Caliper brake bolt backed out!

[SoNic67]

I never had one caliper bolt "back out". Maybe because I never use antiseize on them...
My guess for the Dorman ones was that they are too soft/plastic and the threads "give" instead of staying pressed one in outher by the original torque.

This happens for example when you screw some steel bolts in aluminum - aluminum threads "give" a little bit in time and those bolts need to be retighten after one-two weeks.

 

[techieman33]

I've never had any issues using the dorman bolts and torquing them properly. I'll go to fastenal and get something before I pay ford $160 for 4 bolts. That is just stupid.

 

[SoNic67]

I guess in KS you don't brake that often?

 

[techieman33]

I guess in KS you don't brake that often?

lol, I'm harder on my brakes than 99% of the people on the forum. That being said I take care of them and check the bolts every now and then. I never had a problem with my dorman bolts backing out at all though, they were tight every time I checked them. My guess is those 2 guys didn't torque them down enough.

 

[SoNic67]

Yep, I don't know... I never had to replace one of my bolts, always tight'em right. But no "antiseize" or even grease on them!

 

[diesel_s]

I've had the Dorman bolts in since my last post to this thread with no issues....I as well keep a spare set in my glove box just incase though

 

[sheltonfilms]

Don't buy the Dorman ones. Read the two reviews there...
Ford/Motorcraft has a caliper bolt kit. Expensive.

The dorman ones are fine. They are exact replicas of the ones used by ford. The average weekend mechanic, (i'm talking AVERAGE) probably doesn't have a 1/2 drive ratchet or doesn't use one. They most likely only used a 3/8 drive with a small handle and torque them down as hard as they could which probably is only 60-75 ft/lbs (estimate). You really either need to be a big ol boy or use a long handle wrench to tighten these down ( I use a long handle torque wrench). I had to buy these for mine when a shop over tightened mine using an impact gun. It had to be on there with at least 150 ft/lbs of torque. I ended up stripping one using a 6 point socket. (it wasn't fully seated or it wiggle out when I changed positions to get better leverage). I even tried my bolt out kit, but it was in there so tight that the bolt out sockets just grinded material away from the bolt head. I ended up going to the local U-pull junkyard and getting a whole new spindle assembly.

 

[Corine]

This just happened to me as well, a week after I had new tires put on..

 

[dcdyd]

The dorman ones are fine. They are exact replicas of the ones used by ford. The average weekend mechanic, (i'm talking AVERAGE) probably doesn't have a 1/2 drive ratchet or doesn't use one. They most likely only used a 3/8 drive with a small handle and torque them down as hard as they could which probably is only 60-75 ft/lbs (estimate). You really either need to be a big ol boy or use a long handle wrench to tighten these down ( I use a long handle torque wrench). I had to buy these for mine when a shop over tightened mine using an impact gun. It had to be on there with at least 150 ft/lbs of torque. I ended up stripping one using a 6 point socket. (it wasn't fully seated or it wiggle out when I changed positions to get better leverage). I even tried my bolt out kit, but it was in there so tight that the bolt out sockets just grinded material away from the bolt head. I ended up going to the local U-pull junkyard and getting a whole new spindle assembly.

It doesn't need 150 ft/lb. For my 98, the service manual says 72-97 ft/lb. I always use 85 which is in the middle. But I never use antiseize on it. The torque wrench is cheap. Menards sells it for under $10. Do use it.