Tighten your caliper bracket bolts!

[dklimek]

Folks this is IMPORTANT!! The clunking is hard to hear over road/radio, as I didn't hear it in my header/full exhaust mustang until I hit the tunnels on my road trip to NY. By the time I could get to an advanced and check it out I had lost two caliper bolts on the passenger front and the caliper bracket bolt, along with one caliper bolt and a caliper bracket bolt on the drivers front.

Glad to see this stickied though!

 

[Explorer2011]

haha glad i found this thread... my explorer was doing the same thing i heard a rattle wobble in my front left tire for a good 3 months i figured it was my ball joints going out.. then finally check the bolt to caliper was completely loose... and my tie rod end bolt was one turn from coming off was driving in my coffin.

 

[diesel_s]

i just had this happen to my EX today, my bolts actually came completely out, now I hadnt done a brake jobs in months and the last time i did a brake job that required the removal of those bolts was over a year ago. I know the size of the head on those bolts is a 17 mm but does anyone know the exact size needed so i can pick up a set tomorrow?

 

[techieman33]

you can buy them in pairs at the auto parts stores in the help section.

 

[SoNic67]

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

 

[mlmaher]

caliper bolt

This exact thing happened to me recently! One bolt came out allowing the caliper to swivel and tear up the rim! So the Dorman caliper bolts are definately a no-no? I just got them from Rockauto. Does Napa have a good alternative? Ford at what about $30 if I read something correctly. Lastly any recommendations on 1/2" torquer wrenches? Sears? Eastwood? Thanks :yelexp:

 

[Scout3]

The Dorman bolts are fine just take the time to thoroughly clean the bolts and bolt holes. I used brake cleaner and then blew them out with compressed air. Then use some Loc-Tite blue on them. Never loosened again. I am now worried how hard it will be to loosen them if I need to. LOL!

Ed

 

[CDW6212R]

Use the red loctite, it needs that strong product. I prefer the OEM bolts, they are super grade 8 and don't wear out. I'd go to a junkyard and get a handful if I needed them.

 

[SoNic67]

Error post.

 

[Scout3]

I would recommend NOT using the red loc-tite. The red is for parts that you don't intend to take apart. You have to heat it with a torch to 900 degrees to bust it loose. The blue works fine.

Ed

 

[CDW6212R]

I would recommend NOT using the red loc-tite. The red is for parts that you don't intend to take apart. You have to heat it with a torch to 900 degrees to bust it loose. The blue works fine.

Ed

No Ed, that's wrong. The blue has a low holding strength, for low torque bolts.

The red is for high torque bolts, such as a 75-100lbs.ft. tight caliper bolt. It takes no different effort to loosen the caliper bolts with or without the red loctite. I've used it dozens of times, always when I have it available.

The blue loctite isn't strong enough to stop the bolts from coming loose like all the examples here have occurred(too much force and vibration for the blue(waste of time)). It would not have stopped any of those from coming loose. The red loctite might have.

 

[Scout3]

Don,
I guess we will agree to disagree. I did make a mistake, the red loctite needs to be heated to 500 degrees to disassemble. It is intended for permanent assembly. The blue has worked fine for me. When I had the bolts loosening I replaced them, within one week one fell out again, even after torqueing to specs. Did a thorough cleaning and used the blue loctite. Checked every other day for a while and they did not loosen up. Checked over the weekend and still good six months later.

Ed

 

[DeepEmissions]

Ya know, everysince I bought my truck 3 months ago I heard that same noise... now i'm worried... the previous owner told me he just replaced the front brake pads and also told me he didnt have the rotors turned or replaced.

looks like I'm riding my motorcycle to work next week! lol

 

[jakemccarthy]

Same thing happened to me once but upper bolt came off and when i hit the brakes the caliper spun into my rim and tore right through it.

 

[mr_valingo]

Pulled into walmart and heard some louder than usual clunking. Then noticed the truck pulling to the right. That i ignored since it was a blizzard and there was about 10inches of snow on the road. I stopped to check my ball joints and noticed my caliper against rim. My tire wasn't even spinning. I pushed it back down and drove across town to ace (without touching the brakes) and bought a grade 8 bolt.

 

[Dino61]

Lost the top bolt on my front left caliper and discovered it as the wife was backing out the driveway with the kids on the school run, nasty noise. Brake job with new tyres last year so I blame them...strange tho as the lug nuts were so tight my rattle gun wouldn't touch them had to use a long bar and hit it with a 2lb hammer....I hate tyre shops.. luckily I had a suitable bolt handy..and some loctite.

On the loctite, considering how hot calipers can get is any effective? be interesting to know how much heat gets passed to the bracket...

 

[O.G.]

Last time I replaced the brakes on my Jeep one of the caliper bolts was loose. But the other side was tight.

 

[GRNMACHINE]

Really good info, planning replacing caliper tomorrow. Will be using Red loc-tite and torque wrench.

 

[mlmaher]

I stuck with the blue locktite and a good torque wrench.:yelexp:

 

[GRNMACHINE]

Will actually be going with whatever is left in toolbox, at this point it could be blue... Not making any trips tomorrow to any auto parts store unless Really Needed!