When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Stock Problems/IssuesDiscussions related to warranty related issues and repairs, or other problems with the OEM parts and software for MINI Cooper (R50), Cabrio (R52), and Cooper S (R53) MINIs.
So I'm doing my brakes R53, 2006, and the screw that holds the rotor on is frozen. I'm guessing somebody used loc-tite or something. I have the T50 torx bit and it not budging. I'm worried it's gong to strip. Any ideas? I'm going to head to sears and see if I can get a torxs bit for my impact screw driver, but if that fails it's either leave the rotor or get the ez outs, which I've never really had any success with. Any other ideas? I'm at a loss. Thanks,
Heat. Even if a little soldering butane torch is not the fastest thing to heat up metal, it can make a difference. If you have a propane one, it's even better. You heat it up as much as you can and hit it with the impact screw driver.
I had to drill out one of mine a while back. The brake continues to work fine without it, it's just slightly more work to line up both the wheel and rotor with the hub holes. From what I hear you're more likely to break the head off the placement bolt then strip it out too.
Heat it up and try to hit it with the impact. That usually works.
If that doesn't work I commonly use a hammer and chisel to turn it out. Normally once you get it turning you can get it right out with the torx as long as it's not rounded out.
Hey thanks guys. Hit it with a small propane torch and my impact screw driver deal. No luck. My neighbors a super rad guy and I asked him for some help. Luckily he had an oxy acetylene torch and an impact wrench. The combo of the two got the fronts off. Amazing how tight they were. The backs were fine with the impact driver sans torch. Also shout out to craftsman. I had some O'Reilly torxs bits and they were bent all to hell from the impact screw driver. They looked like a boat propeller. The craftsman stood up to an insane amount of heat and the impact gun.
The weird thing is the set screws and the new ones are slightly out of round. Almost triangle. The brand new ones and the old ones. Any ideas why those bolts are not spherical?
Anyways. Put it all back together 20 ft lbs with a dab of never seize. Hopefully won't happen again.
Had to do this yesterday. Bought a set of 3/8" Hex sockets and put them on my impact wrench. Hit it with PB and then impact. Mine's an 03 with 117k on it and I think the rotors are original.
Drill it or tap it out with a hammer and chisel on the side, make a notch and then hit the front and back with PB blaster. Impact wrench if you have one, try it first.
Those bolts can really be bad, that's why when I get a new MINI or older one, pop the wheels off and take the brake rotor screw out and coat it with anti seize, then install again. If the head is damaged from the last person, i just put new in and coat it again.
Yeah mine all got a good bit of never seize this time around. Can't believe how hard they bind even when only torques to 20 ft/lb. Glad i didn't have to go the chisel route. Not sure I would have been able to get that to work.
I got mine out last month by a couple of well placed hits with a punch and hammer followed by an air impact wrench. Came right out. Use of anti-seize grease and I'll never have that problem again.
Started my brake job last night, all 4 screws were very tight. No air tool and no impact could get it out. I was able to get 3 of them out with the T50 on a breaker bar. Unfortunately one of them rounded out and I had to punch it out.
I now have to replace one screw, I know it can be driven without it and I see the link above from ECS. Does anyone know if I can find the same screw locally at a hardware store such as Home Depot or Ace Hardware?
Started my brake job last night, all 4 screws were very tight. No air tool and no impact could get it out. I was able to get 3 of them out with the T50 on a breaker bar. Unfortunately one of them rounded out and I had to punch it out.
I now have to replace one screw, I know it can be driven without it and I see the link above from ECS. Does anyone know if I can find the same screw locally at a hardware store such as Home Depot or Ace Hardware?
I don't think Ace, True Value, Home depot, or Lowe's has that.
In Portland area, if you don't want to go to the MINI dealer, you could go to Discount Import Parts (In Milwaukie or Beaverton), or Halsey Import Parts (in NE). I prefer the former but have found both places helpful for German vehicles. Admittedly I've only bought VW parts there, but I think both these guys should have it. Call them and see.
Pelican parts has the screws for super cheap. They have a kit for the brakes that comes with brand new ones. I replace mine every time I do the brakes. Plus now I'm adding never seize to the mix. Might just skip them altogether next time. Check out pelican parts though. Super cheap parts and you can get genuine BMW too if you don't want aftermarket.
Schawnnn, your are the only poster on this thread with the correct answer and you are being ignored. Those screws only keep all the lug holes aligned while the wheel is off. If you must be **** and have them there, apply anti-seize, turn it in with a screwdriver by hand until snug then back it off 1/4 turn. As long as the head remains below the surface of the disk hat you are good, it will never be a pain to remove again. And while you are at it, apply a thin amount of anti-seize on the center hub where the wheel fits, and also on your lug bolts.
I agree that anti seize should be used on the rotor retaining screws, but my opinion on it's use on lug bolts differs. I believe that torque values are based on dry threads and the use of lubricants on bolt threads results in overtorquing. I've never used anti seize on them and haven't had any problems ever.
Holy crap guys.. in process of working mine out. Wow talk about a sadistic design !
I get the purpose of pinch/lock nuts - but to apply that [pre-deformed] principle to those rotor screws is just straight malicious design.
Ridiculous/unnecessary overkill.
All mine were frozen.. tried heat/impact/PB-Blaster etc. for hours with no luck - and ended up having to drill ALL them out.
The thread is M10x1.5 - so get your tap & die set ready.
Golly I couldn't even thread the new [WTF ? Triangular ? ] screws in without wanting to cross-thread.. so I used a die on them to diminish their shape - and in hopes it makes them easier for the next guy.
doing MINI brakes since my new off the lot 2002 ... never had one of these screws beat me.
I use a hunk of rebar threaded between two lug studs and the garage floor to wedge the hub FIRMLY (think %) then use the proper size TORX socket and an 18 inch breaker bar after soaking the bolt with PB blaster for 15 min or so.
Left hand pushes the socket into the bolt .. it WANTS to come out and make things get ugly. Right hand pulls up on the breaker bar ... slow and steady until I feel it 'give'
07-25-2015, 01:14 PM
currently the Genuine one is $ 2.19 through us. 
