Need help/advice on '05 legacy rear disk brake

So i already replaced the front pads and rotors. No problem at all. Piece of cake but I am no expert. Know enough to do the job.

 

Anyway as I'm working on the rear disk brake, I ran into a slight problem. I took off the caliper, and found out that the bracket where the pads sit looks (17mm bolts) almost impossible to get to. I thought that it would be the same or similar to the front brakes. I should have looked here first haha.

 

Anyway, how do you take off the 14mm bolts?

 

I already search for an answer on a search here but i didn't find what I was looking for. Any advice or link to a Step by step instruction would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks for looking

Just use a couple long extensions on a 1/4 or 1/2" socket. There is an access hole to get to the top one, which is the hardest to break free. Tap the socket wrench handle with a hammer. It may tak a little muscle, but that should loosen them right up.

If you have an impact driver, it would be a little easier, but I have done all mine by hand.

I wouldn't suggest braking loose caliper bolts with a 1/4 ratchet--stick with 3/8 or larger. And yes, extensions and universal joints are your friend

 

Oops no 1/4", my bad on that one.

It's not the caliper bolts that I'm having trouble with. It's the bracket that i'm having trouble getting to it to take it off.

Either way--generally you won't want to use a 1/4" ratchet on a 17mm bolt, lol.

 

LOL haha ... that i already knew.

 

I've been using a 3/8 breaker bar on a socket but it's too tight to get it in between.

 

I even tried an 17mm wrench but it's in a weird angle that i'm unable to get to it either.

 

Any ideas?

LegacyGTTurbo... The guys have pretty much answered your question. I think I used a 1/2 socket, 9in extension (3+6) and a deep dish. Start at the bolt head and build out from there. Once you've picked the right extensions, there will be just enough room for you to stabilize the socket head with one hand and torque the bolt free with the other. One side is harder depending if you are left or right handed, but its doable. Small piece of pipe or box wrench (used as breaker) can also help you get the leverage you need.

I use a 3/8 wobble extension on a 1/2 air impact with a 1/2-3/8 reducer. Works great.

 

also, boxer briefs, since we're bringing this in and getting personal.

Did you spray them with PB Blaster first.

 

I use a 6" 3/8 extension and I think a 14mm socket ??? I use a long flex handle 3/8 ratchet to break them loose and a normal 3/8 ratchet to tighten them.

 

I thought the fronts were 17mm the rears 14mm or am I thinking about my old Honda days.

 

Also did you back off the parking brake shoes, they may need to be backed off to slide the disc off.

 

Put anti-sieze compound on all the threads when you install them.

Actually you're right it's a 14mm. My bad.

 

So I finally understand how to get to it. It looks like you have to get to it from the inside and through the hole to get to it. That wasn't stated (at least I didn't see it here)

 

Anyway I got to the 14mm bolt how you guys told me to with a 6" extension with a 3/8 breaker bar but I'm unable to loosen the bolt. It's extremely difficult to loosen it. Especially being on my back with the floor jack lifting it up. Not really an ideal position to be in trying to loosen up that bolt.

 

Anyway as I tried to loosen and lube her up, it turns out that I'm the one who's fucked here. Haha lol. The head bolt got rounded off and now I can't even try to loosen it up.

 

Any ideas on how to loosen up a rounded off head bolt here?

 

 

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I did mine with 2 or 3 jack stands in addition to a jack, but I'm never under the car without multiple fail safes.

 

Yes, from the inside. There is no other way.

 

I can't imagine rounding off the head of that bolt, but these things always depend on environment.

 

It's starting to sound like you may want to take it somewhere. At some point you have to place a value on your time and getting it done. There is no shame here as we have all been in this type of situation once.

 

Mine was a frozen king pin on a 98 Ford van. Good luck.

Were you using a 12 point socket? That would do it. . .

 

You can often drive a smaller socket onto the head of a bolt that's been rounded out like that, in this case I'd probably reach for something like a 5/8" cheapie and just wail on it. If you remove the lateral link you may get more room to work. I've never had to do that for this particular bolt but first time for everything I suppose.

 

Absolutely, positively, do not work under a car supported only by a jack. If you're having to resort to that it's time to either spend the $80 or so on a decent pair of jack stands or as others have suggested, hire the job out.

Were you using a 12 point socket? That would do it. . .

 

You can often drive a smaller socket onto the head of a bolt that's been rounded out like that, in this case I'd probably reach for something like a 5/8" cheapie and just wail on it. If you remove the lateral link you may get more room to work. I've never had to do that for this particular bolt but first time for everything I suppose.

 

Absolutely, positively, do not work under a car supported only by a jack. If you're having to resort to that it's time to either spend the $80 or so on a decent pair of jack stands or as others have suggested, hire the job out.

 

I have pretty decent floor jack and jack stands... i just hate to be underneath the car like that. Not really my ideal way of getting to the bolt unlike the front brakes.

 

But as far as the 12 point socket.... i don't know if it is or not. Like i said, i'm not a expert mechanic. It's just my basic Kobalt 12 piece 3/8" drive socket/ratchet set.

 

Will a air ratchet be able loosen the rounded off bolt? Space looks pretty tight though.

 

And how do you remove the lateral link?

http://members.modernvespa.net/maynard_schweigert/uploads/6_point_vs_12_point1_149.jpg

 

12 point sockets will fit on hex nuts/bolts but should not be used as it's much easier to strip them. Save your 12 point 14mm for removing head bolts, as that's about the only place on your car that uses a 12-point fastener.

 

Air rachet won't help you if it's already stripped unless you can get a decent bite on the fastener. If you were using a 12 point socket, you *might* be able to switch to a GOOD 6 point and get it broke loose. Replace the bolt once you get it out.

 

Lateral link? It's got a bolt/nut at each end. #5 in this pic:

 

http://static.opposedforces.com/epc_img/366495120102.png

 

You can probably get extra room by only removing the outboard end of it, inboard end has an adjustment for setting rear toe so you probably don't want to mess with that unless you put it back in exactly the same place or take it in for an alignment afterward.

 

No offense, but prooooobably time to hire this out. As Dirty Harry famously said, "a man's gotta know his limitations".

http://members.modernvespa.net/maynard_schweigert/uploads/6_point_vs_12_point1_149.jpg

 

12 point sockets will fit on hex nuts/bolts but should not be used as it's much easier to strip them.

 

Air rachet won't help you if it's already stripped unless you can get a decent bite on the fastener. If you were using a 12 point socket, you *might* be able to switch to a GOOD 6 point and get it broke loose. Replace the bolt once you get it out.

 

Lateral link? It's got a bolt/nut at each end.

 

No offense, but prooooobably time to hire this out. As Dirty Harry famously said, "a man's gotta know his limitations".

 

 

Ahh i see.... understood.

 

Well thanks for showing the differences.

 

And let me take a crack at it again to see if i can take it off before i take it into the shop.

 

I appreciate you giving me some thoughts.

Another trick is to use a breaker bar while hitting the top of it with a good size hammer, like a impact gun hits the drive.

 

I know there's not much room up in there.

 

May be time to take it to a good mechanic.