Brembo rebuild: Some questions (stuck bolt, hex key size)

[scott.mohekey]

Hey guys, I'm currently in the process of rebuilding a set of brembos. I'm tearing them right down ready to be sand blasted, painted and put back together. I've hit a bit of a snag on one of the rear calipers, where one of the bolts holding the two halves together simply won't budge. The hole for the hex key is starting to strip, and I don't really know what to do to get the bolt out. I realise I'll probably have to get replacement bolts, but I'm not too worried about that.

Also, what size hex key is needed for the front calipers? It's far bigger than any I have, and I don't really want to splash out on an entire set of large keys.

[Kenneth]

Get a set of hex drivers for your socket set. From my experience they are much easier to use and because you centre the torque better with the bigger bar, you are less likely to strip them.

If you start stripping them, one option is to get a size bigger hex driver (usually more likely to work with a imperial size) which you need to hammer into the bolt, that sometimes works.
Otherwise you can drill it out so that the head is totally removed (just need a bit bigger than the thread size so when it gets tot he thread the head separates) and then use some other tool such as a vice to hold the end of the bolt while you turn the caliper.

Hey guys, I'm currently in the process of rebuilding a set of brembos. I'm tearing them right down ready to be sand blasted, painted and put back together. I've hit a bit of a snag on one of the rear calipers, where one of the bolts holding the two halves together simply won't budge. The hole for the hex key is starting to strip, and I don't really know what to do to get the bolt out. I realise I'll probably have to get replacement bolts, but I'm not too worried about that.

Also, what size hex key is needed for the front calipers? It's far bigger than any I have, and I don't really want to splash out on an entire set of large keys.

[scott.mohekey]

Thanks Kenneth. It hadn't even crossed my mind to get a set of hex drivers. I'll try the larger driver method, hopefully it works.

[Adam.Findlay]

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show...php?p=32758868

could be helpful

[scott.mohekey]

Thanks Adam.

[Davezj]

I find applying heat to the bolt thread area with a blow torch will expand the metal and crack the joint between bolt and caliper, and as they are different metals they should expand at different rates which aid the separation. I use 30 sec blasts of heat, and as you are reprinting them anyway the paint damage from the heat will be ok.
I would also bolt the caliper back on the Car so you know it will not slip when you put the max pressure on turning the bolt.

[scott.mohekey]

Thanks Dave. I'll have to go out and buy a blow torch, but its probably something I should have by now. I can't really put the caliper back on the car, as its never been on the car in the first place, and I've had to source FL hub carriers which I haven't put on the car yet either (the car is sitting there with an empty engine bay and no front suspension parts whatsoever). I should be able to clamp it up ok in the vice somehow.