stripper head

hey, I have a Caliper slide bolt with a stripped head. Its on an 89 xj, and the hex head is stripped. Any hints to getting this thing out?

Stripper head is not always fun. First, get that stripper off of your lap - you know she has to have something. Then drill a small divot on one side of the bolt. Use a punch and tap it with a hammer to back out the bolt.

Aren't those bolts just the greatest? I've run into this problem several times over the years and I'm betting it's due to people trying to take them off with the wrong size hex since most hex sets do not include the correct size for this bolt. If you peel back the rubber boot a bit you can get a small pipe wrench or pair of vise-grips on the bolt to remove it. No worry about ruining the bolt since you'd be crazy to put it back in. Also if you damage the boot they are available for relatively cheap from the dealer, they are a bit of a PITA to change though.

Interesting side note here that I don't know if anyone has encountered. There was a change to the front brakes somewhere around 1990. The earlier system used a slide bolt with a tapered end to ease instalation, later models simply have a flat end. If you use the early bolts on the later brakes you MUST grind a bit off the end or they will contact the rotor. This was a real head scratcher as everything seems fine untill you bolt the whell on and then it will not turn.

Tony

tried the vise grip route, peeled the outer edge of the bolt off like a candy wrapper. I am thinking it will try some heat, and or the craftsman route. I was just hoping someone had an idea of somthing to hammer in the socket end and twist right out. guess nothing is easy....

Ludakris said:

tried the vise grip route, peeled the outer edge of the bolt off like a candy wrapper. I am thinking it will try some heat, and or the craftsman route. I was just hoping someone had an idea of somthing to hammer in the socket end and twist right out. guess nothing is easy....

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Whatever you do, think about what might go wrong so that you don't get yourself into more trouble then you're already are.

Get a pipe wrench on it. A small one with fresh sharp serrations in the jaws. Unlike Visegrips, by design a pipe wrench will grip stronger the harder you pull. I have a little ten incher (pipe wrench) I use for stuff like that. Don't be afraid to put a little cheater on it if you have to (just be sure you're sitting solid on the jackstands). It was the stoopidest thing using those darn socket head bolts on the calipers. Get new bolts and a better quality allen key for future use. Look up the proper torque value for them and don't overtorque (too darn many people do that). Maybe use a little antisieze.

tried the drill n punch approach... no good, and broken drill bits. Threw some heat on it and the vise grips, Like Butter... The blue wrench will be my new best friend.