gpchris Posted January 8, 2008 Report Posted January 8, 2008 Today I needed to pull my caliper brackets off. I had to buy a t-60. I was sure to get one with a 1/2 drive. I tried with a regular ratchet, no way in hell would that work.. Then I tried with a huge breaker bar and that wouldnt even do it. I had a perfect grip and nothing.. I finally got them off by torching them for a minute or two then quickly spraying "freeze off" on em. I got one side then the t-60 tool (that i just bought) shattered. Advance replaced it. So.. Is it ok to use a regular hex bolt instead or the stock t-60 pos? Quote
BXX Posted January 8, 2008 Report Posted January 8, 2008 sure, as long as it will handle the required 160ftlb. and the T60 isnt a POS... Those bolts are put on tighter than hell and GM used something very simalar to 'loctite' on them from the factory. T60 1/2 drive and a 24in breaker bar will get any siezed one off. If your cant, start lifting weights or get fatter and jump on it If you dont want one that is rusted, they can be bought at parts stores in the "HELP" section. I think they are $8 a piece, but its just gonna rust right up anyway.. You are almost more likely to round off a hex head bolt at that torque than damage a T60.. Quote
Schurkey Posted January 8, 2008 Report Posted January 8, 2008 1. What do you mean by "regular hex bolt"? You do understand that the caliper mount bolt is set up as an assembly with the special spacer--which is not removable from the bolt without damage to the bolt, or the spacer, or both? 2. If you install a different bolt, you will have to fabricate a spacer to use with it. MAYBE this is as simple as beating the old spacer off of the old bolt, drilling the hole oversize, and sliding it over the new bolt. First Guess: the spacer is hardened and you'll have fun trying to punch the hole oversize. 3. The threads in the caliper mount are probably metric. Be sure of what threads are used before you impact-gun something into place. 4. The usual reason for the mount bolt being so impossible to remove--is that it's seized to the spacer. Once you get the bolt and spacer out, if you beat 'n' heat the spacer enough to free it from the bolt--it will spin freely; and slide up and down the bolt A LITTLE BIT--you can re-install it after lubricating the spacer ID and the bolt OD; hopefully it won't corrode together again. Quote
mfewtrail Posted January 8, 2008 Report Posted January 8, 2008 I think most people shatter T-60 sockets by side-loading them(not seating the torx all the way into the torx bolt you're trying to remove). I always take one hand and hold the breaker bar near the top where the socket is so that it stays fully seated inside the bolt, then I use my right hand to break the bolt loose....OR I take the lazy way out and let my impact(s) do the work for me. Anyways, spend a little more money on a impact grade T-60, you shouldn't have to worry about one of those breaking. Quote
gpchris Posted January 8, 2008 Author Report Posted January 8, 2008 I dont see a need for the spacer. I could get in there with any socket.. I think I'll try replacing them with hex head bolts and see what happns. Quote
BXX Posted January 8, 2008 Report Posted January 8, 2008 I dont see a need for the spacer. I could get in there with any socket.. I think I'll try replacing them with hex head bolts and see what happns. 148ftlb.... Remember to torque the bolt to that spec.... Dont have a torque wrench, rent one from parts store Quote
gpchris Posted January 8, 2008 Author Report Posted January 8, 2008 That important to torque them? I never torqued the backs and they're holding up.. Quote
BXX Posted January 8, 2008 Report Posted January 8, 2008 That important to torque them? I never torqued the backs and they're holding up.. Absolutely!!! GM had to put out a TSB on newer W-bodies a bit back because the 120ftlb was not enough and the bolts kept loosening up causing all sorts of problems. Quote
Brian P Posted January 8, 2008 Report Posted January 8, 2008 Yeah, this is something you don't want to half-ass up. Do it right! Quote
Hairdo12 Posted January 8, 2008 Report Posted January 8, 2008 I didn't torque mine correctly once and you could hear the calipers clunk back and forth when you would move backwards and then forward or from forward to backwards. I was torqued to about 110 lbs, so the torque spec should be followed here. Quote
BXX Posted January 8, 2008 Report Posted January 8, 2008 If anyone needs torque specs, I have Mitchell On-Demand5 here at my house. Just PM me for whatever... Then again, I should prolly make a sticky on torque specs and other useful info... Quote
19Cutlass94 Posted January 8, 2008 Report Posted January 8, 2008 Has anybody here ever heard of fucking anti-sieze? You know, you put it on the threads... it makes things eaiser to take off.... You dont really need to torque them, I usually just get them damn tight so they wont move. Quote
slick Posted January 8, 2008 Report Posted January 8, 2008 Has anybody here ever heard of fucking anti-sieze? You know, you put it on the threads... it makes things eaiser to take off.... You dont really need to torque them, I usually just get them damn tight so they wont move. I use anit-sieze on mine. Just gotta be sure not to use it too liberally. But... I recently had to buy a brake bolt from the dealer, and it came with GM's form of lock-tite already on the bolt. Quote
Schurkey Posted January 8, 2008 Report Posted January 8, 2008 Has anybody here ever heard of fucking anti-sieze? You know, you put it on the threads... it makes things eaiser to take off.... You dont really need to torque them, I usually just get them damn tight so they wont move. Fucking anti-seize? You mean K-Y jelly? Anti-seize would work wonderfully--except--you can hardly get it between the bolt and the spacer. The big problem is that the bolt seizes to the spacer, then when you try to unscrew it, the whole large-diameter spacer has to scrape and drag across the caliper mount until the bolt backs out enough to remove the friction there. Until the bolt backs out, the friction is tremendous. Anti-seize between the spacer and caliper mount won't help; and anti-seize on the threads would be "ok" but GM doesn't want that lubricated, they want it GLUED with threadlocker. Quote
slick Posted January 8, 2008 Report Posted January 8, 2008 No, put anti-sieze on the bolt, then put the bolt into the caliper. Put a little anti-sieze under the bolt head also. Quote
joey b Posted January 9, 2008 Report Posted January 9, 2008 not sure how important that spacer is, but keep in mind that it does spin somewhat freely. I once had one of those bolts works its way out to never be found again and I replaced it with a normal hex bolt and had no problems. For removing that original bolt I had great success with a pipe wrench and a pipe slid over the handle of it. Quote
GP1138 Posted January 9, 2008 Report Posted January 9, 2008 For being a notorious W-Body problem, I've never had all that much problem with these bolts. Problems stem from buying cheap sockets (for such a huge bolt with so much torque required to remove it, you shouldn't really use house-brand Autozone shit anyway) or not putting the T60 all the way in the bolt. If the slot was deeper, it wouldn't be that big of a problem. Quote
BXX Posted January 10, 2008 Report Posted January 10, 2008 For being a notorious W-Body problem, I've never had all that much problem with these bolts. Problems stem from buying cheap sockets (for such a huge bolt with so much torque required to remove it, you shouldn't really use house-brand Autozone shit anyway) or not putting the T60 all the way in the bolt. If the slot was deeper, it wouldn't be that big of a problem. Belive it or not, but I have one of AutoZone's Great Neck T60 and it has never failed. Hell, it isnt even deformed and I have done plenty os W-body brakes with seized mounting bolt... I belive if to tool is decent quality, and used correctly, you should never have an issue Quote
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