Guest jclay Posted August 5, 2004 Share Posted August 5, 2004 well, like the genius that i am, i managed to break the pin/bolt on one of my rear calipers, my question is, whats the best way to get it out? i picked up a set of bolt extractors today, and plan to go that route...any tips? also, its going to be a huge PITA as i'll have to come in from behind the caliper to drill into the broken bolt shaft. any suggestions? how difficult is removing the caliper? what do i have to be aware of concerning the brake line? (i'm not keen on doing any bleeding) perhaps putting the rear end on jack stands, lying underneath, and drilling from there. whichever way, it promises to be a whole lota fun! as always, all input is greatly appreciated. jared Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbhrps Posted August 6, 2004 Share Posted August 6, 2004 Been there, done that. Yup, I've even turned a bolt the wrong way on the opposite side of the car till it broke.To do the job with the least chance of injury to you, the least chance of botching it up to where you need to tow the car to a professional, and the least frustration, undo the flex hose from the caliper and remove the caliper from the car. Put the caliper in a vice and drill out the bolt, using a drill press if possible. Bleeding the wheel after everything is back on is no big deal, if you get a helper to pump the brake pedal at the appropriate time. Its a 2 man job if you don't want to buy a brake bleeding tool. Make sure that you use an actual brake wrench on the flex hose fitting! If you need further directions on that part of the job, get back to us and we'll give specific instructions. We salute you for tackling the job yourself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jclay Posted August 6, 2004 Share Posted August 6, 2004 thanks gbhrps, That thing about turning the bolt in the wrong direction from the wrong side of the car... well you're not alone. Did you wail on your wrench with a hammer like i did? anyway, at this point my main concern is removal of the brake lines from the caliper, and then the bleeding after. I assume a brake wrench is available at my parts store, but could you explain the bleeding proccess? Thanks again, Jared Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbhrps Posted August 7, 2004 Share Posted August 7, 2004 First off, you should flush out all of the old brake fluid every 3 years, and replace it with new fluid. The darn stuff absorbs water from the air and rusts out your steel brake lines and calipers from the inside. Start by topping up the brake reservoir, being careful not to spill any fluid on your paint, as it will strip it right down to bare metal. Also, if you get any on your hands, don't touch any plastic parts of the car as it attacks certain plastics as well. Crack off each wheel nut on all 4 wheels, jack the car up, put safety stands under all 4 corners (or just do the rears first, then switch and do the fronts), and remove all of the wheels. Start by bleeding the wheel farthest from the reservoir, and then do each wheel that is next furthest away, and so on. Use a 6 point socket to break free the bleed screw (it might be slightly rusted in place and a 12 point wrench could slip and round out the bolt head pattern) and then tighten it again. Switch to a box end wrench and place it over the bleed screw. Slide one end of about 2 feet of clear plastic hose over the bleed screw and put the other end in a clear container that you can throw away when finished with. Now get a partner in the driver's seat to push down on the brake pedal and hold it onto the floor. You now crack open the bleed screw and watch the fluid rush out the tubing along with bubbles of air and old rusty coloured fluid. When the fluid stops moving, close the bleed screw and tell your partner to let the pedal up. On your cue, tell them to push the pedal to the floor again and hold it there while you watch for bubbles, then close the bleed screw. Repeat as many times as necessary until no more bubbles can be seen and you see clear/clean fluid when opening the bleed screw. Now tighten the bleed screw and wipe up any fluid spills. Now, refill the brake reservoir and do the same thing to the next wheel and so on. Remember to use the same DOT 3 or DOT 4 brake fluid that is stamped on the top of the brake reservoir cap, and to always top the reservoir to the "maximum" level marked on the reservoir side after bleeding each wheel. That's it in a nutshell other than to say "test the brakes in your driveway at slow speeds in both directions afterwards, before you venture out onto the streets". If you have any qualms about doing the job as described, or as to the quality of your workmanship when you are finished...don't drive the car! Have a professional check your work or take it to a professional to get the job done. Anyone else on the thread that can add anything that I've missed, please jump in! Good luck and let us know how you make out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jclay Posted August 9, 2004 Share Posted August 9, 2004 Thanks again, i'll be making the attempt next weekend, and will post results. jared Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger83 Posted August 10, 2004 Share Posted August 10, 2004 If you don't have the drill press, and patience, take it to an automotive machine shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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