Brake Caliper Bolt

[Nicaraguense]

I was off roading the other day and got mud, muck, and pebbles in my brakes, I took them apart to clean them out, fix the noise and hope it wasn't a bad bearing. When I put it back together I did a sloppy job and learned my lesson. One of the bolts holding the caliper to the spindle fell out and began to click when braking, and rub the rim when backing up I just put a bolt in today. It was a bolt I got from Lowe's. It wasn't a caliper bolt (obviously) none of the parts houses open on Sunday had one. It was a grade 8.8. Is that a hard enough bolt for brake calipers?

 

[JoshC]

Yeah that will hold the brakes. But i think i'd get a caliper bolt tomorrow if possible since it is made for that application.

 

[Derrick C.]

LMAO!!! I'm sorry guy but wow its weird. I did this with my girl friends truck not very long ago. I just went down to my local Napa store and bought some grade 8 bolts and its never given me a problem since.

 

[jimbo74]

most of the automotive severe service bolts are a grade 9, however 8.8 will owrk just as fine, actually the harder it is, it is harder and less pliant, but it also becomes more brittle too

 

[espnfreak]

i did this also, and i went to the store and upgraded the bolts afterwards

 

[jasonb]

heh.. one of my caliper bracket bolts fell out the other day too! weird. mine would slide backwards and squeek then slam the caliper assembly forward intot he spindle when i touched the brakes. luckily i live only 2 miles from work so i got home without a problem and fixed it. i went ahead and a got a bolt from ford for $4 though. loctite was used heavily!

 

[Nicaraguense]

Mine was doing the same thing Jason

Only in reverse it went the opposite direction which ment it was hitting my wheel. I have the scratches as evidence. When ever I went to back up it just acted like the park brake was stuck or the four wheel drive was engaging or a combination of both. Sure enough it was the caliper bolt. I think I will leave it like it is with an 8.8 for now. I don't see where that will hurt anything. I may take it off road but I don't dog the ^&*( out of it or anything.