Stripped bold head holding caliper body. Help!

Hello people,

I'm relatively new at this "do it yourself" thing, but things are going
well . I changed the break pads on my Acura Integra GS 1990 on all
wheels except the right rear wheel. The top bolt holding the caliper
body has its head stipped. How would I go about removing the bolt so I
can change my last set of break pads?

Thank you
Jeff

I would try to use a good six point socket with flank drive. It
tends to grab the flats of the bolt. If that doesn't work try a vise
grip wrench and if that doesnt work drill off or grind off the head of
the bolt.

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hello people,
>
> I'm relatively new at this "do it yourself" thing, but things are going
> well . I changed the break pads on my Acura Integra GS 1990 on all
> wheels except the right rear wheel. The top bolt holding the caliper
> body has its head stipped. How would I go about removing the bolt so I
> can change my last set of break pads?
>
> Thank you
> Jeff

I remember having seen a socket like tool that Sears sells as Craftsman
brand
which removes bolts of this type. If the bolt is so frozen that ordinary
measures
wont work, you may have to drill it out, but be careful if you do. You can
quickly
cause more damage than you want to get into.

wrote:
> > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>
>>Hello people,
>>
>>I'm relatively new at this "do it yourself" thing, but things are going
>>well . I changed the break pads on my Acura Integra GS 1990 on all
>>wheels except the right rear wheel. The top bolt holding the caliper
>>body has its head stipped. How would I go about removing the bolt so I
>>can change my last set of break pads?
>>
>>Thank you
>>Jeff
>
>
> I remember having seen a socket like tool that Sears sells as Craftsman
> brand
> which removes bolts of this type. If the bolt is so frozen that ordinary
> measures
> wont work, you may have to drill it out, but be careful if you do. You can
> quickly
> cause more damage than you want to get into.
>
>
I live in Michigan (the heart of the rust belt) and have had to use the
"Hot Wrench" many times in this situation. I would start by heating the
mounting bracket before using any more destructive methods.

For the OP:

If you can get a grip on the outside of the bolt you may be able to use
a socket type of extractor, or even vice grips. If you end up drilling
and using a "left handed drill" like an EZ out, if it breaks off you are
gonna be stuck with using much more destructive methods.

If you use an Extractor and it or the bolt breaks off, your gonna have
to reach for the fire. EZ outs are made of hardend steel, drilling a
broken extractor out is a futile project. I reach for the torch first
myself, because if you were able to bugger up the bolt without it
budgeing, chances are your gonna break the exctactor too.

If you do try an extractor, heat the area that the bolt is threaded into
(not the caliper but the mounting bracket). This might give you a chance
to break it loose without snapping off the extractor. I have gotten
lucky with vice grips in this situation. NEW, Quality vice grips are
nice because they have nice & sharp teeth and will "bite" better than a
worn pair.

Heat is your friend here...But you are probably in for a rebuilt caliper
if you have to cut (or "blow") the stuck bolt out of the hole.

Like anumber1 says, heat it up well, put a GOOD vise grip on the bolt,
and get it as tight on the bolt that two hands can squeeze it down
with. Trick>>> if ya have a ratchet strap, use that to close the grip
on the wrench with.


--
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> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hello people,
>
> I'm relatively new at this "do it yourself" thing, but things are going
> well . I changed the break pads on my Acura Integra GS 1990 on all
> wheels except the right rear wheel. The top bolt holding the caliper
> body has its head stipped. How would I go about removing the bolt so I
> can change my last set of break pads?
>
> Thank you
> Jeff
>

Here is the tool you need for that job. Guaranteed.

http://www.channellock.com/acb/store...&Category_ID=6

No, I don't work for channel lock, but I would not be without a pair of
these in my arsenal against stuck, stripped, or broken bolts.
Sometimes you can find them at local hardware stores, but be sure you get
the Nutbuster, not just the regular channel lock pliers. Big difference.

Of course PB Blaster and or heat may also be needed, but not usually with
these grippers. The harder you turn the tighter they grip and they don't
care if the nut is round or square.

