Stripped top brake caliper bolt (NOT!)

[brus brother]

Got a little too aggressive (overtightened) and stripped the top bolt on the drivers side brake caliper. What do I need to make things right? 2008 Subaru OB

Edited May 30, 2010 by brus brother

[NoahDL88]

either tap the threads or replace the part.

[GeneralDisorder]

You should be able to heli-coil it without much trouble. Take the bolt to NAPA, etc and get a heli-coil kit for that size. It's probably an 8mm thread I would guess. Since it's likely a threaded straight through the part (not a blind hole) you will want to loctite or peen the heli-coil in place so it can't thread straight out the other side, etc.

 

GD

[brus brother]

I did some noodling around and I can get the bracket (bridge?) that the caliper mates up to and the bolt threads into for $40 from SubaruPartsForYou.com. Seems like less labor and a little more predictable since this is a frequently used location when changing pads or are helicoils rock solid, better than new? Waddayathink?

Interesting to note the ages of (and types of) the answers from those that responded. I'm closer to the geezer end of the spectrum.

Edited May 27, 2010 by brus brother

[NoahDL88]

If its only 40 bucks for a new part i'd do that, you might even be able to find a used one at a junk yard for less.

[brus brother]

If its only 40 bucks for a new part i'd do that, you might even be able to find a used one at a junk yard for less.

ah the wisdom of the ages... thanks

[NoahDL88]

I'm really only 28

[GeneralDisorder]

ah the wisdom of the ages... thanks

 

I would have fixed it and I'm older the Noah (in reality). The reasons are several:

 

1. That part will be an order item. Not stocked at the dealership level.

 

2. I stock heli-coil's in all the common Subaru sizes.

 

3. It would be stronger than it was originally, and it would cost less.

 

But that's me - I'm all about doing it quickly and for less money.

 

But at $40 I can see why you would go with the replacement part if you aren't equipped for heli-coil installation, etc.

 

GD

[NoahDL88]

2. I stock heli-coil's in all the common Subaru sizes.

 

3. It would be stronger than it was originally, and it would cost less.

 

 

Maybe I'm just jaded, but I've seen so many posts about new subie owners asking how to tie their shoes and choose their oil that I now err on the side of moron.

 

Brus Brother Don't take it personally, as this is by no means a personal attack, you seem to know better than most here. But I wouldn't trust many here with a heli-coil on a brake component, so I don't want to give directions that might endanger the recipient of my advice.

[idosubaru]

for the joker just wanting to maintain his car and that's it, replacing the part is certainly simple. brackets are scrapped most of the time, should be easy to find.

 

for the guy learning and enjoying working on his car, he might start drooling at learning and trying something else, buying new tools and equipment to have for the next screw up! i've been there and you guys have been here to teach me! i love it....except when i'm doing it.

[hankosolder2]

My attitude on any safety related part is that if a factory replacement is available at a reasonable price... it's best to keep it factory. If some subsequent owner of the car overtorques the helicoil and something goes awry...it could come back to haunt you. It's highly unlikely, but why take a chance? If you've properly installed an OEM part, the liability is on Subaru, not you.

 

Of course, to each their own- it's definitely a matter of opinion.

 

Nathan

[GeneralDisorder]

The budding machinist in me says "why buy it when I can just make one?"

 

You are right to an extent - if you don't think you can do the job right then just buy a replacement.

 

I don't consider a thread repair to be a super-involved master-mechanic type of repair - frankly if I thought that it needed to be an aerospace grade repair I would weld the hole up, anneal it, mill both sides flat, layout the hole and drill/tap it back to spec - then probably magnaflux the whole part just to be sure.... But in the real world a heli-coil with some loctite will handle the job .

 

I agree that there are people who shouldn't be changing their oil but I'm also still hopeful that the folks who come here and pose a coherent question are willing to learn and maybe give the repair option a try - at the worst it gets buggered up even more and you are out the cost of the heli-coil kit AND the new part. And you have learned something - either how not to do the job next time, or where your own personal limitations lie.

 

In the end my advice is just internet banter - and in this case I don't think any horrible accidents are going to result from a caliper slide bolt comming loose. Worst case the caliper flops over into the inside of the wheel and makes some nasty scraping noises.

 

GD

[Fairtax4me]

My god what were you doing trying to put that much torque on that poor little bolt?

For future reference... they don't have to be THAT tight.

A torque wrench might do you some good.

 

I'd call some junkyards and see if you can track down a replacement. Tell them you want all the bolts for it as well. If you can't find one, order it from the dealer.

They used the same part all the way back to 99, so finding a used replacement should be easy.

[brus brother]

My god what were you doing trying to put that much torque on that poor little bolt?

For future reference... they don't have to be THAT tight.

A torque wrench might do you some good.

 

I'd call some junkyards and see if you can track down a replacement. Tell them you want all the bolts for it as well. If you can't find one, order it from the dealer.

They used the same part all the way back to 99, so finding a used replacement should be easy.

Dealer said there was one in all of NE area so I can have it early next week with holiday closings! What am I missing here? Something isn't adding up...

Oh and I agree, I was using a small ratsheet wrench and wasn't trying to beat the stuffing out of it when it stripped out.:-\

All I was doing was inspecting the pads. Loosened the top bolt, removed the bottom bolt, spun caliper up, reverse order tighten and then... wish I had left well enough alone...

