Brake caliper bolts stuck

[riffer]

Okay, the back brake pads need doing on the RF.

The caliper has two pad locating bolts on it, and they use a 3mm Allen hex key to loosen them.

But the pad locating bolts are stuck, and I've rooted a perfectly good bondhus allen key trying to get them loose.

Any recommendations on a fluid to loosen these bolts off?

[White trash]

You need to get a punch right in the center of the head, and give it a fucken sharp smack with a hammer before trying to loosen it mate. When you put them back in, make sure the thread has a bit of copper based grease on it. Not normal grease.

[James Deuce]

Get a $10 butane pencil torch and heat them up. Then give them a tap. They'll pop right out.

I have some copper grease if you want some.

[FROSTY:Me]

If EVERYTHING else fails you can still replace the pads by splitting the caliper and sliding the new pads on then rebleeding the system. FAR from ideal but if the pads are down to metal............

[Gremlin]

You need to get a punch right in the center of the head, and give it a fucken sharp smack with a hammer before trying to loosen it mate. When you put them back in, make sure the thread has a bit of copper based grease on it. Not normal grease.

sounds violent, it should work

then you can chuck a bar on the end of the allen key, to give you more torque, and try to pry it free more gently

[Ixion]

You need to get a punch right in the center of the head, and give it a fucken sharp smack with a hammer ..

We tried that with SkidMark. Didn't work.

[Ixion]

sounds violent, it should work

then you can chuck a bar on the end of the allen key, to give you more torque, and try to pry it free more gently

It's only 3mm. Won't take too much torque.

[Gremlin]

It's only 3mm. Won't take too much torque.

I'm brilliant at breaking things (even strong metal garden forks) yet I haven't broken an allen key yet, seen them flex/twist before my eyes tho.

Granted, seems highly unusual for bolts for that application to be only 3mm?

[riffer]

It's only 3mm. Won't take too much torque.

You're not wrong there Les. My fingers managed to wreck the allen key.

Excellent ideas people. I will try them tomorrow night.

Gremlin - the bolts aren't 3mm. The hex key required to undo them is a 3mm. the actual bolts are probably 6-8mm, and have most likely NEVER been undone since the factory.

[Gremlin]

Gremlin - the bolts aren't 3mm. The hex key required to undo them is a 3mm. the actual bolts are probably 6-8mm, and have most likely NEVER been undone since the factory.

yep, I assumed that you were talking about the allen key size... still unusual

[erik]

You're not wrong there Les. My fingers managed to wreck the allen key.

Excellent ideas people. I will try them tomorrow night.

Gremlin - the bolts aren't 3mm. The hex key required to undo them is a 3mm. the actual bolts are probably 6-8mm, and have most likely NEVER been undone since the factory.

make sure the heads of the bolts aren't partially filled with crud stopping the allen key from going the whole way in. Maybe it goes without saying. but I thought I might as well mention it.

[breakaway]

I've got the same problem with my CBR's RHS (I think) caliper. Nearly rounded the head last time so gave up.

Will an impact driver work perhaps?

[pete376403]

Grind or cut off a short length of allen key, put it in the appropriate size socket, put socket onto impact driver. Just like we did with the FZR disk rotor bolts.

[Max Preload]

Grind or cut off a short length of allen key, put it in the appropriate size socket, put socket onto impact driver. Just like we did with the FZR disk rotor bolts.

Good idea, but it's tricky geting a 3mm socket in 3/8" drive much less 1/2". I guess a few adapters would do it but I wouldn't want to strike my own 1/4" drive 3mm sockets on the end with a 1/2" impact driver, especially through a series of adapters down to 1/4" square

[White trash]

We tried that with SkidMark. Didn't work.

Bwahahahahah, best post on KB ever.