What to do?
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Junior User
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 81
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What to do?
Last night I jacked my truck up to change the front brake and after i got it up and the front wheels off. I messed up the first thing I touched. The caliper retaining bolt on the passenger side broke right off with out even much pressure. Then i noticed the bolt on the other side was a different size then that one. I got the pads changed and good but the passenger side that bolt is broke off in there. I tried drilling it out but it eats the drill bits up.
My neighboor drilled a hole on the other side of the piece that holds the caliper in place , tapped it and made a new hole and put a 1/4 inch bolt in it. When i put the wheel back on it wouldnt turn because the inside of the rim was catching that bolt.
As far as I know that bolt only holds that piece from sliding over. I dont know if i should just drill that first bolt ut of the hole and re tap it to a bigger size or get a more low profile bolt to go in the new hole.
This being the brakes makes me uneasy on trying to rig it
Ideas?
My neighboor drilled a hole on the other side of the piece that holds the caliper in place , tapped it and made a new hole and put a 1/4 inch bolt in it. When i put the wheel back on it wouldnt turn because the inside of the rim was catching that bolt.
As far as I know that bolt only holds that piece from sliding over. I dont know if i should just drill that first bolt ut of the hole and re tap it to a bigger size or get a more low profile bolt to go in the new hole.
This being the brakes makes me uneasy on trying to rig it
Ideas?
Thread Starter
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Junior User
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 81
Likes: 1
Sorry I haven't posted pictures yet Ive been running around all day. i drove it earlier with a bolt in the new hole but the calipers were sticking and i dont think that bolts gonna work. There is a reason ford didn't put one there in the first place.
But this is what I'm up against.
This is the caliper, the original bolt is the one on the left that broke. Ive tried to drill it out but it will eat it some and then mess the bit up. The one on the left isnt supposed to be there, we drilled it but its not going to work, its too close to the rim and looks like it hits when i hit a bump or something. And i can't have it eating up the rim.
This is the hole we have been drilling trying to get it out
I'm thinking I'm just going to havem to buy a new one from the junkyard but what is this piece called?
Also if you have a good suggestion to get that bolt the rest of the way out, to salvage this one would be greatly appreciated.
But this is what I'm up against.
This is the caliper, the original bolt is the one on the left that broke. Ive tried to drill it out but it will eat it some and then mess the bit up. The one on the left isnt supposed to be there, we drilled it but its not going to work, its too close to the rim and looks like it hits when i hit a bump or something. And i can't have it eating up the rim.
This is the hole we have been drilling trying to get it out
I'm thinking I'm just going to havem to buy a new one from the junkyard but what is this piece called?
Also if you have a good suggestion to get that bolt the rest of the way out, to salvage this one would be greatly appreciated.
Moderator
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 22,415
Likes: 92
From: Denver Metro Area, CO
did something similar to his brakes, tried to use an air-powered tool to assemble
stuff and cross-threaded or something and made a mess, had to drill like you're
doing.
You wamt bits (you'll likely dull several in the process) with a high carbon content...
very hard metal... high-speed-capable, too. You might go to a good machine shop
supply house and get 'em, possibly a GOOD auto-parts/machine shop store/service
place.
You also might search through the Garage and Workshop forum
(https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum20/, I think I've seen stuff there recently
about good-quality drill bits (I think they've got some sort of rating or classification like
HSS or something similar).
I understand cobalt bits have a hardened tip (tip only) and might suffice if nothing better
is available.
Cutting oil can't hurt (will help lengthen the life of the bits).
This might be a help to ya, too (found by searching thru garage/workshop forum for "drill
bits" (with quotes):
http://www.asashop.org/autoinc/may2003/techtotech.htm
New User
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
carbide tipped bits
you already have a great response after posting you pics, a two undersize (maybe a 5/32"?) hardened carbide bit, then the next size up? I believe that is a 5/16 18? so, get the right bits. VERY carefully keep it straight, but, the other guy is right, a tap should clean it out. I know, $12.00 in drill bits, and if you can buy an individual tap, another $12.00.
