Rounded Off Caliper Bolt Head - Ideas?

**Shardy** · 09-22-2013, 01:29 PM

Well, I've done it again. Decided to replace front brake pads. Top bolt came out fine. the second one, not so much. It is really rounded off now. Even with a 12mm 6 point socket. Same thing with vice grips. Tried squaring the head up with a dremmel, still won't loosen. The threaded end of the bolt is deep inside so can't get any liquid wrench in there. Any ideas?

kmaysob · 09-22-2013, 01:39 PM

http://www.toolbarn.com/irwin-394002...FYk9QgodJ0MAtA

you can buy these about anywhere. you smack it on and it bites into the bolt. ive had pretty good luck with them. i would put the top bolt on, take it for a good ride using the front brakes pretty hard( getting them hot) and they try breaking it loose with these.

**Jared** · 09-22-2013, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmaysob

http://www.toolbarn.com/irwin-394002...FYk9QgodJ0MAtA

you can buy these about anywhere. you smack it on and it bites into the bolt. ive had pretty good luck with them. i would put the top bolt on, take it for a good ride using the front brakes pretty hard( getting them hot) and they try breaking it loose with these.

I have these as well. They work fantastic.

redjay · 09-22-2013, 05:07 PM

Worst case scenario is to drill the bolt out ?

kmaysob · 09-22-2013, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redjay

Worst case scenario is to drill the bolt out ?

i would make every attempt to use the bolt head to my advantage before i did that. try the tool i posted, if that doesnt work, do you know anyone with a welder? weld a nut to the head of it.

id make drilling it a last ditch effort.

**ringadingh** · 09-22-2013, 06:43 PM

Me too.

redjay · 09-22-2013, 07:28 PM

I did say "worst case scenario", meaning as a last resort.

**HwyRider** · 09-22-2013, 07:31 PM

Welding a nut on is the best way. It heats up the bolt that's in there. If there is welding shop close by have them do it. It shouldn't cost more than 25.00.

**cnc** · 09-22-2013, 08:03 PM

If your going to weld it especially with a mig or wire feed, a neat trick is to first drill a hole with a bit about half the diameter of the bolt about a 1/4 or more deep. Then fill the hole and bout up with weld. It will make a much stronger weld and less likely to just sheer the nut off the bolt head. I just used this trick last week to get a broken stud out of a tractor block. Failing that your last resort is grind the head top flat and center punch it, then drill it with progressively larger drill bits, the goal is to just about see the threads. There is even left handed drill bits if you can find them which you run in a drill in reverse. The purpose her e is that as the hole in the bolt gets larger and the wall of the bolt gets thinner the drill may catch and unthread the bolt. Failing that if you have drilled fairly true, you should be able to get the remainder of the bolt out with a tap.

hammer · 09-22-2013, 11:23 PM

I would try the bolt extractor first. Give it a few dead on taps with a drift to see if that helps break it free. I use anti-seize on those bolts to help avoid that problem. Pinch bolts too.

davidhollinger · 09-23-2013, 08:39 AM

Lowes sells a "GrabIt" bit that goes on your drill. Its 2 sided and one side is for tapping the rounded off head and creating threads and the other side backs it out. Its the best $15 I ever spent. I have used it twice on my Nomad. Here is a single bit for $8..

http://www.lowes.com/pd_299377-41877-8501P_0__

ant · 09-23-2013, 10:13 AM

First thing, never fully remove one bolt then the other. Loosen the first bolt then snug it back up before trying to loosen the other bolt. If you fully remove the first bolt it leaves a lot of pressure on the remaining bolt and make's harder to remove. That said the Irwin sockets do work well and the grab-it also works. I personally use " easy-outs " (not always true). As a maintenance machinist I remove broken and stuck bolt's all the time. A little heat helps also. Good luck with your project.

hammer · 09-28-2013, 08:49 PM

Did you get your problem solved?

**Shardy** · 09-28-2013, 11:26 PM

Got a set of grab it sockets and got that sucker out out this afternoon. Ruined the bolt and couldn't find it locally so it'll be next week before I can put things back together and we finally got some cooler weather yesterday.

hammer · 09-29-2013, 12:53 AM

Good going you will be good to go soon. Don't forget the anti-seize when you put the new bolt in.

