Cannot get front discs off

[captainpie]

I tried changing my front discs at the weekend, everything went fine until I needed to undo the 2 T40 torx bit bolts holding the disc to the wheel hub.

Tried tapping the head with a hammer, load of wd40 still wouldnt budge. Even using a drill with the torx bit in and one of us grabbing the disc wouldn't undo them!

Any ideas?

 

[.Stevo.C.]

Drill them out would be an other option.

 

[Budgie]

They just get a bit sticky.

I always make sure i undo these when the calipers are still on. Get someone to hold the brakes on and they should undo.

Ideally, a small impact gun whips these off in seconds.

Failing that, drill the heads off. The bolts are really soft.

 

[captainpie]

yeah, drilling them out is the only other option we could think of!

I think they may be more than sticky :S and sadly I dont have an impact gun, any chance that if we do drill them then it will damage the wheel hub?

 

[Budgie]

No chance unless you're a complete mong, lol.

When i've had to drill these out in the past, i've just taken the head off. No need to drill and retap the whole in the hub. All it does it locate the disc. Just line it up by eye and use the wheel bolts to hold it in place.

 

[captainpie]

ok so not even replacing them?

and I have been known to be a mong , luckily I know enough people to save me from myself!

 

[Chip-mk1]

When you drill the head off there is normally enough left to get molegrips on the remaining stump and twist it out once the disk is out the way.

 

[MonkeyKnifeFight]

I would personally get down to a friendly local garage and explain you just need a quick hand undoing 2 bolts. I take it the other side didnt present the same problem?

 

[captainpie]

nope, both sides seem well and truly stuck. Rears were no problem though . . .

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Penetrating fluid - leave to soak over lunch.

Then apply heat afterwards .. blowtorch, that sort of thing... warm it up, get the socket on it and should come out alright.

 

[mgoode180566]

i used angle grinder to cut the disc off. then heat and got them out of the hub with molegrips

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

LOL @ angle grinding the disc off !!

Failing all the above .. more torque:

:evil:

 

[r0ss172]

I would personally get down to a friendly local garage and explain you just need a quick hand undoing 2 bolts. I take it the other side didnt present the same problem?

This ^^^^

I took my Mini and paid them £10 to do both sides, they heated it up and got it out in the end, took them about 20 mins, best £10 ive ever spent, get them to do both sides though if you havent already done the other one!!

 

[captainpie]

haha nice pipe!

might pop into my FLG over lunch see if they can help! If not . . . Drill power it is!

 

[Cup_Phil]

Buy an impact driver? They're like £10 from a motor factors, put a T20 bit in the end and hit with hammer - off in seconds

 

[Fred@BTM]

^T40

 

[Darren S]

They just get a bit sticky.

I always make sure i undo these when the calipers are still on. Get someone to hold the brakes on and they should undo.

Ideally, a small impact gun whips these off in seconds.

Failing that, drill the heads off. The bolts are made of cottage cheese.

Edited for accuracy.... little b******s they are to get off.

D.

 

[captainpie]

cool, well i'll give it another go getting them off, but if it doesn't work then will drill.

Had a look for an impact driver for £10, no luck finding it, any pointers on where to look?

 

[Chip-mk1]

He means the sort of thing you hit with a hammer not a windigun by the way.


Ie this sort of thing:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-Im...Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item4167304002

im sure you can find one for a tenner if you look around a bit

 

[Cup_Phil]

^T40

DOH sorry yes

 

[Cup_Phil]

Here you go - £15
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DRAPER-EX..._Equipment&hash=item1e65c28fb4#ht_2209wt_1329

T40 bit comes included

 

[mantis946]

Leverage is always your friend with these, I normally stick a screwdriver in the grooves and rest against the calliper and pop an extension bar on a wrench.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Leverage is always your friend with these, I normally stick a screwdriver in the grooves and rest against the calliper and pop an extension bar on a wrench.

Cant imagine why you would need to do that just to get the torx bit out, unless you have arms like pipe cleaners, its not exactly a massive thread or big torque setting, the issue is getting the tool to not fall out of the bit.

 

[mantis946]

Cant imagine why you would need to do that just to get the torx bit out, unless you have arms like pipe cleaners, its not exactly a massive thread or big torque setting, the issue is getting the tool to not fall out of the bit.

It depends who tightened them up last Mine where fairly loose where as my mates megane's where almost welded to the disc

 

[Chip-mk1]

It depends who tightened them up last Mine where fairly loose where as my mates megane's where almost welded to the disc

They are such a small thread, that I really cant imagine anyone on the planet could tighten them up very right, they would just snap off if you tried.
But like I said, I guess it depends on how strong you are what you think of as tight.

 

[MicKPM]

Its all about using the correct tool for the job and there's no shame in using a longer bar to get better mechanical advantage on an old, tricky fixing... Okay, a 1meter breaker bar is a bit OTT but there's nothing wrong with a foot long if it helps over a shaky 1/4 short ratchet. Always clean them off with a wire brush then f theyre tight (personally, with these blighters) I find it helps to go tight first just the break the corrosion and then try to undo the retaining screws.

I've also seen the locktite'd in place before, why i will never understand but you can't predicted for stupidity.

 

[Cup_Phil]

A foot long bar on a T40 bit?
I always find that just rounds the bit off as you can't really apply enough pressure to hold it in the screw

Impact drive that I posted - every single time. Hammering the thing stops it slipping and rounding the bit off and shocks locktite off if the previous owner has been a muppet

 

[captainpie]

just a note to say that adding on an extension for more leverage just mashed the head! Oh well, good job we were going to drill them out .

have ordered an impact driver, but can't be arsed to wait for it!

 

[Chip-mk1]

For next time, as phil says, impact driver is the best bet so at least you will be sorted in future, as unlike a long bar it massively increases your purchase on the torx bit in the first place. If anything a long lever tends to have the opposite effect as it takes your focus away from keep the head of the tool pressed firmly in to the bit.

 

[ajones726]

when you get them off put some copper grease on the new ones next time they will come out easily

 

[GiT]

Impact driver ftw.

On other cars though, before I have drilled off the head, took off the disc and then gripped the stump left and unscrewed. Replaced the bolts and all is sussed.