Where the hell did my Brake bolt go?

[Tom_1569]

On my way to tafe today, when I braked I was getting a thump thump from the front drivers wheel. It got worse and worse, I managed to baby the car home and check it out. My caliper bolt is MISSING. Its not snapped, its clean gone, the top one that holds the caliper shut. I have some suspicions of whats happened thanks to someone holding a grudge, but I dont know if they would go to so much effort.

Anyway Im trying to chase up the bolt TODAY, Im stuck driving a lancer until I fix this, and I feel dirty and ashamed already.

Holden can get me one, but not until next week. The only wrecker nearby wants 70 bux, yes seventy dollars for a bolt, which once again ended up in an argument.

Anyone heard of these bolts ever coming out? Anyone local have one?

[black as]

That happened to me once but I was around 20 kms from home, had to drive home using the hand brake because the caliper fell off had to tie it up with a bit of wire.
You need one of those washers where you knock the end over to hold the bolt in place.

[Tom_1569]

That happened to me once but I was around 20 kms from home, had to drive home using the hand brake because the caliper fell off had to tie it up with a bit of wire.
You need one of those washers where you knock the end over to hold the bolt in place.

Its suppose to be a self locking bolt, Which I assume would self lock lol. Might have to look into the washer your talking about, I assume you mean like the ones on uni joints.

[GMH95]

yeh happened to me out the front of my house lucky i just put some medium strength thread locker and tightnd it back on.

[black as]

Its suppose to be a self locking bolt, Which I assume would self lock lol. Might have to look into the washer your talking about, I assume you mean like the ones on uni joints.

That's it like the one the uni joint

[Tom_1569]

Well I've given up, Ive thrown my dignity out the window, Im driving the lancer until the bolt arrives (hopefully monday).
It was only $4.70, for a brand new and lose my dignity, or 70 bux for a second hand one and have some dignity left.

I just double checked with Holden about putting loc-tight on, caus I was the last to touch the bolt and didnt put loc-tight on it. They assure me it does not need it, and shouldnt be used, because thats what the computer says lol. They are excellent down there though, another credit to Sale Holden spare parts

Still a mystery of one peoples brake bolts are coming off lol, Id imagine if you had bigger rims the caliper would open right up and you would lose pads, thankfully for 15 inch rims, which only just clear the caliper as it is.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

Loctite should not be used on the new bolt as it already has a thread locking compound applied. The bolts should be replaced every time the caliper is removed but very few people do that.

[Tom_1569]

Loctite should not be used on the new bolt as it already has a thread locking compound applied. The bolts should be replaced every time the caliper is removed but very few people do that.

I've heard that about the anchor bolts, is it the same for caliper bolt... its the one going into the guide, or something, I can post a pic if that makes more sense.

[VT-565]

Its suppose to be a self locking bolt, Which I assume would self lock lol. Might have to look into the washer your talking about, I assume you mean like the ones on uni joints.

Edit: didn't read abba fan's post first lol - I believe the bolts from Holden will come pre-impregnated with a form of loctite threadlocker. Should be blue in colour.
They don't self-lock, it is this thread locker that is supposed to hold them in.

I have had this happen to me before, HQ sedan, had weld draglites on it.
Stopped at a servo as the car was making a funny noise, had a look, couldn't see anything glaringly obvious, tried to reverse, locked the wheel up. Car rolled forward, pulled it up, once again, couldn't see a thing.
Drove down the road a ways more, then stopped again as the noise was becoming more prominent, tried to reverse again, locked the wheel, so I got out straight away, saw the caliper had swung down against the inside of the rim and wedged it solid! the bottom bolt was completely missing.
Had some dramas trying to source another at a nearby wrecker, apparently they had two different brands of caliper, girlock and PBR (i think) but sorted it in the end.

You're better off driving the POS around til the cheaper bolt gets in.
$70 is just silly.

[Swordsy]

I've had one come out before, then the next time i used the brakes, it snapped the calliper in half, that sucked. This was on an early sigma (basically the same design) and it was an early model one so it had imported brakes on it that took me days to find a new one.

Now i just make sure they are tight as hell (by hand still) when i put them back in.

[gungazza]

yer happend to me hz 253 v8

[Tom_1569]

$4.75 and its all fixed Brakes feel abit spongey, but might just be caus Im use to the VK and lancer now. Either way it still pulls up beautiful, nothing like a bit of head rush from stopping to quickly lol.

[Morticia]

happened to me as well (VK station wagon)... we had the same thumping sound and then next minute the wheel wouldnt move and we were stuck in the middle of an intresection! luckily we could reverse enough and it was at night so it wasnt busy.