i'm in the middle of trying to change my brakes, but the caliper mounting brakets are stripped. the bolts are rounded off from however changed them last. how can i get them off? i can't find anything that'll grip them grip them. also, when putting them back on are there any special torque specs, or do you just put them on as tight as possible?
#8631, "RE: brake problems" In response to Reply # 0
Cant remember off the top of my head if there is enough room, but try using vise-grips, or even a small pipe wrench. A small pipe wrench will destroy the bolt head, but you already said they are stipped. Believe it or not, this works very well, at least for me it has, just don't know if there is enough room to fit it in there...Use plenty of WD-40 too...
13.5 @108 MPH-2.2 60ft(stupid FWD!) S16G @ 18 PSI/FMIC/Running on MegaSquirt II (Now with sequential fuel injection) My webpage: http://eclipsed4evr.home.comcast.net -1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse RS-T- "Toy" -1992 Plymouth Laser Turbo AWD(SOLD) -2000 Honda CR-V(daily)
#8632, "RE: brake problems" In response to Reply # 1
where can i get new bolts to replace them with once these are off...they're probably not gonna be reuseable.
BTW...when you guys are workin' on your cars, where do you let it sit on the jackstands...i've got it on where the lower control arm bolts to the chassis, but maybe it's just me, but i'm afraid if i put too much force into what i'm doing(i.e. trying to remove a bolt) it's gonna slip off or somethin'. i don't know, maybe i'm just paraniod, but is there a better place to place the stands where there is less of a chance of it slipping off or whatever?
#8634, "RE: brake problems" In response to Reply # 3
it may be worth your money to take that to a shop. they will probably need to cut or drill them out. thats not fun. do you know who did the brakes last time??? if it was a shop take it back and make them take em off. they should not charge you either.
i put my jack in the center of the car, theres a brace there, look for 2 round parts sitting next to each other, each has a large bolt, i use a jack there and it takes both fronts off at the same time. also, get the bolts from a junk yard.
-johnny
"Few people understand the psychology of dealing with a highway traffic cop. Normal speeders will panic and immidiately pull over to the side. This is wrong. It arouses content in the cop heart. Make the bastard chase you, he will follow..."
"Few people understand the psychology of dealing with a highway traffic cop. Normal speeders will panic and immidiately pull over to the side. This is wrong. It arouses co
#8635, "RE: brake problems" In response to Reply # 4
well i finally had to go take it to a shop....absolute last resort. those things were on there tight, and they pretty much had to wreck the bolts to get them off. they had new ones there at the shop though. this is the first time since i've owned the car that i've had to change the brakes, so i don't know who stripped the bolts last. i bought it directly from satan. now i've only driven a couple of miles on the new pads(metal masters) and rotors(powerslotts) so i know that they have to break in before they'll really work well, but i can't lock the weels up at all. in other words no matter how hard i press they won't skid. i didn't try it too many times b/c i didn't want to burn them, but is that normal. also, if i press down fairly hard on the petal it will hit the floor. it feels kind of mushy. there was no need to bleed the brakes, so the system wasn't really touched at all, so i don't see why there is more play. the shop said that it's b/c the rotors and pads are new and they had to break in, but i can't see why that would make the pedal feel softer. anyone else that has more experience w/ brakes have any idea?
BTW - while the car was on the lift i decided to look up and check on the new HG that satan replaced, and the crank sensor is still leaking!! and i told them specifically to make sure they changed that. this might be why i've been using so much oil lately.
"Few people understand the psychology of dealing with a highway traffic cop. Normal speeders will panic and immidiately pull over to the side. This is wrong. It arouses co
#8638, "RE: brake problems" In response to Reply # 7
you should notice better grip from the new brakes in about 75 miles or so. might take a little longer with the pads you got though. The pedal will feel a little soft, but it shouldn't go to the floor and be mushy. Drive around for about a good week, and if the brake stopping power doesn't get any better, then check your brake fluid, and be sure your rear brakes are adjusted properly too. The rear drums don't like to adjust themsleves very well like they should, so by adjusting them, you will feel much better stoping power right away. Do this. Fully depress your brake pedal, then pull up on the e-brake handle. If your drums are adjusted correctly, then the handle should come up quite a ways and be kinda loose.Drive the car and let off the gas, and pull up on the e-brake lightly. You should feel the rear brakes start to grab with about a few inches of e-brake handle. If the handle comes up a lot without much feel of the rear brakes starting to stop, then adjust your drum brakes. All new brakes take time for proper break in, but you should notice better stopping every time you drive your car.
13.5 @108 MPH-2.2 60ft(stupid FWD!) S16G @ 18 PSI/FMIC/Running on MegaSquirt II (Now with sequential fuel injection) My webpage: http://eclipsed4evr.home.comcast.net -1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse RS-T- "Toy" -1992 Plymouth Laser Turbo AWD(SOLD) -2000 Honda CR-V(daily)
#8639, "RE: brake problems" In response to Reply # 7
buy a quart of brake fluid(synthetic Dot 3/4/5/5.1---not silicone)and have the shop flush out the entire brake system. You might have air in there, your fluid might have absorbed lots of water over the years or the fluid is very dirty and your master cylinder has soot and dirt in it from OLD fluid.
Your brakes will get better after a week or so of easy brake applications. Trying to lock them up now is not a very good idea. Seating the pads in the new rotors is all you want to do. Basically 3 or 4 medium (60-20 mph) brake applications to seat everything and then let cool(30 minutes). Then drive like an old lady for a week or so in city traffic. Now you can do whatever you want to.
Tip: If you use your brakes really hard(fading good)always let them cool down afterward(sitting or driving a few miles using minimal brakes). If you continually use your brakes until fading occurs and do not let them cool properly, they will warp and your pads will glaze over.
BTW: I completely flush my brake system with new fluid every year. I also use Wagner Severe Duty Synthetic Dot 5.1 fluid. It does not absorb water and has a very high boiling point. Ford makes a Dot 3 heavy duty fluid that is suppose to be good. Just stay away from silicone brake fluid.
I also flush my clutch system with the same fluid every year. Preventive maintenance will save you big money in the long run.
97 RS(PTE SC-61, Built Long Block, Electromotive Tec 3)It's Here!
#8640, "RE: brake problems" In response to Reply # 9
thanks for all the info guys...i've only put about 10 miles on the new brakes, so the stopping power isn't that great now, but should you not be able to hit the floor at all no matter how hard you push the pedal? the brakes do start to apply fairly well as soon as i start to push the pedal, so i guess only time will tell...i'm going to do the rear conversion over the summer, so i'll flush the system then and probably get ss lines. BTW, what is the basic steps to flushing the sys, i mean, i know how to replace the fluid, but is there any sort of "cleaning" brake fluid that you should use to flush it, or is it basically just changing the fluid? thanks
#8643, "RE: brake problems" In response to Reply # 12
your system has less than a quart of fluid in it. You need to bleed until fresh fluid is coming out all bleeders. Rt rear-Lt rear-Rt front-Lt front in that order. Speed bleeders really help this job go quick.
97 RS(PTE SC-61, Built Long Block, Electromotive Tec 3)It's Here!
.