...when you mess up and the local part departments are all closed for the weekend and you travel for work Mon-Friday.

I was replacing my pads and rotors today and after 3 trips to sears and one to MINI i was ready to get started (2pm). Around 4pm i was finally done with the front left side and tightening down the last bolt that holds the caliper to the pad housings and SNAP. Sheered the bolt right off. I was even using a torque wrench and the right setting.

So all the parts departments are closed and even though "sales" is open they won't go get me the part.

Bad news is that since the bolt sheered i probably need to buy a new caliper unless there is a good way to get it out. This also means i need to learn how ot bleed brake lines.

Also had to cancel a fathers day track day for tomorrow since i can't run on three brakes.

Luckily we have a back up '74 Mini (who would of thought that car would be the backup). But today on the way back from the unsucessfull parts trip the blinker got stuck on RIGHT.

 

You can get the bolt out. You use what is called a easy out. You can purchase a kit at Sears or Lowes for under $20.

 

My dealers parts department is open the same hours as sales & service. There are many dealers that parts aren't open the same hours as sales. Sales or service for that matter wouldn't know how to look up parts and bill them out for you anyway.

 

The hardest part for me was finding the right pads. Apparently there are 3 different shapes.

 

Sorry to hear this.

This is definitely weird, as the front caliper mounting bolt torque spec is only 20-26 ft.lbs. Basically, wrist tight with a ratchet in hand.

I believe it is a sturdy M8 bolt, and the only way you could have broken it if you accidentally used the much higher torque setting from the caliper assembly M12 bolts?
Just in case, read this: http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarti...eplacement.htm

Few MINI parts departments work full hours on a Saturday. Your only recourse is to call around for M8 bolts from other European dealerships, or try your luck with local hardware stores in case they stock M8 bolts of the right length. Or just focus on getting the broken bolt out by drilling it out and using a tool similar to the one <cerenkov> had posted.

You do NOT need to buy our touch the caliper, your trouble is with the brake carrier. The bolt you need to extract and replace is #3 on the diagram: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...23&hg=34&fg=05

To make the extraction job easier, you may want to remove the brake carrier off the car. To do that, you need to take out the 2 M12 bolts. Those may require a breaker bar, but very doable and straight forward.

Good luck,

a

 

My memory could be hazy, but isn't the order of assemply

Bolt
Carrie
Caliper

If so then the bolt sheered off about 1" down leaving carrier free and clear and the remaining bits in the caliper.

 

Would this be the right set of tools

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-14-pc...8000P?prdNo=19

and

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-drill...G4&pickup=true


Then since the deal is not open would just standard metric bolts work?

 

A word of caution - if you need to disconnect the brake line/hose from the caliper, don't let the drain the fluid out. Plug it. I use a silicon stopper. If you let the brake fluid drain out, you will get air into the ABS unit and won't be able to get it out without being able to cycle the unit, which takes dealer tooling.

 

You should not need the tap set (the first link) only the extractor set (second link).

 

Hmmm ok.

Maybe my track day isn't ruined yet. I don't have to be at the track until 1pm. If sears opens early enough maybe the day isn't ruined yet!

 

Also, isn't there a chance the the bolt sheered due us possibly cross threading?

 

Possibly. You can buy the tap set, then return it if you end up not using it.

 

Good news.

We removed the bottom bolt and were able to get the broken bolt out using pliers. The bottom bolt was also about the break in the same spot. So no need for new brake components just 2 bolts! Thanks guys for the help.

 

Now get your a$$ to the track!

 

Are these special bolts or will and M8x1.25 work? If they are heat treated then still gonna have to wait until Monday to fix

 

The only bolt you should be touching is the one in the caliper guide pin, so all you need is a new caliper guide pin. I managed to shear that one off by confusing tightening and losening as the bolt is facing away from you. I got a replacement caliper guide pin from a local random autoparts store which is open until 9pm.

The replacement wasn't exactly the same as the one I broke, so eventually I got the caliper carrier repalced. This was not replacing the caliper, so there was no brake fluid involved.

 

Any M8x1.25 grade 10.9 bolt will do, just pick the right length.
For reference, see here: http://www.boltdepot.com/Metric_hex_..._x_1.25mm.aspx

No need to go mid-eval on the caliper, or replace it.
However, if you are taking the car to the track, you should learn how to bleed your own brakes and do it before you head out in anger the next time. This kit will make it easy for you: http://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-28...pean-cars.aspx


Same brake reservoir threads for MINI and BMW cars.
Pickup some Ate Type 200 or MOTUL RBF 660 brake fluid while you are at it as well.

a