trouble removing the front brake

[AlbinoMonkeyRat]

are the 13mm bolts reverse threaded, or am I just not trying hard enough? seems like all these bolts on my car are way over-tightened.

BTW: Trying to replace 2 studs, because they broke off along with the lugnuts while I was driving a few days ago...been driving my grandma's Charger ever since. lol

[Vtolds]

Should be normal threaded, GM likes to use Loctite. Get a breaker bar or a metal tube you can slip over your wrench. If memory serves me right you can if on the drivers side lay on the ground and pull down which should be loose and on the passenger side you should have to pull up or you could lay on the ground and push up like doing a bench press.

[AlbinoMonkeyRat]

the way you describe is reverse threaded. but either way...the top bolt isn't budging, haven't tried the bottom yet.

[lonnie]

Righty Tighty, Lefty Loosey

[cherrington17]

mine are all normal... no reverse threading here. i think your just reverse loosening them, hence why they won't come off.

[billytheman1188]

use a breaker bar. Those are on there tight because the brakes are the most important part of the car! Give it some muscle and it will come loose

[FrankTheTank]

i think your just reverse loosening them, hence why they won't come off.
that made me chuckle pretty good.

[Redog]

Reverse way the lugnuts go on the car, since the bolts are behind the caliper. If they were reversed threaded, you would have gotten them off ;)

[DOHC_tuner]

I've done them a few times....and they are just really tight!

[Justin081]

i just slipped a big metal pipe over the end of my ratchet and they came right off. there was no way i was budging them without the pipe.

[AlbinoMonkeyRat]

lol well, I know what I have to do now....

[CactusWill]

We think you're a wimp, thats all. Put some muscle into it, you whiney little beotch :jk:

[zzyzzx]

I use a breaker bar. Specifically this one:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=30395

1/2" Drive 25" Breaker Bar

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/30300-30399/30395.gif

Get the extra torque you need to break loose stubborn nuts and bolts with this breaker bar
Strong chrome vanadium steel construction gives you the edge on tough jobs
Drive swivels 180° for the best angle on the work

Shipping weight: 3 lbs.


ITEM 30395-0VGA $12.99

Except I got it for $10 on sale.

[[ion] C2]

i use a nice long steel pipe

worked nicely for my brakes that didn't seem like they could ever come off

[cherrington17]

i think i remember tapping mine free with a hammer, but after that i put a little anti-seize on them, so i don't have to kill myself getting them off again.

[Alerosaint]

elbow grease son!

[AlbinoMonkeyRat]

got it off...turned out I was turning the wrong way :p to correct and paraphrase VTold's: bench press the driver side, pull it down on the passenger side.

and yes, liquid wrench did help. :D

[Midgear]

for the love of all that is holy.. make sure you put them back on SNUG.

my driver side caliper bolt (the bottom one) fell off while i was going down the highway- thought I ran over a rock.. and normally you dont use brakes while just cruisin along on an open road, so I didn't know it untill a traffic signal came up.. I hit the brakes and this wretched grinding noise filled the interior of the car.. scared the living crap out of me- babied it home and noticed my caliper was literally falling off O_o

[cherrington17]

i think your just reverse loosening them, hence why they won't come off.

I CALLED IT! :yahoo:

[AlbinoMonkeyRat]

call this: I accidentally tightened the brake line bolt and the head broke off. (this morning before I had a lot of light, so I was just feeling around) and now I'm letting my brake fluid drip into a cup so I can take the caliper back off again to fix it.

[cherrington17]

that sucks.

[CactusWill]

call this: I accidentally tightened the brake line bolt and the head broke off. (this morning before I had a lot of light, so I was just feeling around) and now I'm letting my brake fluid drip into a cup so I can take the caliper back off again to fix it.


10 ft lbs is the MAX for that bolt... gotta be easy on those

[AlbinoMonkeyRat]

now you tell me. lol

[AlbinoMonkeyRat]

well, now I am waiting for a stealership to get in the banjo bolt...might take a few days. so in the meantime, my Alero rides a tripod in the driveway while I cruise in granny's Charger.

[cherrington17]

10 ft lbs is the MAX for that bolt... gotta be easy on those

really? mine was so hard to get back on, i broke the socket wrench. i was retightening the thing with a breakerbar, since i didn't have the arm strength to get it to tighten it enough to stop it from leaking...

... and yes, i can do AT LEAST 10ftlbs my hand. :glare: bolt didn't break either.

[CactusWill]

really? mine was so hard to get back on, i broke the socket wrench. i was retightening the thing with a breakerbar, since i didn't have the arm strength to get it to tighten it enough to stop it from leaking...

... and yes, i can do AT LEAST 10ftlbs my hand. :glare: bolt didn't break either.


Sounds like the threads weren't lining up.... Its alot easier to crossthread or damage the threads than it is to break the bolt

[zzyzzx]

well, now I am waiting for a stealership to get in the banjo bolt...might take a few days. so in the meantime, my Alero rides a tripod in the driveway while I cruise in granny's Charger.

You are having a dealership replace your banjo bolt? Or were you unable to find a replacement banjo bolt at a regular auot parts store?

I'm thinking that a rebuilt caliper put in yourself would be cheaper than taking it to the dealer.

