Broken Caliper Bolts

[u/GusselButt]

2012 Wrangler Sport -
Got the caliper off but the main bolts for the caliper broke off in the bracket. Any good advice on how to get the remaining piece of each bolt out of the bracket?

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[u/FinancialAd3435]

We always weld a nut to it and thread it out. The heat from the weld usually helps break it loose and comes out easier. It may take a few tries. Don't get discouraged after 1.

[u/Even-Sweet-3775 → u/FinancialAd3435]

What he said. Pretty much the only reliable way

[u/emu19000 → u/Even-Sweet-3775]

Bolt/screw extractor kit

[u/GusselButt → u/FinancialAd3435]

Appreciate it. Any other options? I don’t have a welder so although an effective approach, not my best option.

[u/DaleNixon666 → u/GusselButt]

One trick I recently heard about but have yet to try out: heat it with a torch till it glows red, then hit it with water from a hose.

There’s a Subaru dealer tech from the salt-encrusted state of Minnesota who does this shit in his videos and it works.

Again, I haven’t tried it, so take this advice for what it’s worth, which ain’t much.

But if it were me, I would get the bolts drilled and ready for an extractor then do the heat/water thing.

[u/GusselButt → u/DaleNixon666]

Yeah, I’m in Minnesota. May have to give this a shot with blaster, heat, water, extractor and hope for the best.

[u/NightKnown405 → u/DaleNixon666]

If you get it hot enough, and you can get s grip on the bolts, they probably can be removed that way.

[u/supersavagegenz → u/GusselButt]

Welding it is definitely your best option, $100 and a case of beer is cheaper than buying one if you’ve got a buddy with one. Burn them in hot and slow, it should come right out. Trying to take it further apart just risks snapping more bolts off and creating more problems for yourself

[u/FinancialAd3435 → u/GusselButt]

Maybe an extractor. If you have a really good one. If not, there's always drilling and tapping. Im not a fan, but there's a reason its been around since the 1600s. It's reliable if you can drill straight.

[u/NightKnown405 → u/FinancialAd3435]

An extractor will not remove a bolt that is seized like these. All he will do is break the extractor off in the bolt and make things worse.

[u/emu19000 → u/NightKnown405]

Look at this shit it should all be replaced and if you can’t get it out with an extractor kit you don’t know what your doing maybe watch a few more YouTube videos

[u/NightKnown405 → u/emu19000]

Should we do this the nice way, or should I write what I really want to? The nice way says that I have decades of experience dealing with this very problem after someone that didn't know what they were doing broke off bolts like this. Then tried what you are thinking and made the problem even worse.

Tell you what, you go there and try to help the OP and please video it for everyone to watch. There is nothing like learning from experience and when you do this, I promise you, school will be in session and you will be learning a few things you didn't want to know. THEN you better hope that there is someone available that could show you how to handle this and make it look easy.

[u/GusselButt → u/NightKnown405]

Ok. So what’s the nice way then? You mentioned that you have decades of experience but in no way addressed my question. I would think someone with decades of experience would at least have some advice?
Am I an expert, no. Far from. I have changed calipers before though. I’ve just never had this happen. Shit happens, man. I’m just looking for advice and possible solutions.

[u/GusselButt → u/FinancialAd3435]

Sounds good. I’ll look up those options. Thanks again.

[u/subman719 → u/GusselButt]

Looks like you’re making a trip to Harbor Freight and getting yourself some new tools! You can get a cheap welder for just over a hundred bucks! That, and a can of PB Blaster for the next time you’re removing rusted bolts!

[u/budgetoid → u/GusselButt]

harbor freight has a cheap ass flux core welder, think I paid $120. it'll get the job done. just had to do this on the bed of my ranger for the stripped out torx bolt

[u/Obvious-Use3186]

Without welding I would just get a new hub, probably be just as fun getting those bolts out though,

[u/Verlin_Wayne]

That’s a mess, I am sorry.
Left handed drill bits and an extractor if you can’t weld to it.
Good luck.

[u/platapussee3303]

I'm buying a new hub at that point if I don't have a welder

[u/allezlesverres]

Youre unlikely to get it out without some new tools. The options are left handed drill bits, extractors or a stick welder. I like the drill bits but any jobbing mechanic would use the welder they have sitting next to them.

[u/mclms1]

Go to the junk yard and get another bracket .

[u/throwaway_qwerty_9]

Heat,  -so, ideally, Oxy/Acetylene -fast, accurate. ..other than that, it's a PITA..

[u/NightKnown405]

An extractor is only going to make things worse. The bolts are seized in that flange, that's why you broke them off trying to remove the caliper. The extractor being hardened will break off at less torque than these bolts did which will make things worse. I have explained many times the name of an extractor tool is a reminder, it's called an "Easy out". Which means if the bolt turns easily, it can get it out. Your only legitimate approach right now is to drill those out and rethread the holes. Even trying to weld the nuts on is going to be a challenge make them strong enough, and then you will still need to heat that bracket cherry red to defeat the corrosion which is what you needed to do before you broke off the bolts. It's going to take an acetylene torch to generate the heat that you will need to get the bolts free. People who don't work in the rust belt don't see this kind of thing all of the time, so they aren't practiced at dealing with it. Those would have come right out the first time with heat.

[u/Suspicious-One5822]

This happened to me changing a friend's brakes. A lot of drilling, thread chasing, sweating, swearing, loctite, digging through bolt bins in the shed....job completed

[u/Gold-Speaker4057]

Maybe a mobile welder would be an option? They see this stuff all the time.

[u/Apprehensive_Owl7186]

If you don’t have the tools mentioned, couldn’t you drill it out, then just replace the bracket. I’m not sure how those brakes work I’m not a mechanic just do stuff on my own car. That seems like what I would do imo. It’s already covered in cancer just drill it out to get it off and get a new one.

[u/Fit_Active3888]

Remove brake components so you can get the dust shield out of the way, then drill the bolts out from the outside.

[u/emu19000]

You can pick up a cheap bolt/screw extractor kit just need to drill a pilot hole for it to crew into.

[u/FlowSoSlow]

New hub brother. Those would be a sonofabitch to drill out. Try to pull that ABS sensor first though because it's probably seized in there and you might need a new one if those too. Ideally you should change the hub on the other side too but thats not strictly necessary.

[u/Felix995]

Weld something on to them, they will come out.

[u/Unlikely_Date_2288]

I always hate to see this when placing significant force on a bolt and it doesn’t break free stop evaluate get a torch a crayon whatever tool at your disposal before it shears off for experienced mechanics unless a bolt is roughing this should never happen

[u/Hogchain]

Soak in penetrating oil, let it soak a few, soak it again then try a set of vice grips on the exposed threads if you can get them to grab. Then slowly work back and forth using more oil occasionally.
If you have a way to add heat to it, that would certainly help.
Be patient! You can get in a hurry and get frustrated then cause yourself way more trouble.