So let's slow this train down now... see the link below:

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/catalog/parts/partsProduct.jsp?itemIdentifier=125288_0_4222_&skuDescription=Brakeware+/+Brake+Caliper+Bolt/Pin&brandName=Brakeware&displayName=Brake+Caliper+Bolt/Pin&categoryNValue=&sortType=&store=5156&isSearchByPartNumber=&fromWhere=&fromString=&counter=0&itemId=555-0&navValue=14400555&filterByKeyWord=&productId=125288&searchText=&categoryDisplayName=Brakes+%26+Traction+Control&parentId=44-0

It appears that in my oh &^%$# moment and asking for assistance, I didn't do any of my own exploration. Seems that the top bolt is threaded into a sleeve that is "inserted" into the elusive and expensive bracket??

Sooo, before we take out the antigravity machines that we've been dying to use, is there anyone here who has actually had this apart who can fix this with earth tools? I have a reman caliper on hand (initially planning for the worst) and the kit has two different sleeves. One has an additional collar at the end opposite the threaded end. Which sleeve is on top? How do these sleeves fit into the bracket? This is my only ride and I don't want to take it apart until I know where I'm going with it.

Edited May 28, 2010 by brus brother

[idosubaru]

just get a complete bracket with everything on it from a yard. there's like dozens of calipers for your car all over the northeast, they're not worth much more than scrap to a yard.

 

1-888-372-8862 has like a dozen of your calipers, maybe they'll snag a bracket for you.

[brus brother]

I think you miss my point. I'm not sure there is anything wrong with the bracket... The threads are inside the sleeve (see the link I provided above). How do these sleeves fit into the bracket to keep them from spinning??

[idosubaru]

not exactly missing it, if you bought an entire used bracket with all the hardware on it you'd have what you need.

 

that pin has a square head, it resides in a cut out on the caliper when it's fitted together and won't spin. you have to "line it up" as you slide the caliper back down into place, then it's locked.

 

unfortunately Subaru used so many different style brake bolts and pins that i can't keep them all straight so without seeing your specific layout I might be wrong, but I think that's right.

 

In that case you could just need the pins, that hardware set maybe? Hopefully it's right, it's easy to screw up brake parts with Subarus with all the changes they made.

 

Jamal has a great thread somewhere on many variations and bolt/pins changes and interchanges. Probably won't need it but if you run into anything like that you might want to look at it.

[johnceggleston]

when you check the bolt after it stripped did you see ant metal filings from the bad threads??

 

what i'm getting at is this, is there a chance, based on gary's description of how it is supposed to work, that the pin/sleeve was not seated properly when you were torquing it and the whole pin spun in the bracket.? or the "square head" was rounded?

 

i'd be tempted to replace the sleeves and go. they must press in to the bracket. there doesn't seem like there would be a lot of side to side stress on these bolts/pins once the caliper is in place, front to rear stress yes. with the rotor in there the caliper cannot move to the side but so much. just guessing.

 

i'm sure there was a reason for the design change, but i do not see it.

[brus brother]

With a bad back at the end of the day, once I felt the bolt spin twice, I just snugged it up, didn't take anything apart to verify "stripped", shavings etc. Now seeing the schematics, it looks like the whole sleeve/nut may be spinning against the shoulder of the caliper. The sleeve has two flat sides and for whatever reason may not be snugged up against the body of the caliper. So either I rounded over the sleeve's "flats" or I cut a groove in the shoulder of the cast caliper. Hmmm which is harder? Could I have really done so much damage with a small ratchet wrench?

[idosubaru]

those sleeves are heavy duty...relatively you know, i can't imagine those getting "rounded". maybe they didn't get seated right, but seems to me the tab of the caliper doesn't slide properly into place if that happens. hard to say without seeing it.

[brus brother]

those sleeves are heavy duty...relatively you know, i can't imagine those getting "rounded". maybe they didn't get seated right, but seems to me the tab of the caliper doesn't slide properly into place if that happens. hard to say without seeing it.

What time can you be here?

[Fairtax4me]

That was sarcasm btw.

 

A sleeve you say? If you can get the sleeve out you might be able to figure out what went wrong.

[hankosolder2]

So, I see that after the last brake job where you forgot to pump up the pedal and totaled your old car you're STILL causing mechanical mayhem!

 

Just razzing you a little...I'm sure you'll get it figured out and working great in no time.

 

Nathan

[brus brother]

With a bad back at the end of the day, once I felt the bolt "spin" twice, I just snugged it up, didn't take anything apart to verify "stripped", shavings etc. Now seeing the schematics, it looks like the whole sleeve/nut may be spinning against the shoulder of the caliper. The sleeve has two flat sides and for whatever reason may not be snugged up against the body of the caliper. So either I rounded over the sleeve's "flats" or I cut a groove in the shoulder of the cast caliper. Hmmm which is harder? Could I have really done so much damage with a small ratchet wrench?

 

OK So a few days rest and Advil I had another go at it and as it turned out I just hadn't snugged it up completely after all and was overthinking it, not overtightening it! Changed the pads, all is well, happy holidays to all, thanks for the noodling (and needling hank ;-))

Edited May 30, 2010 by brus brother

[idosubaru]

What time can you be here?

yeah that would be totally pimp traveling the US helping folks, and learning, with their soobs! lol

 

glad you got it figured out, easy fix, WOOT!