Those Front Caliper Bolts Are a &^#@*!

[Ignacio]

It's been 6 years since I first took off factory tightened front brake caliper bolts. Combined the PITA reflectors that make a six point socket about impossible (at least on the first one) and even at risk when you use a brake line wrench. i still galled the corners on one bolt before the locktite finally broke loose.

....the trials of a virgin FJR.

Project Zaphod is progressing.

 

[SkooterG]

Heat. And an impact driver. And luck.

What the hell are you removing them for anyway?

 

[Ignacio]

What the hell are you removing them for anyway?

Refabbed forks from GP Suspension for $500+ tuned to my considerable girth on the old one or near stockers on the new one? You do the math.

The old FJR sans subframe relegated to the corner:

Or the new one with upgraded forks about to get seriously torn down:

 

[Peter Murray]

Try a hand impact tool next time. I don't think the caliper bolts require loctite. For assembly I have spritzed the caliper bolts with WD 40, good practice with metal aluminum contact.

 

[madmike2]

OTH, it's somehow comforting to know that the admins suffer the same trials, tribulations, issues and problems the rest of us also surmount.

Sorry, Matt, I could have resisted but chose not to. It seems that heat might be rather difficult to control tht near precious and vital brake fluids...may not be a good idea unless applied to the "back side". Then it would only affect the fork tube. :dribble:

Now you'll get ot experience why many of us don't want to upgrade....the hours we've spent adding the farkles we "need". Of course, in your case, mileage predicates making this change.

I can't wait for the next chapter in the "Transformation Story".

 

[ionbeam]

It's been 6 years since I first took off factory tightened front brake caliper bolts. Combined the PITA reflectors that make a six point socket about impossible (at least on the first one) and even at risk when you use a brake line wrench. i still galled the corners on one bolt before the locktite finally broke loose.

I hope I'm missing something here. Plunk your tush on the floor, use an 8mm wrench and loosen the nut on the back of the reflector then rotate the reflector 180º. The reflector has one pin that keeps it from rotating when the nut is tight. You now have access to both caliper bolts. My impact wrench with 6 point sockets has never had a problem getting these bolts out, but please tighten again with an appropriate hand tool. During the reinstall many times the reflectors and brackets are forgotten and therefore the next time the job is even easier. I still take the time to fiddle with the reflectors.

As mentioned, always use 6 point sockets or box wrenches. When possible upgrade your standard mm socket set to newer sockets, they have different names like Sears Headlock sockets. The points on the socket are rounded almost to a 1/2 hole shape and the flats between the points are no longer flat, they have a bow to them. This takes the pressure off the corners of the bolt/nut and relocates the torque more to the middle of the flats on the bolt/nut which vastly reduces rounding.

Years ago I bought a fairly thick piece of carpet remnant from a carpet store for real short bucks. This makes concrete crawling much warmer, softer and more pleasant. The real gain is that dropped bolts washers and nuts don't bounce and run off to improbable or impossible places, the hit and stay.

 

[SkooterG]

Cripes! It was really late and I was tired. I thought we he was talking about rotor bolts. I can't imagine caliper bolts being that much a PITA. And as ionbeam said, simply remove the reflector before trying to take those off. Ya big thilly.

 

[Ignacio]

I hope I'm missing something here. Plunk your tush on the floor, use an 8mm wrench and loosen the nut on the back of the reflector then rotate the reflector 180º. The reflector has one pin that keeps it from rotating when the nut is tight.

Ahhhhh.........that's how those suckers work. I thought the 8mm nut secured only the plastic reflector inside the metal housing and didn't think the whole thing might rotate.

Hey, everybody! Listen to ionbeam....it's way easier his way!

 

[puppychow]

It will never be this clean again....

Is the birdie moving with the forks?

 

[Fred W]

So, I have to ask... How does one go 6 years without replacing a front tire?

I don't know about anyone else but I have to remove my calipers to get my wheels off at tire changes.

Are you sure that you aren't confusing calipers and rotors?

 

[RadioHowie]

Hey, everybody! Listen to ionbeam....it's way easier his way!

That's why we call Alan "Wicked Smart!"

 

[Bustanut joker]

I hope I'm missing something here. Plunk your tush on the floor, use an 8mm wrench and loosen the nut on the back of the reflector then rotate the reflector 180º. The reflector has one pin that keeps it from rotating when the nut is tight.

Ahhhhh.........that's how those suckers work. I thought the 8mm nut secured only the plastic reflector inside the metal housing and didn't think the whole thing might rotate.

Hey, everybody! Listen to ionbeam....it's way easier his way!

My faith, make that my world is now in tatters. . I was certain the admins were all knowing. :lol:

Hey Howie, Maybe Iggy is just a wuss and needs to hit the gym? I mean a tiny bolt like that kicked his ass. :blink:

Jus sayin.

 

[RadioHowie]

My faith, make that my world is now in tatters. . I was certain the admins were all knowing. :lol:

Hey Howie, Maybe Iggy is just a wuss and needs to hit the gym? I mean a tiny bolt like that kicked his ass. :blink:

Jus sayin.

I'm not all that shocked. I mean, don't YOU piss through a "tiny" bolt? :****:

 

[Ignacio]

So, I have to ask... How does one go 6 years without replacing a front tire?

This is my new-to-me FJR...not the original one. Only owned it since October.

The previous owner swapped rubber, but they appear to have locktited the bolts.

 

[Karmak]

This works most of the time-first, we usually use a smaller socket wrench than works best-use a nice hefty one-at least a 5/8. Then we pull or push. Instead, get the socket set on the bolt solidly and give the handle a hefty, sharp whack with your palm or a rubber mallet (I use a good ol' Estwing roofing hammer on tough ones). It acts like one of those impact screw drivers and I've never rounded a bolt this way, but rounded plenty by using a 3/8 or 1/2" and pushing/pulling rather than a good whack on the handle.

>The bolts on the reflectors are a pain, I use an open end wrench on them or just bend the bracket a bit.

 

[fjrupnorth]

I replaced my reflectors with round bicycle reflectors and have full socket access to the caliper bolts.

Also, I use a calibrated torque wrench to tighten the bolts. Recently one of them didn't feel right so I removed it before the torque wrench clicked. The bolt was stretching and was ready to break. I immediately replaced all four hollow bolts - I don't take chances with brakes. The reason I mention this is that if you have trouble removing the bolts they may have been damaged.

 

[Zorlac]

"The bolt was stretching and was ready to break. I immediately replaced all four hollow bolts"

Yeah, I replaced all 4 of those POS bolts with real bolts the first time I had the calipers off.

Hollow bolts my arse.

All that unsprung mass I added really shagged the bike's handling though.

 

[Crash Cash]

Recently one of them didn't feel right so I removed it before the torque wrench clicked. The bolt was stretching and was ready to break.

How did you tell it was stretching? What would I look for? Was there a crack?

 

[cpr1200r100]

I cut my reflectors off with a Dremel..and the bolts were no problem... Now if my Moto:ights would just bolt up..