Does anyone here know or have a shop manual to look up the correct length for the M14-1.5 caliper bolts? My GX spent its first three years on lease in SE Michigan and both the passenger side bolts sheared off when I tried to remove them. Got the studs out, but need to replace the bolts. The length is critical so they fully engage and don't impinge the heat shield. These are the bolts that hold the caliper to the knuckle.

 

Guessing a bit, but I suspect the length is 35mm based on the description.

 

Just for information ... were the bolts rusted ? ... the pics look pretty clean ... did you use PB Blaster before removing ? ... did you use an impact gun or brute force leverage ? Others can learn from your experience.

 

Both sides were very, very stuck. Driver's side I started with a socket wrench, then a Milwaukee M18 impact, then a breaker bar (with MAP fuel heat and PB Blaster). Both came loose with the breaker bar.

Passenger side I started with heat, PB Blaster, and the breaker bar. No movement. Added a section of pipe to the breaker bar and got both to move about 1/4 turn in short bits before they snapped.

I live in Seattle but the car spent its first three years on-lease in Michigan, so it's possible the salty winter roads there contributed. I've also been told that sometimes the thread-locker manufacturers use can turn to superglue.

What saved me is that the bolts snapped about 3/16" above the knuckle. I was able to remove the pads and get enough wiggle room to remove the caliper. With the bit of stud sticking up it was pretty easy to weld nuts on and, after repeated soakings over 12 hours with PB Blaster, and the welding heat, both came out with a pneumatic impact. My hope was that once I got the rotor off I could work on the front side of the bolts, but both are blocked by the heat shield. Welding the nuts on the back was a bit awkward, but I decided to try that before going to plan B: Trimming the heat shield back.

Had I to do it over I would have used the heat and quench technique and deployed the pneumatic impact sooner.

I had two nuts that fit over the studs. One is from an old British car. The other is from a big-box hardware store. The quality of the steel...no comparison.

 

Sounds like someone maybe used Red Locktite at some point ? ... what a nightmare ... great job on recovery ... seriously ! We're lucky to not live in the rust belt ... if I did as before ... would own a POS winter vehicle to slosh thru the salt slurry roads in the winter.

 

Maybe? The rig only had about 23,000 when I bought it, so I'm not sure anyone had ever had them off before, especially since they don't need to be removed to change the pads. I've had caliper bolts come out before (on a different car) and that's to be avoided. I'm going to blue loctite on the replacement bolts (which I found today at a local Toyota dealer for $3/per).

I'm seeing 91 ft-lbs on these bolts and 83 on the lug nuts.Can anyone confirm?