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How to get "frozen" caliper bolts out??
You | 3/20/2017 | Me

Posted on 03/20/2017 9:07:15 AM PDT by Paul R.

Advice needed: It's either corrosion or a gorilla with a wrench, or both, but I cannot get the brake caliper bolts on our Ford Explorer out. FoMoCo exacerbates the problem by using bolts with shallow heads, so it is difficult to keep a socket on them. I have tried various penetrating oils such as PB Blaster, smacking the bolt heads with a medium hammer, etc. to no effect. More info. in my 1st comment...


TOPICS: Hobbies; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: automotive; bolt; corrosion; frozen; frozenbolts; wrench
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To: Paul R.
Kroil, heat on the nut only, a 6 point socket on a breaker bar, then, while tensioning the bar, smack it with a dead blow hammer.

I'm assuming this a nut and bolt situation. If the above fails, get a nut splitter. You should replace all the hardware - springs, clips, bolts, boots, etc.- any time you dismantle a critical component, so don't worry about effecting heat treatment because your tossing them anyway.

61 posted on 03/20/2017 10:29:46 AM PDT by kitchen (If you are a violin bow maker or restorer please ping me.)
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To: TNoldman; All

It’s a used vehicle purchased not too long ago, in overall exceptionally good shape — it wasn’t MY lack of proper maint, and not really even the prev. / orig. owner, as the maint. records look good: It was just some gorilla in a shop, as other have noted...

BTW, “ALL”,the main bolts that attach the entire caliper assy. to the vehicle are locked too: Had thought of removing the entire assy. to get better access to the caliper pins, but, no such luck.


62 posted on 03/20/2017 10:30:42 AM PDT by Paul R.
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To: OldMagazine
I have done that camphor grinding many times for shallow bolt heads and yes it works.
If be heads are really rusted down, a 1/2 socket may fit better than a 13mm.
Cheap tools also make jobs hard, sometimes even impossible.Ihave ne er split a Snap On socket but have split mang Craftsman sockets. They are junk. (The get the grinder mods)
63 posted on 03/20/2017 10:34:03 AM PDT by right way right (May we remain sober over mere men, for God really is our one and only true hope.)
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To: Iscool

Noted. Maybe I can turn up a decent 6 point metric wrench set for not too much money: Need 17 mm for this. Funds are tight, but, I hate to buy a single...


64 posted on 03/20/2017 10:37:36 AM PDT by Paul R.
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To: Paul R.

If they are hex head bolts don’t use 12 point sockets or those terrible spline drive sockets. I have a set of original metrinch sockets you can still find on ebay that are fantastic for tough bolts. Kobalt (lowes brand) also carries a cam drive socket, or use to, that would work too. At the minimum use a six point socket. If the bolt sheers off with those you were screwed anyway.


65 posted on 03/20/2017 10:38:49 AM PDT by Organic Panic (Flinging poo is not a valid argument)
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To: gop4lyf

Yeah, I guess Ford was trying to shave off a few grams. I wonder what the carbon footprint of the resulting “grief” is?


66 posted on 03/20/2017 10:42:00 AM PDT by Paul R.
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To: Paul R.
BTW, any luck on your end?

No, the machine has been in service almost continuously since I posted the thread. I had to block out next weekend on our business calendar so I can get at it.

I've got some Mouse Oil coming via Amazon, and I picked up a can of PB Blaster to lubricate the screws, prior to tackling the disassembly again. I'll let everyone know how it goes.

67 posted on 03/20/2017 10:49:18 AM PDT by Windflier (Pitchforks and torches ripen on the vine. Left too long, they become black rifles.)
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To: kitchen

No, this is a “pin”.

I don’t have an exact image, but, at this point, I believe it is a “hex head”: visualize a bolt head with immediate threads, and then a “smooth” pin that goes on through a boot and into the caliper body, ending inside the body. No nut to split.

What bugs me is that if the only threads are just “under” the hex head, 3 days of PB Blaster should have some effect. It may not be the “best”, but in the past I’ve found it to be fairly effective. I may try the acetone + ATF next...


68 posted on 03/20/2017 10:49:22 AM PDT by Paul R.
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To: al baby

Bwaahaahaaa!!!


69 posted on 03/20/2017 10:50:13 AM PDT by Paul R.
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To: Paul R.

The best penetrating oil is a home made mix of 50/50 acetone and transmission fluid. I have a small spray bottle for this, I only mix up a little at a time, when I need it because the acetone will evaporate out.

I cant find it now, but saw a study done years ago where they spayed a bunch of nuts and bolts down with salt water for awhile to get the corrosion going real good, then tested a bunch of different things like wd40, pb blaster etc. and recorded the torque required to break each loose after the soaking process...

The acetone/transmission fluid mix won hands down.


70 posted on 03/20/2017 10:51:30 AM PDT by AzNASCARfan
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To: Mr. K

I can get no movement in either direction...


71 posted on 03/20/2017 10:53:08 AM PDT by Paul R.
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To: Paul R.

forget the whiskey, try beer muscles.


72 posted on 03/20/2017 10:54:04 AM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: UCANSEE2

I guess I should have read the comments before commenting...


73 posted on 03/20/2017 10:54:11 AM PDT by AzNASCARfan
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To: Paul R.

look on youtube

make sure (by looking it up) before you accidentally tighten it

If you have a torch, heat the bolt away from the rubber - heat it for as long as it takes


74 posted on 03/20/2017 10:56:37 AM PDT by Mr. K (***THERE IS NO CONSEQUENCE OF OBAMACARE REPEAL THAT IS WORSE THAN KEEPING IT ONE MORE DAY***)
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To: OldMagazine

Yes, in fact I have a proper size (17mm) deep (impact)socket and grinding off the chamfer won’t hurt anything. Was thinking of that, this morning... But a 6 point wrench might be better???


75 posted on 03/20/2017 10:56:44 AM PDT by Paul R.
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To: monocle

Well that seems like it would depend on which part you are heating or cooling... In general for whatever reason, heat always seems to work the best, probably because you can heat it up more than you can cool it off...

When installing control arm bushings, you put the bushings in the freezer and heat up the control arm, they almost slip right in.


76 posted on 03/20/2017 10:59:56 AM PDT by AzNASCARfan
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To: Paul R.

Leverage.


77 posted on 03/20/2017 11:02:20 AM PDT by AppyPappy (Don't mistake your dorm political discussions with the desires of the nation)
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To: Paul R.
I am not as flexible as I once was. I pull the whole spindle assy out so I can really get hold of the stuck parts. Ultimately that saves time for me.
78 posted on 03/20/2017 11:02:39 AM PDT by mad_as_he$$
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To: Paul R.

If it’s the caliper pins, they’re frozen in there. You’re probably better off replacing the calipers.


79 posted on 03/20/2017 11:13:39 AM PDT by Hiro Protaginast
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To: Hiro Protaginast

I’m hoping that’s not it. In the past when I’ve had trouble getting the caliper pins out, they were ok from the beginning of the boot on “down” (in). Granted that I’ve never worked on a Ford B4, and I never had this much trouble, working on getting to the brake pads...


80 posted on 03/20/2017 11:28:57 AM PDT by Paul R.
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