Brake calliper bolts are bloody tight!

[kevin316i]

Tried to loosen the brake callipe mounting bolts this evening but there are extremely tight and they just wouldn't budge.

The car was on an axle stand on the chassis rail, but I was worried that too much effort on the bolts might shift the car on the axle stand so in the end I gave up.

Any ideas on how to loosen these safely?

[handpaper]

Soaking in WD40 overnight helps most things.
I went a bit animal on mine - 6-sided 13mm socket*, tommy bar and ball-pein hammer (to knock the bar round with).
Many garages will use heat-resistant threadlock compound on these bolts - it's a good idea to do so yourself when reassembling.
A few sharp taps while leaning on the (tommy)bar should free things up.

*12-sided sockets are the work of the Devil and should not be permitted near any motor vehicle ':evil:'

[m-dtech]

long ring spanner and a few gentil taps with a hammer...

oh and ive had a car fall on me that was on axle stands.... wasnt pleasent !

[kevin316i]

Thanks guys. I was half thinking of an electric impact wrench, but some gentle persuation with a hammer could be a good plan. Not sure if the garage who replaced the rotors last year bothered with thread lock, they didn't even bother to replace the disc retaining bolt! Don't have to worry about the disc being stuck on the left hand hub, it just moves around on the hub, makes aligning the wheel bolts interesting

[Martinaston]

If the cars already up in the air use a trolly jack on the end of the spanner and gently raise it (make sure your turning it the right way).
It will save the spanner taking flight after every second whack with a hammer.

[Brianmoooore]

.

*12-sided sockets are the work of the Devil and should not be permitted near any motor vehicle ':evil:'

Fully agree. Better than six sided hex ones, are the type that have slightly convex sides to the hex, and grip on the flats of the nut/bolt.
These will grip on stuff that's already been butchered by the 12 sided sockets.
3/4" breaker bar and a few common size sockets is a good investment as well.

[WillG]

flank drive sockets, if youve got a decent bar it shouldnt be a problem but you will struggle with normal ratchet length bars if thats what you have get a bit of pipe to put over the end if you dont want to buy breaker bar

[Brianmoooore]

Don't know why, but I've had lengths of pipe on 1/2" bars and sockets, have given up, and dug out the 3/4" stuff. Nut/bolt then surrenders immediately, and if it knows when it's beaten!
Probably to do with the extra rigidity of the 3/4" stuff and less springiness.

[Martinaston]

I couldn't get a socket on both bolts for the carrier so i had to use a spanner, can't remember why though. I think the top one is too close to the leg

[m-dtech]

I couldn't get a socket on both bolts for the carrier so i had to use a spanner, can't remember why though. I think the top one is too close to the leg

turn your steering then !

[Martinaston]

The leg turns as well