[HandyDandy]

A battery operated impact gun is fairly bulky. Make sure you have room to maneuver it before making that investment. A pneumatic ratchet would probably fit the bill but it doesn't sound as though you are set up for that. Your buddy has a fully equipped shop. Obviously the first thing he would do is raise the vehicle on a lift and remove the wheel. Then, from underneath, and working from the backside of the caliper, he'd use his air impact gun with appropriate extension and swivel impact socket to zap those bolts out with the pull of a trigger. It is quite likely that those bolts, from the factory, were micro encapsulated with locktite and will resist you all the way out. I do not understand why your boltheads are low profile. Did you ask your buddy about that?

Another poster had the right idea when he simply said, "leverage". One tip, that I almost hesitate to share, is using two wrenches, end to end. Sometimes when you have space constraints it's your best option. You put the box end of the correct size on the bolt head. Then (and this is the tricky part) you take a second wrench and slip its box end over one jaw of the open end of the first wrench. It takes coordination. You need to put the second wrench over the jaw that is facing the direction that you are going to pull. The two wrenches will lock together as long as you maintain tension. It's very easy to hurt yourself doing this, so I'd strongly advise not hurting yourself. Otherwise, "knock yourself out".

[Paul R.]

Noted on the impact wrench — my plan is to try an air wrench. Hopefully my portable compressor (1.4 gal, 2.4 cfm @ 90 psi) can power it for at least short bursts.)

I have a small battery power impact wrench. It came as part of a combo cordless drill and impact wrench set, but its “impacts” are pretty weak — I only use it on small stuff I’m trying to cajole loose, such as a #8 screw at most. I remember another friend had a hefty battery power wrench with big honking ‘ol Ni-Cad batts. I’m pretty sure it would be too big, as you say.

My mechanic friend said they run into low profile bolt heads sometimes, but (being as they are a fully equipped 4-bay shop, much as you describe) they are only occasionally a problem. Why Ford would use such here is hard to say - as a tiny part of a weight reduction program is the only reason I can think of.