--
Kevin Mouton
Automotive Technology Instructor
"If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy"
Red Green

Kevin wrote:
> > wrote in message
> oups.com...
> > Hello people,
> >
> > I'm relatively new at this "do it yourself" thing, but things are going
> > well . I changed the break pads on my Acura Integra GS 1990 on all
> > wheels except the right rear wheel. The top bolt holding the caliper
> > body has its head stipped. How would I go about removing the bolt so I
> > can change my last set of break pads?
> >
> > Thank you
> > Jeff
> >
>
> Here is the tool you need for that job. Guaranteed.
>
> http://www.channellock.com/acb/store...&Category_ID=6
>
> No, I don't work for channel lock, but I would not be without a pair of
> these in my arsenal against stuck, stripped, or broken bolts.
> Sometimes you can find them at local hardware stores, but be sure you get
> the Nutbuster, not just the regular channel lock pliers. Big difference.
>
> Of course PB Blaster and or heat may also be needed, but not usually with
> these grippers. The harder you turn the tighter they grip and they don't
> care if the nut is round or square.

Sweet! That looks like a real good tool for the job! I ordered new
caliper bolts at Schucks today. They should be coming in tomorrow. I'll
go look for some of the mentioned tools tomorrow too and will probably
give it a try the same day. Lets hope everything works out alright.

Thank much to everybody for the help. Really appreciate it.

Regards
Jeff

wrote in
oups.com:

> Hello people,
>
> I'm relatively new at this "do it yourself" thing, but things are going
> well . I changed the break pads on my Acura Integra GS 1990 on all
> wheels except the right rear wheel. The top bolt holding the caliper
> body has its head stipped.



Too late now, but for those rear bolts, a six-point 12mm wrench is the only
thing to use.

That upper bolt is a pain, since the parking brake mechanism prevents use
of a socket.



How would I go about removing the bolt so I
> can change my last set of break pads?



Can you remove the BOTTOM bolt (six point only) and swivel the caliper up?

If you can, you can then at least remove the pads. Then you can use an
angle grinder to cut off the stripped head. At that point, a combination of
pushing the pin all the way in and pushing the caliper all the way inboard
should be enough to unhook the bolt from its hole in the caliper, or at
least then allow you to hacksaw the bolt between the caliper body and the
pin's boot. The remains of the bolt will be easy to remove from the pin.


--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

I have had some luck with a small plumber's pipe wrench. These keep on
getting tighter when you pull, unlike the fittings or vise grips that
bottom out and spin.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Jean-François Michaud wrote:
>
> TeGGeR® wrote:
> > wrote in
> > oups.com:
> >
> > > Hello people,
> > >
> > > I'm relatively new at this "do it yourself" thing, but things are going
> > > well . I changed the break pads on my Acura Integra GS 1990 on all
> > > wheels except the right rear wheel. The top bolt holding the caliper
> > > body has its head stipped.
> >
> >
> >
> > Too late now, but for those rear bolts, a six-point 12mm wrench is the only
> > thing to use.
>
> Nah, never too late .
>
> > That upper bolt is a pain, since the parking brake mechanism prevents use
> > of a socket.
>
> Tell me about it; I can't really use my ratchet. I had to lock 2
> wrenches together to extend my leverage because the 12mm wrench lenght
> is too short for the kind of pull I have to give the bolt.
>
> I bought a special wrench/ratchet at Sears; it comes with extractor
> bits and has a very low profile because the bits actually fit inside
> the tool as opposed to outside of it. Lets hope its enough. If that
> doesn't work; the next one on my list is chanellock's nutbuster.
> The tools aren't wasted anyways, so it doesn't matter too much .
>
> >
> > How would I go about removing the bolt so I
> > > can change my last set of break pads?
> >
> >
> >
> > Can you remove the BOTTOM bolt (six point only) and swivel the caliper up?
> >
> > If you can, you can then at least remove the pads. Then you can use an
> > angle grinder to cut off the stripped head. At that point, a combination of
> > pushing the pin all the way in and pushing the caliper all the way inboard
> > should be enough to unhook the bolt from its hole in the caliper, or at
> > least then allow you to hacksaw the bolt between the caliper body and the
> > pin's boot. The remains of the bolt will be easy to remove from the pin.
>
> If none of the options I'm trying up there work, I'll probably have a
> lemonade; cry a lil, then I'll think about trying your option .
>
> Regards
> Jeff

Mike Romain > wrote in
:



>
> I have had some luck with a small plumber's pipe wrench. These keep
> on getting tighter when you pull, unlike the fittings or vise grips
> that bottom out and spin.
>
>


Have to be one narrow pipe wrench. There ain't a lot of room to work on
that caliper.

However, I just thought of something: The OP *might* just be able to tap a
six-point wrench onto the stripped bolt with a small ball-peen hammer (and
maybe a drift). If he can force it on the bolt enough, he will be able to
remove it.