Smokin Joe

i replaced my rotors and the service manual says to discard the caliper bracket bolts.

What the hell? Why not just torque them to spec...and maybe locktite them?

I know some of you change the rotors during every track event. you cant tell me you get new bolts each time. Do i need to replace the door seals each time I open the doors? Come to think of it, that might save on water leaks.

CF6873

This has been discussed before and I believe the concensus is GM wants you to replace them because of the thread lock compound that is lost when loosening them. I just add new Locktite and retighten.

Mike Mercury

also; keep in mind that technical manuals aren't solely written by technical people. Lawyers have input too.

04cad

I would have probably agreed with the other posts, but I think there is something about bolt stretch and such, that may be a safety issue, especially with racing, and..... the last brake job I did took twice as long as it should have because..... yep you guessed it, one of the bolts twisted off. First and only one in about...... maybe twenty disc brake jobs, but it sure was a pain. Anyway, just my 2 cents worth. Also, the only place that was open that day (Sunday) only had one bolt so I couldn't even replace both of them on that side .

After reading a later post I was thinking of the guide pins not the caliper bolts. I had a guide pin break when removing it. Good luck

MeekRN

i didnt replace the bolts, one loosened up and when i applied the breaks it made a real loud chatter, and about 5 miles from home, the bolt finally loosened its way out, and the break caliper rotated, and wedged it self into my wheel, cost 300 for stock wheel, 245 for new front tire with flat spot, new caliper 125 new pads 25, new rotor 115 towing to dealer, 45, rental car for 1 day 45. cost of new bolts 10 bucks max...
if you need the 10 bucks tell me your pay pal email address and i will paypal you the 10 bucks.

Autobot

My textbooks said that bolts are only meant to be used once and then discarded, having said that, I almost always reuse them.

DVLDAWG

I'm actually getting ready sometime in the next week to replace my Rotors and pads. I called 2 local dealers here and they both said that they dont stock them, and one guy said he's never even sold any before. They both said that the main reason that they are to be replaced is because of the loctite on them, and I should just put some loctite on them, and re-use.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

(sorry - I didnt mean to hijack your thread)

Thanks!!!

vettenuts

Torque on them is low, doubt they yield. To re-use, you would need to clean the bolt and the internal threads and then loctite. I would guess its more of a liability issue for GM. I wouldn't go by what the dealer says either, most that I have dealt with don't even know what is in the service manual. I usually replace, and get them from Gene Culley. Keeps the cost down on replacement, but I also don't remove very often either. The new GM brake pads come with them.

UstaB-GS549

I don't even bother with Loctite. They are always tight when I change rotors. I have to use big breaker bar to get them loose.

04cad

SwissVette_Joe

IMHO - I also think reason is mainly two things :

- Special high friction thread compound => to being carefully renewed in case of reuse of them two bolts in question

- The relatively heavy amount of torque to apply to these Brake Caliper Mounting Bracket Bolts (not to confuse with the two Guide Pin Bolts) => 175Nm / 125lbft

Don't pray but instead just go the undoubtable safe route and replace them both (by each side of car two of them) because for the mentioned 2 tech points above.

Joe

John Shiels

Can I get ten bucks too?

John Shiels

I have reused mine 60 + times when I had stock calipers and had new ones in the box next to me. Clean and Loctite

John Shiels

set of bolts forsale ten bucks plus fifty shipping

Jason

I couldn't count the number of times I've had my calipers off. Always use the same bolts.

T VETTE

Wish I had a dollar for every time this topic comes up.
Same answers different day.

Mike Mercury

yep.

But there's "specs" out there that scare those that don't have any real world experience. As long as one removes the old locktite, and reapplies, and torques to specs... there's no "stretching" to worry about.

This is one of those times that a textbook does not match the real world.

old stingray

Clean, apply new locktite and torque,I've been doing this for years.

TEXHAWK0

I ran into the same problem. Went to the dealer to get a new set of bolts, and they only had one bolt.

MSG Parris

Which color locktite do you apply to the caliper mounting bolts?