Removing Brake discs/calipers

[Catalyst]

Right then,

Ive just started to try and take the calipers off so that i can renew the brake pads and discs on my new cabby. The pads dont actually look that bad but when you spin the wheel they are catching, so im thinking my discs are warped.

The actual caliper bolts were easy enough to remove, however the larger ones that hold the caliper in place will not budge! Its difficult to get leverage as well as the car is only on axle stands.

Any ideas? Ive soaked the offending bolts with gt but still nothing! I dont have a heat gun either!

Thanks in advance.

[town325i]

You dont need a heat gun turn the wheel so you can get a breaker bar in there with a socket on the end this is what i use and have no troubles. Have taken the little allen key bolt out of the disc yet? if not before you go any further do that.

[Catalyst]

No i havent taken that out yet, ill do that now. Does that make a difference to the two bolts?

Its just the angle, to really get a good leverage on the bar it would need to be higher, well ill go back outside and try some more force with a bar!

[Catalyst]

Oh i see what you mean now about turning the wheel! My mistake

[bobbin1982]

I just put a spanner on and use a hammer to shock it loose.... If your screw holding your disc on is anything like mine were... you may need to drill them out



Andy

[Topblag]

I just put a spanner on and use a hammer to shock it loose.... If your screw holding your disc on is anything like mine were... you may need to drill them out



Andy

Lots of copper grease on them when they go back in and tackle them when the brakes are cool, less chance of rounding the allen head on the screw.

[Catalyst]

Drilling them out does not sound like fun, ive let some wd50 soak into them now so im going to give it another go, ive got a bigger breaker bar now. Ive tried shocking them with a hammer and spanner but no joy!

[bobbin1982]

I think they are aluminium so arent difficult to drill out.. Just wear goggles mate as i got a peice of metal in my eye while doing this and everytime i blinked for 3 days it felt like sandpaper in my eye.. until my doctor said "Why didnt you come in sooner" and got a big needle and had to scrape the metal from inside the inside of my eylid

[E30BeemerLad]

the bolts probably will be a pain to undo as they should have been put in with some thread lock to make sure they don't come undone.

A breaker bar should sort them out though.

Are you on about the bolts that hold the caliper carrier to the front leg I assume?

[Catalyst]

Well the breaker bar worked! Was a lot easier than i thought it would be after that! Thanks for all the help/advice. Im trying to keep the cabby as my project - keep costs down and do it all myself.

Just a quick question, should the disc spin freely as mine seems to still catch ever so slightly around where the allan key bolt is.

How cam i get a bit more brake feel as well, will changing the brake fluid help that? I want to change it anyway as when i took some out it looked pretty murky. Is it easy to empty?

[town325i]

One worth while upgrade ive found on these is steel braided hoses that replace the rubber flexi's