Any stuck caliper bolt tricks?

[LeakySeals]

I'm in an apartment right now with no garage trying to do a simple rear brake pad swap. No air tools. Using a beefy 14mm socket. I was able to get the passenger side caliper bolts off, its a pull. The drivers side is a push. I just cant get enough torque on the socket. Its soaked in PB-Blaster and Aerokroil right now. the caliper bolts wont budge. Any tips on how to get some more pressure on them? Its the old Camry in my sig. Pads have 150k on them, it was time.

 

[javacontour]

Hot wrench? A little heat with a propane torch?

 

[spasm3]

pipe on the socket wrench.

 

[fdcg27]

Is there enough clearance to put a cheater on your ratchet handle?
If not, try turning the bolt clockwise and then counterclockwise.
Also, be sure that you're turning it counterclockwise to remove it, since turning a bolt the wrong way is a mistake we've all made.
Finally, there are such things as left hand thread bolts.
I doubt that you'd find one on a brake caliper, but somebody with more knowledge of Toyotas than I can chime in on that.
Worst case scenario, you'll break off the bolt and you'll either have to use a drill and an easy-out (a badly misnamed tool, since there's nothing easy about it) or you'll just buy a rebuilt caliper, throw it on, bleed only that wheel (if you're lucky) and go merrily on your way.

 

[LeakySeals]

I'd rather it be I'm having a senior moment. I'm on the drivers side rear. The bolts face away from me so I have to push down to loosen right? Pretty sure I verified which way I was going a few times. Its a big driver, almost to the fender well. will look for a pipe. and if it snaps free the bleeder is right in the way. I do have a smaller 14mm regular wrench and a hammer, Is that ok to beat on it a little that way? or could that shear the bolt? If I mess up there its a tow.

 

[Donald]

PB Blaster 2x a day for 2 to 3 days. Try giving it a whack to tighten it then loosen it. You want to break the rust free.

Can you get PB Blaster on the other end of the thread? Maybe rip the old pad out to get access.

 

[LeakySeals]

You gotta be kidding me. I just checked the new vs. the old pads I was able to get off on the passenger side. Its the wrong pads in the box! Part number is right, but the pads are completely different size. Thanks AAP, I need to bum a ride or put it back together..

To add salt to the wound, notice theres a small puddle under my hydraulic jack. Because of the jack points, I had to raise the whole rear. Think it blew a seal. Its a 1/2hr job. Why me...

 

[fdcg27]

One advantage of a ratchet is that it helps to eliminate senior moments.
You set it to drive counterclockwise, and that's all it'll do, by golly.
Check it and try again.

 

[fdcg27]

Stuff happens.
What a perfect time for your floor jack to decide to leak.
Probably unpleasantly brisk outside as well.
You'll be glad when you finish this job.
Sometimes, a really simple task turns into a black hole.

 

[KrisZ]

Please whatever you do, DO NOT use a hammer to hit the wrench. I know it's tempting, but you will most likely end up in a bigger mess.

Also, from the sound of it you don't know which way you're turning the wrench. It's not a matter of pushing or pulling, but going clockwise or counterclockwise.

 

[Donald]

If its a bottle jack, they are pretty cheap at HF and are decent.

Nothing goes 100% the way you expect unless its a second time around. I have rounded off caliper bolts and got the nifty set of nut & bolt removers for rounded surfaces from Sears. I had a stuck bolt getting the actual caliper off the bracket. Then getting rusty/pitted pins off the caliper. Piston will not go back in. Hose hard and cracked.

And worst of all warm beer.

 

[LeakySeals]

Yeah, its cold and I'm on flashlight power. A far cry from the heated add-on garage, built in compressor and thousands in tools I lost in the divorce. Its times like this I wish it had turned out different. I'm off to AAP, ask them how the wrong pads could be in the box..

 

[LeakySeals]

Its a 2-1/4 ton with a large dish. Orange, old, I like that jack. Its leaking at the base of the piston. Its still holding, I'm not underneath so I put the tires on, put it down and bumming a ride to AAP right now with a neighbor. Thanks for the support.

 

[fdcg27]

Sometimes, things just suck.
Been there, done that, got the tee shirt, except for the divorce part.
Twenty nine usually harmonious years next month.
You'll get the job done, although I know that you could do without all of the difficulties.
You have my empathy.
I'm not offering sympathy, because I know that you'll work the whole mess out.
It's easy to work on stuff when the weather's warm, you have the time and everything comes apart just like it should.
It's a whole different deal when it's cold and dark, you're pressed for time and nothing seems to go right.

 

[eljefino]

Was it around 2002 when they went with 15 inch wheels on the camry instead of 14 on the base model? That could explain bigger brakes and the parts mixup.

My parts store is always surprised when I return warped rotors. Many people apparently don't have a ride over there to turn them in.

 

[SuperDave456]

+1 for working it back and forth.
It will help work the rust loose and the aero-Kroil into the threads.

Good luck.
I've started several projects at 5pm thinking I would be done by 8pm at the most. Only to be up till 2am getting it all back together.

 

[LeakySeals]

It has factory 16" rims with tiny pads and rotors. Back with the right pads and no apology. Thanks alot AAP. Its 30F here so its not that cold out. Hopefully the bolts will move, been soaking a few hours. Tools are a wrench, a large socket driver, a flashlight, pipe, and a hammer. Here goes.

 

[Donald]

There is a positive side. The beer stays cold outside.

As for the divorce situation, hopefully you will come out stronger on the other side.

There was a time when I was sure "nutcases wanted" was tattooed on my forehead. I would find them and in some cases marry them!

 

[mechtech2]

Heat works, of course. NOT the bolt head, but where it threads.
Also try a hard bang straight on the bolt head - 3 lb hammer.

Make sure you use a flank drive socket to prevent rounding the head off! Often a 1/2"drive helps, instead of 3/8.

 

[LeakySeals]

Its done. They rounded a little but eventually came off with repeated hammering of the socket. Going to replace the bolts for a piece of mind. I have come to the realization that DIY's are limited to fluids under the current living conditions.