I welcome any advice but really I'm just venting about the stupid T50 bolts that hold the rotors on

I just killed my second T50 bit . The first one wasn't as "well made" and it rounded off in one of the rear bolts (the bolt suffered little to no damage.) This bit got the rear rotors off with relative ease but the fronts killed it.

Autozone said they'd replace it so I'm going to get a new one in the morning (it's too dark to walk or bike over now and I don't want to put everything back together).

I'm soaking the bolts with Liquid Wrench. I've been using the torch to heat the rotor around the bolt.
Admittedly I was using the breaker bar when it broke. I got impatient waiting for my tiny little compressor to recharge for another 5sec blast with my borrowed impact wrench..

If only it would have broken before I walked down to autozone to buy the allen wrenches... (the brake line blocked my 7mm socket from getting into the caliper bolt.)

 

Aren't those torx bolts actually/ultimately unnecessary?

 

I used a dremel cutting wheel to cut a nice deep slice across the front of the bolt and just use a chisel and hammer to knock it loose.

 

I've done brakes for fellow owners for years

I've yet to strip or break a TORX on the rotor...

It is all about seating, and keeping the socket deep in the pocket ... slow easy pressure ... and an 18 inch breaker bar.

 

Seating was the problem with the first one I stripped was one of those single cast cheap one kind of like this one:
It never really seated very well to begin with. After a little while I noticed the teeth were starting to twist on me.
I didn't want to damage the bolts so I bought the broken one you see above. It worked great on the rear rotors.
If you look at the broken tip you can see that the break is behind where it fit into the bolt.

 

Sounds like the bolt has galled to the rotor. I would do one of two things. First, get yourself a set of screw extractors. Hammer one of of them into the bolt and turn. I highly doubt you'll be able to snap one of those. If that doesnt work, use a Dremel to cut a groove into the face of the bolt and hit it with a chisel til it breaks free.

If you still can't free it up, drill through the head of the bolt.

Figure that you're going to destroy the screw either way.. Just remember to put a small dab of anti-sieze compound on the new screw.

 

Job done and bolts not destroyed.
HEAT!
I guess I underestimated how much heat to apply with the torch.
Autozone replaced the bit no questions asked.
Applied more heat and it eventually came out.
Once I got it off I found that you need to take off the bracket that holds the caliper and those bolts were nicely frozen too.

The end result this simple pad replacement took way too long but it's done!

 

anti-sieze on all bolts when you re-assemble

 

+1 on the anti-sieze.

Also get yourself one of the old time hammer type impact driver. Much more control for things like this.

 

I have no clue what you're talking about with a hammer type impact wrench. Can you link to an example?

I forgot to buy the anti-sieze. I'll put some on when I take the winter wheels off.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impact_driver

The one at the top is what's being referenced here. These are a great to have around for stuck screws (especially phillips, as noted). The force of the hammer blow not only helps to keep the bit seated in the screw, but can also assist in breaking up the corrosion that may be gripping it, too. It will amaze you what you can get out with one of these. I bought a nice one from McMaster-Carr supply for about $25 a few years ago, but you can get budget versions from Harbor Freight if you don't need quality.

 

A "sea story"

30+ years ago I'd bought a used motorcycle and wanted to change the oil in it. I could not, for the life of me get the drain plug out..as i recall it was a phillips fitting. Advance clock a few years and I was at a tool auction and a hammer impact wrench went on the block and thinking I'll NEVER be stumped again, I bought one. (didn't have the bike anymore btw....)

That tool is in my tool box today and I can say with absolute certainty I have NEVER used it! Today, true, I have a compressor and impact guns et al, but that hammer impact driver still has the wax paper preservative on it!

Not saying any post is wrong ... just sharing a story. I'm still waiting for a case where I have to pull this out! I've even had several "stuck GEN1 oil drains"....but didn't need to go this far!!!!

(btw ... I think "tool auctions" of 1980 evolved into Harbor Freight and Northern Tools)

ooo - did you want one?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=93481

 

I prefer using the hammer type on really stuck bolts over the air driven ones simply because it "impacts" the stuck bolt a heck of a lot harder. And no posibility of rounding out the bolt.

 

Just drill them out. I did and it worked great.

 

+2 An impact hammer is what I usually use as well. $10 at H-F; $30 or so at your FLAPS; $20 at the ToolWarehouse.net:



I have a 1/2" drive version I bought from H-F about 20 years ago. I don't use it a lot, but when I do, it does jobs other tools can't.

 

Being that this thread isn't that old I don't mind bringing it back.

Did pads and rotors yesterday and there were two of the t50 set screws that gave us problems. We got the one out but the other just wasn't happening. We used pb blaster, soaked it, heated it MULTIPLE times, used a breaker bar, and still managed to sheer, snap, and flower 4 t50 heads and the bolt now is pratically fubar'd. The bolt would turn about a quarter of a turn but then sieze. So I was forced to leave that rotor on.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to drill it out, impact hammer it, or try the Dremel and chisel idea. Can anyone reccomend a kit for drilling it out seeing how stuck this is? I've never drilled out a bolt before so I'm leery.

 

You want a high speed steel (HSS) drill bit slightly smaller in diameter than the the bolt (8mm) use eye protection and just drill until the countersunk head of the bolt comes off. I'd use low speed and cutting oil too.

 

Welp... Didn't need the Harbor Frieght tool and didn't need a drill extractor set. I got home from work and soaked the damn set screw in PB Blaster for about 3 hours, anchored a prybar between two lugs and the floor so the rotor wouln't move AND set the parking brake, heated the little sod up with a torch, and it STILL wouldn't budge. Actually it stripped. Brilliant.

So then I just took my Dremel and a carbon cutting wheel and cut into the bolt to make a horizontal groove thinking I could use the chisel method or a flat head + vice grips release the screw. That wasn't working. So I took the Dremel again and cut a vertical groove perpendicular to the first.I ended up getting the groove through the head and all the way to the shaft ("Thats what she said"). Grabbed the chisel and a 3lb hammer and started beating the ever loving hell out of this thing. I got one of the "quarters" of the bolt head to wiggle back and forth, think of it like when you take a paper clip and wiggle it till it snaps. Did that with all four parts of the head and the rotor came right off.

Yes I left the shaft in the hole ("That's.... yeah I'm making way these too easy) being that the set screw is superfilous once you get the wheels mounted, and since that damn screw just got me so cross I'd rather leave it ashamed and half a screw that send it to a hell at the bottom of a scrap heap.

Ok that was harsh. But, jobs done, beers had, and the mini is happy with new pads, rotors, and sensors all around .

 

but the first time you have it out, use some of the Moly anti-sieze and you'll never have a problem again. I'd be leary of the heat, as you'll couple a lot of heat into the hub as well. I've never had to go past the anti-sieze and maybe a hit of the stone age impact driver.

Another hint is to first tighten, then loosen. The tightening compresses the crap that binds, then makes it easier to loosen.

Matt

 

100% agreed.

If I could do it all again, I would have utilised the impact driver from the off.