09-22-2013, 01:29 PM	#1
Shardy Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Tampa, Florida Posts: 115	Rounded Off Caliper Bolt Head - Ideas? Well, I've done it again. Decided to replace front brake pads. Top bolt came out fine. the second one, not so much. It is really rounded off now. Even with a 12mm 6 point socket. Same thing with vice grips. Tried squaring the head up with a dremmel, still won't loosen. The threaded end of the bolt is deep inside so can't get any liquid wrench in there. Any ideas? __________________ Steve 08 Marine Blue Nomad 05 Suzuki C50 (sometimes missed) 63 Honda 250 Scrambler (really missed) Login or Register to Remove Ads
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09-22-2013, 01:39 PM	#2
kmaysob Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Mesa Az Posts: 290	http://www.toolbarn.com/irwin-394002...FYk9QgodJ0MAtA you can buy these about anywhere. you smack it on and it bites into the bolt. ive had pretty good luck with them. i would put the top bolt on, take it for a good ride using the front brakes pretty hard( getting them hot) and they try breaking it loose with these. __________________ -RYAN- 2008 Nomad 1600 Blue and silver
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09-22-2013, 06:43 PM	#6
ringadingh Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Newmarket Ontario Canada Posts: 35,387	Me too. __________________ 2002 Nomad aka Bountyhunter VBA #27 VROC #18951
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09-22-2013, 07:28 PM	#7
redjay Top Contributor Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ontario Posts: 6,978	I did say "worst case scenario", meaning as a last resort. Last edited by redjay; 09-22-2013 at 09:00 PM.
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09-22-2013, 07:31 PM	#8
HwyRider Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: South Shore, MA Posts: 4,629	Welding a nut on is the best way. It heats up the bolt that's in there. If there is welding shop close by have them do it. It shouldn't cost more than 25.00. __________________ VBA # 02424 VROC # 35971 2010 Nomad 1700 Metallic Diablo Black/Metallic Titanium
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09-22-2013, 05:07 PM	#4
redjay Top Contributor Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ontario Posts: 6,978	Worst case scenario is to drill the bolt out ?
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09-22-2013, 08:03 PM	#9
cnc Join Date: May 2009 Location: Montreal QC Posts: 12,034	If your going to weld it especially with a mig or wire feed, a neat trick is to first drill a hole with a bit about half the diameter of the bolt about a 1/4 or more deep. Then fill the hole and bout up with weld. It will make a much stronger weld and less likely to just sheer the nut off the bolt head. I just used this trick last week to get a broken stud out of a tractor block. Failing that your last resort is grind the head top flat and center punch it, then drill it with progressively larger drill bits, the goal is to just about see the threads. There is even left handed drill bits if you can find them which you run in a drill in reverse. The purpose her e is that as the hole in the bolt gets larger and the wall of the bolt gets thinner the drill may catch and unthread the bolt. Failing that if you have drilled fairly true, you should be able to get the remainder of the bolt out with a tap. __________________ Norm Ward 2008 blue / silver nomad kawanow / VBA #01136
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09-22-2013, 11:23 PM	#10
hammer Sr. Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,329	I would try the bolt extractor first. Give it a few dead on taps with a drift to see if that helps break it free. I use anti-seize on those bolts to help avoid that problem. Pinch bolts too. __________________ Hammer aka CrocHammer KawaNow#00988, VROC#26389, VR#2202 Abbotsford, BC, Canada 2006 Black Nomad
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09-23-2013, 08:39 AM	#11
davidhollinger Sr. Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Central Alabama Posts: 2,188	Lowes sells a "GrabIt" bit that goes on your drill. Its 2 sided and one side is for tapping the rounded off head and creating threads and the other side backs it out. Its the best $15 I ever spent. I have used it twice on my Nomad. Here is a single bit for $8.. http://www.lowes.com/pd_299377-41877-8501P_0__ __________________ I would be patient, but it takes too long!! David Hollinger 2002 Beige 1500 "Hannah2" VBA # 02195
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09-23-2013, 10:13 AM	#12
ant Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Oak Ridge TN Posts: 76	First thing, never fully remove one bolt then the other. Loosen the first bolt then snug it back up before trying to loosen the other bolt. If you fully remove the first bolt it leaves a lot of pressure on the remaining bolt and make's harder to remove. That said the Irwin sockets do work well and the grab-it also works. I personally use " easy-outs " (not always true). As a maintenance machinist I remove broken and stuck bolt's all the time. A little heat helps also. Good luck with your project. __________________ Ant 2003 Nomad 1500FI 2006 Harley Ultra Classic VBA#02463
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09-28-2013, 08:49 PM	#13
hammer Sr. Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,329	Did you get your problem solved? __________________ Hammer aka CrocHammer KawaNow#00988, VROC#26389, VR#2202 Abbotsford, BC, Canada 2006 Black Nomad
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09-28-2013, 11:26 PM	#14
Shardy Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Tampa, Florida Posts: 115	Got a set of grab it sockets and got that sucker out out this afternoon. Ruined the bolt and couldn't find it locally so it'll be next week before I can put things back together and we finally got some cooler weather yesterday. __________________ Steve 08 Marine Blue Nomad 05 Suzuki C50 (sometimes missed) 63 Honda 250 Scrambler (really missed)
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09-29-2013, 12:53 AM	#15
hammer Sr. Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,329	Good going you will be good to go soon. Don't forget the anti-seize when you put the new bolt in. __________________ Hammer aka CrocHammer KawaNow#00988, VROC#26389, VR#2202 Abbotsford, BC, Canada 2006 Black Nomad
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