Scooby Pete Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Just been attempting to swap my discs and pads and had real trouble getting the bolts that hold the caliper to the hub off, so much in fact I went and bought a beefier 1/2" drive ratchet to give me more torque than the the 3/8" ratchet. Yes I know they shouldn't be that hard to get off, I was hoping they were just rusted, no such luck. Both threads on the calliper are threaded :( Now as far as I'm aware, you can't thread a bolt by undoing it. This means that it was either done at the factory or some numptie needs to back to school to learn how to do bolts up. Only attempted the n/s so far and think I may as well leave it to my mate who is going to fit the braided hoses and bleed the system for me. Upshot is the car is now off the road and will prob have to pay to get it recovered to my mates garage on top of paying to get it tapped and refitted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay762 Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Nightmare news Pete - you are correct it is almost impossible to cross thread something undoing it, I have thought of one long winded scenario but that certainly wouldnt apply in this circumstance. How far is it to your mates Garage - one time I had a caliper fail whilst on a 300+ mile journey - I got the caliper off, fixed the pads in place by tie wraps then pumped the brakes to get the pistons pressed against them then tie wrapped the caliper out of the way under the wheel arch. the car obviously pulled to the one side but careful driving, smooth gear changes and lots of engine braking got me home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambit Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 :( not good mate And you're right you can only cross thread it when it was being done up tight. I think that some idiot that's used a Wrench, ZIP Gun. to do them :( Touch wood only time I've had a problem with this was the alloy wheel bolts. !Removed! made me mad that I even asked the garage at the time not to use a gun to tighten them up as I don't see the need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diz Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Sounds like you have three options... Apply heat on the bolts. As it's cooling down - not too hot that flammables will ignite - try to spray WD40 into the threaded areas and have another go. Use a T-bar, maybe even with an extended pole, with a tight-fitting socket, not a ratchet - apply a sharp blow to the handle of the T-bar with a heavy hammer and mind your fingers. Still no joy, if you have access to an impact wrench airline that should do it. If none of the above works repeat 1 and 2 until it loosens. with a crack sound. Disclaimer: if the bolt head snaps (unlikely, but possible) then you are looking at a whole new world of pain... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diz Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 FWIW Gambit, I have also asked garage not to tighten certain **** up with an airlline.It's pure laziness when they should be using a torque wrench. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambit Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I agree I can live with them using it on the rest of the car but my alloys. I hate it I'd rather do them myself I see it if I had a blowout and stood at the side of the road trying to get them off and can't because they used a gun I wouldn't have anything very nice to say thats all I know :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay762 Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Pete just for clarity - have you managed to get the bolts out and have seen the two threads in the caliper or not managed to shift them at all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Pete Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share Posted February 16, 2014 Sorry Diz and Jay the bolts are out. I going to have to get my mate to fit helicoils in the side I've taken off. The callipers have to come off completely anyway as braided lines are being fitted. Hopefully the other side isn't the same and will come off easily, I was too fed up to check. Might have to use your cable tie idea to get it to the garage Jay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay762 Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Yup helicoil is the way forwad with this one given the power of the remaining brakes Pete I know you'll take it steady I'm sure you would be fine and it saves the recovery cost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Pete Posted February 20, 2014 Author Share Posted February 20, 2014 picked the car up at lunch with the new brakes fitted, £250 lighter though :( It seems that Subaru changed the way they attach the calliper to the car. on the classics the bolt went through the caliper and into the hub, on the later cars with the STI/Brembo brakes the bolts go through the hub and into the ally caliper. You would have thought that the engineers would know Steel and Ally don't mix, or that they would have fitted steel Helicoils as standard. You know just so it doesn't cost owners £200+ everytime they change the Discs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cusco scooby wagon Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 one of the last pairs of calipers i had reconditioned had that problem but they were the 4 pot Subaru type, the bolt came out and so did the threads, not ideal. the thread was in the caliper with luck so managed to re-tap it but a lot of messing about and not wanting to scratch the caliper too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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