Rorie · Jan 20, 2017

Callipers were looking nasty and brake pads were wearing uneven, so ordered up new callipers. Went to fit them today.... can't get the existing bolts out!

I have tried about everything, but there is nothing left to grip and in an awkward place to get to. So first question.... how do i get them off?!

But, i have been here before with an old Disco, where a week of effort trying to drill out a calliper bolt (and various other methods), resulted in me gas axing the lug off and getting a new one made!

So i'm wondering if i would be as well stopping back a bit further? I notice that on the swivel pin casing (not sure of its name), the chrome is coming off. There is no obvious signs of a leak, but i seem to remember reading/hearing that if the chrome is going, its time to replace?

Any advice on how to proceed will be appreciated!

payydg · Jan 20, 2017

Yeh swivel ball looks well pitted and will most likely have wrecked the seal. Not a difficult job to change it. Just watch out you don't round off the bolts holding it to the axel. If you do you can chop the heads off and that normally frees them up. There's a good thread on here about how to do it.

There's also a recent thread on here with someone with a similar bolt problem. Irwin bolt extractors sorted it if I remember rightly.

Rorie · Jan 20, 2017

Irwin bolt extractor isn't working for me :/ Going to have another look in daylight tomorrow.

Tired super heating the bolt first too, but with little luck

discomania · Jan 20, 2017

Rorie said:
Callipers were looking nasty and brake pads were wearing uneven, so ordered up new callipers. Went to fit them today.... can't get the existing bolts out!

I have tried about everything, but there is nothing left to grip and in an awkward place to get to. So first question.... how do i get them off?!

But, i have been here before with an old Disco, where a week of effort trying to drill out a calliper bolt (and various other methods), resulted in me gas axing the lug off and getting a new one made!

So i'm wondering if i would be as well stopping back a bit further? I notice that on the swivel pin casing (not sure of its name), the chrome is coming off. There is no obvious signs of a leak, but i seem to remember reading/hearing that if the chrome is going, its time to replace?

Any advice on how to proceed will be appreciated!

Wait, what bolts are you trying to undo, just looking at your image it looks like you have removed a bolt from the caliper itself... Forgive me if you are not doing that but you can see why I have thought this.

Anyway the problem for starters with the bolts is they are bi-hex, so use a bi-hex socket for sure, it will grip it perfectly, however if rounded now if may not work, options here - Irwin stuck bolt tool would be good but I actually found I just kept chewing more chunks off my caliper bolts. I ended up welding a 19mm nut to the bolt, combined with the heat and the big nut to swing from it came off a treat, like so easy I wish I had just gone for the welder within minutes of failing with an ordinary socket (I think mine had rusted a fair bit if I remember correctly and even the bi-hex didn't get a grip). Heat on it's own may have worked but the head was fairly ruined by the Irwin by this point.

Paul D · Jan 20, 2017

Couple of things ...

The yellow arrow is pointing at where one of the caliper bolt that holds the caliper together should be!

The red arrows are pointing at the caliper bolts that hold the caliper to the hub/caliper carrier .. it's these bolts you undo to remove the caliper .. 1/2" 12 point spanner/socket and job's a good 'un ..

Rorie · Jan 20, 2017

10 points go to both of you. haha. In my frustration at not being able to get the calliper bolts off, i thought i'd try to take the calliper apart, but one bolt in, i realised it would gain me nothing and i was just being stupid.

I cleaned the bolt, heated it, then put a 12 spline socket on it, but it just ripped the head apart. It was pretty well rusted before i started
I have never had much luck with Irwin bolt grippers. Is it best to seat them in with a chap of the hammer before turning?

If that doesnt work, i may have to weld a nut on. To do this, i guess i need to some how clean the existing bolt head ready for welding, but access will be tight! Most bolts are zinc plated, so will that just burn off as i weld?

Paul D · Jan 20, 2017

OK, another way to go at it, with the ball being shot and the whole hub looking like needing refurbing ...

After removing the brake line, steering bars etc remove the bolts where the red arrow points and the whole hub can be taken off the axle tube. It's 'MUCH' easier working on it off the vehicle, so long as you have a large or decent vice ..

Rorie · Jan 20, 2017

Thanks - i was wondering about doing that, but wasn't sure what/where i could remove to allow the whole hub to come off in one.

Doing it that way, on my work bench, i'll also get a chance to see what parts i need to order up.

Thanks for the help!

discomania · Jan 23, 2017

Rorie said:
If that doesn't work, i may have to weld a nut on. To do this, i guess i need to some how clean the existing bolt head ready for welding, but access will be tight! Most bolts are zinc plated, so will that just burn off as i weld?

To be honest I tend to give it only the most basic of cleaning, even the scoring from the spinning socket will have cleaned it up enough to let the weld get a bite.

How I do it is give it a little file clean, then holding the nut (usually a 19mm) with the welders negative clamp and slightly bridge it onto the old bolt to get it close as possible I start by striking up an arc in the nut and just hope that I am building weld that will bridge the two. Once I have filled the hole in I fill the whole nut. Then let it the nut cool just enough it stops glowing red then I put a couple of little tacks around the outside low on the nut to help grip the bolt.

If you have got good penetration of the bolt then it should just come off quite easily. If you feel the nut start to tear away let it, it will leave torn up clean metal and you can try with another nut. You might even want to try a 21mm nut so that you have a bigger hole to get deep weld into.

Don't worry about the zinc, it will disappear in seconds - try not to breathe it in - the little amount will do you no harm in this situation but still best not too.

raywin · Jan 23, 2017

Did ,mine last year may be some help to you.
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/front-axle-swivel.304892/
If you go this way take time to clean very thoroughly the bolt heads holding the ball to the axle and get the spanner completely onto them, you will be in for a long day if you round them off.
Of course you will have to take the hub off in one lump and then dismantle it, should not be too hard just a bit heavy.

IamRobbie · Jan 23, 2017

I had the same problem with my front caliper bolts when I first changed the pads. I think I hammered on a smaller bi hex socket and swung on it. Snapped the 1/4 " drive that I tried first as I had accidentally hammered on a 1/4 socket but afterwards I used a 3/8 and again hammered it on and it eventually gave

Rorie · Jan 24, 2017

Thanks for the help folks.
I got a smaller long socket so that I could get better access. Hammered it on and with my breaker bar, it came off a treat!
But I still couldn't get my brakes finished as the STC8576 kit I ordered from John Craddock doesn't come with the replacement pins. I looked at it on Paddocks and they give you the pins with the kit! So another few days of waiting....

Rorie

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payydg

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Rorie

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discomania

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Paul D

Old, nackered 'n broke, but the Landy is fine . :)

Rorie

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Paul D

Old, nackered 'n broke, but the Landy is fine . :)

Rorie

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discomania

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raywin

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IamRobbie

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Rorie

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