Here is how to prevent it again, you are dealing with an iron caliper, an iron knuckle, and probably a grade 8, or higher bolt (mine was a high carbon black thing, pissed me off). Iron is MUCH softer, so, believe it or not, you can DOWNgrade the bolt strength to a 5, or better yet, a new set of job specified bolts at the auto parts store (who needs a hardware kit for pads, right? my local auto parts store looked at me like I was a kook when I requested, diff application, but still)
Lastly, loctite red I think, will keep you from having this problem again, thats a lower stress part, just holds the spring down and the whole assembly together, but the bolts MUST be able to handle the heat cycles or they will do exactly this. (exact same setup as my '75 Scout II???)
good luck my friend.
Here is how to prevent it again, you are dealing with an iron caliper, an iron knuckle, and probably a grade 8, or higher bolt (mine was a high carbon black thing, pissed me off). Iron is MUCH softer, so, believe it or not, you can DOWNgrade the bolt strength to a 5, or better yet, a new set of job specified bolts at the auto parts store (who needs a hardware kit for pads, right? my local auto parts store looked at me like I was a kook when I requested, diff application, but still)
Lastly, loctite red I think, will keep you from having this problem again, thats a lower stress part, just holds the spring down and the whole assembly together, but the bolts MUST be able to handle the heat cycles or they will do exactly this. (exact same setup as my '75 Scout II???)
good luck my friend.
Last night I jacked my truck up to change the front brake and after i got it up and the front wheels off. I messed up the first thing I touched. The caliper retaining bolt on the passenger side broke right off with out even much pressure. Then i noticed the bolt on the other side was a different size then that one. I got the pads changed and good but the passenger side that bolt is broke off in there. I tried drilling it out but it eats the drill bits up.
My neighboor drilled a hole on the other side of the piece that holds the caliper in place , tapped it and made a new hole and put a 1/4 inch bolt in it. When i put the wheel back on it wouldnt turn because the inside of the rim was catching that bolt.
As far as I know that bolt only holds that piece from sliding over. I dont know if i should just drill that first bolt ut of the hole and re tap it to a bigger size or get a more low profile bolt to go in the new hole.
This being the brakes makes me uneasy on trying to rig it
Ideas?
My neighboor drilled a hole on the other side of the piece that holds the caliper in place , tapped it and made a new hole and put a 1/4 inch bolt in it. When i put the wheel back on it wouldnt turn because the inside of the rim was catching that bolt.
As far as I know that bolt only holds that piece from sliding over. I dont know if i should just drill that first bolt ut of the hole and re tap it to a bigger size or get a more low profile bolt to go in the new hole.
This being the brakes makes me uneasy on trying to rig it
Ideas?
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Thread Starter
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Junior User
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 81
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Thanx man, yea i gotta get that thing out of there. Ill see about getting a good carbide bit or something to get that thing out. I have a tap and die kit but I cant get a hole all the way through it yet. Im hoping to get to the hardware store tommorow after work so i ca get this finished.
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 274
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From: Pittsburgh
I did the same thing then broke the extractor off tring to get it out.. then a just gave up and was able to drill and tap a new hole which seemed just fine until I tried putting the wheel back on.. I had to grind the new bolt down to make clearance for the rim.. someday Ill just pay someone too get it out..
Thread Starter
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Junior User
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 81
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Thats exactly what I did swatter. I grinded it down to where I had clearance to the rim and its fine but now my calipers are stuck lol. If it aint one thing its another. But im bout to pull it in the garage and see if ti can take that rubber seal off and see if its rusted in there or what, I can about guarantee after almost 30 years it is. I may just replace the calipers and call it a day.
Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 5,489
Likes: 13
From: Kuna ID
If you are dulling a lot of drill bits, a friend showed me that with an bench grinder or even an angle grinder you can sharpen them up again. It doesn't take much at all though just a few quick touches on the wheel.
Elder User
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 548
Likes: 0
From: Sparks, NV
try welding something you can use to twist the bolt out of there. weld steel wont stick to cast iron so weld it and beat it with a hammer, then twist it out. learned that on a cast iron exhaust manifold bolt 
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