Frozen Caliper Bolt: Part 2

[UMT]

99 Impreza Outback Sport with frozen, twisted off head on the bolt that holds front brake caliper to the steering hub.

 

I had posted earlier about this dilemma regarding how was I going to get this bolt out. We discussed heat, drilling, rethreading, etc.

 

I had also talked to some local old boys who had been techs, etc. and one guy told me: Get it red hot, and then immediately spray water on it till it's cool to the touch and that bolt will come right out.

 

Sounded kinda far fetched to me....

 

So, there I was with no heavy duty torch, all I had was a little orange butane torch from Harbor Freight. But,,, I had to give it a shot.

 

So, I set the piece on a vice and maneuvered it so I could set the torch down, light it and walk away as I knew it would take a while.

 

20 minutes later, I checked on it and it was hot, but obvious that it wasn't going to get red hot but I figured I'ld crank on it and see what happens.

 

I put my monster vice grips on it while hot and ........... nothing. At that point, I thought I'ld try the cold water thing so I sprayed it down till it was cool, put said monster vice grips on it again and WALLAH! One tight turn and the rest of it came out with just my fingers. Brakes back together and working fine.

 

I couldn't believe it so I thought I'ld pass this little trick onto the forum as everyone here has been good to me. Can't hurt to try it when you are in a pinch.

 

UMT

[Rooster2]

great success story........thanks for posting!

[rverdoold]

Good to know, big torches are quite expensive and the small ones are worth trying. Thanks.

[NWSubie]

Ill be adding that one to memory for when I come across those impossible to get out bolts. A guy once told me a trick for getting older bolts unstuck, just give the bolt head one or two sturdy taps then try to loosen it. I tried it on a couple rusted bolts and they came right out. Just be sure not to damage the bolt head when tapping on it. And I normally just spray rusted bolts with WD40 or something like it but sometimes you find yourself out of it. haha Thanks for the tip!

[987687]

When I worked in a garage rusted caliper bracket bolts on subarus were pretty standard practice. It got to the point where I'd heat them red hot before even trying to loosen them.

But if I did manage in rounding the head off I'd heat it red hot, pound a socket one size smaller on, the douse it in PB blaster. Then it would come right out, no questions asked. A good hot torch (oxy/ace) is the solution to most stuck fasteners on cars.

[the_bard]

Another vote for PB Blaster, and heat. Dad always used an oxy/ace torch, though I've had reasonable luck with a simple propane torch. Cheaper and simpler to use, but it takes a heck of a long time to build any sort of heat up.

[987687]

The problem with a propane torch is that it heats everything up at the same time. oxy/ace heats the bolt up so fast the whole bolt gets red hot, while the nut only heats slowly. It's pretty cool to watch. But that very rapid heating of just the bolt (or nut, depending on what you heat) is what breaks the rust bonds.

It's the thing I miss most about working in a shop. I surely don't miss my ********************* boss

[CNY_Dave]

Oxy-acet setups are pretty cheap, and small tanks are often purchased instead of rented.

 

Then, get an air-acet sweating torch, and plumbing work becomes much easier. Won't overheat the joints like oxy-acet but much much much more heat than propane or mapp.

 

Dave

[987687]

Acetylene is actually rather expensive in Maine.

When I get a set up I'll probably do oxy/propane. It's the same idea as oxy/ace and gets almost as hot. And MUCH cheaper to run because of acetylene prices.

Oxygen is pretty cheap, as in propane.