a hammer and tapped the ratchet downwards with a touch of PB Blaster and they came off with a little force. Just keep trying and don't be afraid to use a little force.

ok I can see how you could break the bottom bolt off with a piece of pipe as an extension, but how did you do the top bolt? the wheel well isn't that big and therefore my torque wrench, which is about 14 inches long can't even get in there for the top bolt.


Also would a breaker bar or just slipping a piece of pipe over my 1/2" ratchet be a better bet?

the pipe is alot easier, and yeah the top bolt is more difficult. I can't remember if I had to or not, bu tremember you can turn the hub if you have to.

how do you turn the hub? I am gonna get a piece of pipe tomorrow and jack the car as high as I can get it and see if I can get enough leverage to break these bolts and get this side done.

I had a similar problem in the past. Ever since, I use a brass hammer and torque it off, and then torque it back on when I'm done. Before re-installing though, i use anti-sieze on the bolts. Never had a problem since.