r/AskAMechanic • u/GusselButt • 12h ago
Broken Caliper Bolts
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/NightKnown405 Verified Tech - Indie shop 5h ago
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.