Tighten your caliper bracket bolts!

[tillerspet]

You've managed to snap 6 caliper bracket bolts or 6 caliper mounting bolts? Both should be torqued but the small caliper bolts only require around 25-30 foot pounds and the large bracket bolts are more lie 80-100 foot pounds. If you've managed to snap 6 caliper bracket bolts you must be an animal. In any event use a torque wrench.

Hahah. I’ve managed to snap four bracket bolts (15mm; 73-97 ft lb torque), and six of the smaller bolts that go into the guide/slide pins (13mm; 21-26 ft lb).

1) First lesson is to remember which direction the bolt is facing affects the “lefty loosey” rule (that’s how I snapped the four bracket bolts and the first four smaller bolts).

2) The second lesson is that you shouldn’t hold the end of the torque wrench when tightening. Like, don’t put your hand over the screw/locking piece. My hand twisted on the wrench and unlocked it enough to tighten the small bolts down to 30 ft lbs - snapped a head on them and have to replace them. Again.

All the lessons I wish my dad had taught me about working on cars.

 

[koda2000]

I too just go by hand experience, and I do add a drop of red loctite to larger bolts, those bracket/spindle bolts for sure.

BTW, I found a trick 12v ratchet recently to pre-order, I couldn't resist it. It's a Milwaukee 3/8" impact wrench; Milwaukee 2564-20 M12 FUEL 3/8" Right Angle Impact Wrench, Tool Only

What makes it special is the 220lbft or torque, and it stops tightening in one mode at 15lbft. So you can use it to break loose these hard to reach tight bolts, and also run them in without over tightening them(if you could get a regular impact on them). I can see using this 12v ratchet to loosen and start almost all bolts you can get it onto. The head looks to be about 3" thick to the drive part, it comes in 1/2" also.

I already have the Milwaukee 12V batteries and a couple of tools, the small automatic air compressor was the first one I got. The fake batteries can be had for $10-$20 each, I have several, plans to use them for all of my Nextec tools(now obsolete(Sears)).

Did you know that you can buy battery adapters so that you can use batteries (18V and 20V batteries) in tools from different manufacturers? For example a Milwaukee battery in a Dewalt tool. The adapters run around $20. IDK if this applies to the small 12V batteries.

 

[CDW6212R]

Did you know that you can buy battery adapters so that you can use batteries (18V and 20V batteries) in tools from different manufacturers? For example a Milwaukee battery in a Dewalt tool. The adapters run around $20. IDK if this applies to the small 12V batteries.

Funny, because I have about five or six of them now. I moved to the Dewalt 20v and 60v system, and got the adapter to use them in my C3 tools. They don't make an adapter for the inline 12v tool batteries. I did buy a USB adapter that I'll cut apart and make one to use the Milwaukee 12v batteries in my Nextec tools. Sears is defunct now, so the available 12v batteries cost between about $45 to $70, all either old used, or NOS batteries.

 

[koda2000]

Funny, because I have about five or six of them now. I moved to the Dewalt 20v and 60v system, and got the adapter to use them in my C3 tools. They don't make an adapter for the inline 12v tool batteries. I did buy a USB adapter that I'll cut apart and make one to use the Milwaukee 12v batteries in my Nextec tools. Sears is defunct now, so the available 12v batteries cost between about $45 to $70, all either old used, or NOS batteries.

I've looked at the Milwaukee 12V ratchet several times, but with all the money I recently spent on my Milwaukee M18 Fuel impact and Milwaukee hex driver I just couldn't see getting enough use out of the ratchet to make it work the $200 price. I have a 3/8's Craftsman pneumatic ratchet that I've had for about 15 years and I find I hardly ever use it. The M18 Fuel 1/2" impact and hex driver are the bomb though. Love them.

 

[Spartan]

I've looked at the Milwaukee 12V ratchet several times, but with all the money I recently spent on my Milwaukee M18 Fuel impact and Milwaukee hex driver I just couldn't see getting enough use out of the ratchet to make it work the $200 price. I have a 3/8's Craftsman pneumatic ratchet that I've had for about 15 years and I find I hardly ever use it. The M18 Fuel 1/2" impact and hex driver are the bomb though. Love them.

I went a bit retarded with the Milwaukee Fuel stuff...

M12 3 inch compact cut off tool
M18 7/14 inch circular saw
M12 Stick Light
M18 1/2 inch hammer drill
M18 Palm Sander
M18 1/2 inch Mid-Torque Impact
M18 1/2 inch Migh Torque Impact
M12 1/4 Impact Driver
M12 Hackzall
M12 Tire Inflator
M12 Inspection Camera
M18 4 1/2 inch angle grinder
M12 right angle die grinder

I plan on buying the M12 Fuel 1/2 and 3/8 ratchets, the full size Fuel M18 Sawzall, and likely the big underhood light.

It spins out of control quickly. HAHA I also have a ton of various batteries from the M12 2.0 batteries to the high discharge 12.0 M18 batteries. I don't even want to know what I spent on all of them... LOL I got sucked in by a buddy of mine who had the M18 Fuel High torque 1/2 inch impact. his father had a bunch of old rusty bare chassis out in the back 40, and we started ripping suspension off of a 60 year old rusted as hell old frame. I had to have one after that.

 

[Lee's Automotive]

Just thought I would bump this thread as I am currently doing tie rods on my 99 explorer and my friend pointed out that one of the bolts that holds the driver side caliper bracket on was almost backed completely out, I did brakes on this explorer around a year and a half ago and I tightened the brackets as tight as I could, but I guess that wasn't enough

 

[CDW6212R]

Good catch, and a nice reminder. I use a drop of red loctite on each bolt when I do the fronts. Those are hard to get enough leverage to tighten them enough.

 

[Pete Deering]

Just thought I would bump this thread as I am currently doing tie rods on my 99 explorer and my friend pointed out that one of the bolts that holds the driver side caliper bracket on was almost backed completely out, I did brakes on this explorer around a year and a half ago and I tightened the brackets as tight as I could, but I guess that wasn't enough

Did you use a torque wrench too tighten them to spec and loctite on threads?

 

[Lee's Automotive]

Did you use a torque wrench too tighten them to spec and loctite on threads?

No but today i tightened them to 80 ft lbs