Or just remove the caliper then dril out the existign banjo bolt and retap.

[billytheman1188]

Sounds like the threads weren't lining up.... Its alot easier to crossthread or damage the threads than it is to break the bolt

tell me about it.....i stripped my bleeder bolt on my back driver side caliper. :( the problem was that i was using a smaller ratchet and i wasnt getting enough torque...... once i switched to the bigger ratchet, they came off nice and easy.

[AlbinoMonkeyRat]

You are having a dealership replace your banjo bolt? Or were you unable to find a replacement banjo bolt at a regular auot parts store?

I'm thinking that a rebuilt caliper put in yourself would be cheaper than taking it to the dealer.

Or just remove the caliper then dril out the existign banjo bolt and retap.
oh, my car is in my driveway. none of the autoparts stores have the right size banjo bolt. they all have coarse threaded and mine is fine threaded. I already have the broken one out, that's how I know. I'm just waiting for the part to come in at the dealer so I can do the work myself. (the stores can't order the part...they don't carry the right size)

[Cliff8928]

Yep, it makes no sense why they wouldn't carry the M10x1.0 banjo bolt but they don't. Many cars with aluminum calipers require that size.

[zzyzzx]

Yep, it makes no sense why they wouldn't carry the M10x1.0 banjo bolt but they don't. Many cars with aluminum calipers require that size.

Let me take a guess here. They have plenty of banjo bolts in stock, but none are metric. Am I right?
:(

[zzyzzx]

Yep, it makes no sense why they wouldn't carry the M10x1.0 banjo bolt but they don't. Many cars with aluminum calipers require that size.


From NAPA's webpage:

http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPages/NOLMaster.aspx?PageId=470&LineCode=UP&PartNumber=83166&Description=Brake+Hose+Banjo+or+Mounting+Bolt

http://partimages2.genpt.com/partimages/326019.jpg

Brake Hose Banjo or Mounting Bolt
Item#: UP 83166
Attributes:
Features & Benefits: Coated to Resist Corrosion & Prevent Rust.
Product Features: Designed To Match O.E. Fit
Form & Function.
Overall Length: 1.15"
Thread Size:M10 x 1"

Doesn't give a price though. Just says:
Available at NAPA stores. This part can only be purchased from your local NAPA AUTO PARTS Store.

Did you even try NAPA? They seem to have a whole lot more than everyone else, and their other banjo bolts range from $3-$4.70

[zzyzzx]

From autozone's webpage:

Motormite / Banjo Bolt for a 1999 Oldsmobile Alero

http://www.autozone.com/images/products/mtr/mtr313940003.jpg

About this product:
Part Number: 313940
Weight: 0.04 lbs.
Pricing: $1.99

Availability:
Store: Normally stocked at your local store.

[zzyzzx]

I already have the broken one out, that's how I know.

Your lucky to have gotten the old one out! How did you do that?

One time I broke off the head of a bolt it was a valve cover bolt that had been soaking in leaking oil, and the top end was sufficiently rough enough for me to just stick a flat head screwdriver in it and turn it to get the bolt out. The last time I broke one, it was on a lower radiator support and it was completely rusted out. I had to drill and tap it. That took a very long time.

[zzyzzx]

Now that I've had more time to think about it, as long as you are going through all the trouble to replace the bolt AND you are willing to wait several days for new bolts, did yu at least think about getting some of those replacement bolts with the check valve in them so that you can bleed your brakes yourself?

[billytheman1188]

^^^^ Thats only for the bleeder bolt.

[zzyzzx]

Isn't a banjo bolt a bleeder bolt?

[AlbinoMonkeyRat]

Banjo bolt is just a bolt with the channel in it to let brake fluid pass through. bleeder bolts have a moving part so you can bleed the brake line without taking it off...kinda like a valve.

[AlbinoMonkeyRat]

Your lucky to have gotten the old one out! How did you do that?

One time I broke off the head of a bolt it was a valve cover bolt that had been soaking in leaking oil, and the top end was sufficiently rough enough for me to just stick a flat head screwdriver in it and turn it to get the bolt out. The last time I broke one, it was on a lower radiator support and it was completely rusted out. I had to drill and tap it. That took a very long time.
reverse direction drill bits that are designed for just this very thing. I was lucky...and it was pretty easy too. just tap in the bit with a couple taps of the hammer and use a wrench to twist it out. hardly any elbow grease to it...more like knuckle grease lol.

[Cliff8928]

From autozone's webpage:

Motormite / Banjo Bolt for a 1999 Oldsmobile Alero

About this product:
Part Number: 313940
Weight: 0.04 lbs.
Pricing: $1.99

Availability:
Store: Normally stocked at your local store.

Crazy, the one I work at doesn't (or didn't) have them when I needed them.

Banjo bolt is just a bolt with the channel in it to let brake fluid pass through. bleeder bolts have a moving part so you can bleed the brake line without taking it off...kinda like a valve.

No moving parts on a bleeder screw unless it's a speed bleeder.

[AlbinoMonkeyRat]

ahhh...the speed bleeder is what the guy at Pepboys was trying to sell me. I had to tear off the cellophane from a Haynes manual to show him what I needed lol.