Now that she's ready for the road, brakes need attention.

[markjs]

First I want to take the time to thank everyone who helped me. My attitude has sucked for a few days because I really need this bike to work and I was so frustrated, but then all is well that ends well, so thank you fellow board members, you guys are top notch!

So, my front caliper is functional and the pads are fairly new, but the retaining Allen screw is one with the caliper now, and I am not sure it can be removed. We tried air tools, heat, heat and wax, a manual impact driver, finally stripped the Allen hole and broke an easy out off in it. I begin to suspect that I will just have to buy a new caliper when it's time to change the pads, but I figure maybe someone here has a trick? It's at least worth a try, and like I said, I'm good to go as is for a while anyway, but still it would be nice to get the thing sorted properly.

 

[bcware]

If it's that difficult to remove your best bet is to weld another screw on to the old one.

 

[markjs]

That might be an idea! I have a friend with a wire feed welder and he might be able to do that. If I do I am going with a standard hex cap because that Allen crap is the pits!

 

[Scorpio1963]

If welding another nut doesnt work and you can afford them buy a set of those speacil grip vise grips.They grip anything.

 

[markjs]

There's nothing to grip! It's that Allen screw that retains the pads. That thing is recessed in. I may try the weld thing, but I think chances are I will just end up buying a used caliper. It is nice to have the luxury of time to run with what I got until I can get to it.

 

[Scorpio1963]

Why cant you grip the outside of the head of the bolt.There should close to 7/16 of an inch to get hold of?

 

[16VGTIDave]

The bolt is sunken into the calliper body, which is why it has an Allen head.

I have had good luck removing stripped Allen head bolts using either a Torx bit or a triple square bit and hammering it into the bolt. Then using an impact driver and large hammer to break it free.

 

[Scorpio1963]

I beleive if you can get some trans fluid sqirted down there inside thread via a small oil can like a 3 in 1 oil can and lets those threads soak that bolt will break free.

 

[16VGTIDave]

A 50/50 mix of Automatic Transmission Fluid and Acetone is the magic mixture for a penetrating lubricant from what I've read. The Acetone acts as a carrier and evaporates.

Be careful with this mix, it can damage paint and is very flammable.

 

[markjs]

I used so much PB Blaster on that thing it's not even funny! (Considering the cost of PB Blaster!)

 

[Charles]

You can also get a bit that's slightly smaller then the outside diameter of the screw, drill out the meat of the screw, then use a smaller flathead to tap the remaining outer part of the screw until you chip it all out.

 

[Scorpio1963]

By chance if you do have to buy another brake caliper,I dont know if it will work or not but by chance it does,Get one from a 1980-81 xs400,no allen screw just a pin with a pinch spring to hold everything in place and 2 bolts on the outside.Just got finsihed doing my brakes took me about 10 minutes.

 

[omnideuce]

"If I do I am going with a standard hex cap because that Allen crap is the pits!"

Mine works fine

 

[MrStubb]

I'd try more heat and penetrating oil. Even if you do get it loose there's a chance you will have beat up threads 's and a thread chaser would be in store for you. There is a possibility that you could find a thread insert for your application once you get it out. Best of luck

 

[willem]

I'm guessing a good month n a half later mark got his bolt out? Any progress there mark?

 

[2wheelindave]

Calipers are cheap on ebay

 

[markjs]

No it's still in there, the parts bike caliper is in use now. Not sure if I'll bother, that bolt itself has got to be damn hard to replace even if I could get it out? Of course they have to make some weird specialty part and not something that could easily be replace when this stuff happens.