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Found wrong/bogus upper brake caliper bolt?

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  • Found wrong/bogus upper brake caliper bolt?

    I was installing rebuilt "loaded" brake caliper assemblies on one of my Seattle 93s today.

    I have always found Festiva caliper attach bolt heads to require a 12mm socket. On this particular Festy, however (my first one -- bought in 2000 with 72,000 miles, now has 102,000), I found the upper right caliper bolt required a 17mm socket. I'm certain that I've never done brake work on the front of this car before.

    Since I didn't have both sides off at the same time (had already finished up the left side when I found this anomoly on the right side), I didn't have 12mm-headed and the suspect 17mm-headed upper bolts side by side to compare.

    Everything seemed to fit OK (torqued up normally) and the caliper slides side-to-side just fine.

    Should I be concerned that I've got a bogus (perhaps not spec-strength) bolt here?

    I don't have much in the way of spare bolts here in Seattle. For safety's sake, I think I should "WTB" a "proper" bolt and install it. This car is presently my Seattle daily driver.
    Last edited by AlaskaFestivaGuy; 07-15-2012, 07:54 PM.
    88L black, dailydriver
    88LX silver a/c, dailydriver
    4 88/89 disassembled
    91L green
    91GL aqua pwrsteer
    92GL red a/c reardmg
    3 93L blue, 2 dailydriver, 1 frontdmg
    1952 Cessna170B floatplane

  • #2
    The pattern on the head of the bolt will tell you it's hardness. It can either be a number or lines. I can't remember what they mean but you can search the Internet on "bolt hardess". I just checked the calipers I took off my car last summer and the bolts are 10 hardness.
    Original owner of silver grey carburetted 1989 Festiva. 105k km as of June 2006. 140k km as of June 2021.

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    • #3
      Metric bolts have the hardness number on the head, 8, 9, or 10. 10 being the hardest

      English (american) bolts have bars. 3 bars = grade 5 and 5 bars = grade 8, grade 8 being the hardest
      Dan




      Red 1988 Festiva L - CUJO

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      • #4
        I thought I saw something on this board that came up on a search for "calipers" that said that these particularly brake bolts have no markings on them. I read all the posts back to 2009, but don't remember the specific post.
        Last edited by AlaskaFestivaGuy; 07-15-2012, 11:46 PM.
        88L black, dailydriver
        88LX silver a/c, dailydriver
        4 88/89 disassembled
        91L green
        91GL aqua pwrsteer
        92GL red a/c reardmg
        3 93L blue, 2 dailydriver, 1 frontdmg
        1952 Cessna170B floatplane

        Comment


        • #5
          You are not mixing caliper slide with caliper bracket mount bolts?

          Any used bolt with extra tall wrench area and molded in flange
          will exceed grade 8 spec and work fine.
          Last edited by Movin; 07-16-2012, 12:35 AM.
          Reflex paint by Langeman...Lifted...Tow Rig

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          • #6
            What is a "loaded" caliper?

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            • #7
              Originally posted by denguy View Post
              What is a "loaded" caliper?
              Comes with brake pads.
              90 Festy (Larry)--B6M (Matt D. modified B6 head), header, 5-speed, Capri XR2 front brakes, many other little mods
              09 Kia Rondo--a Festy on steroids!

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              • #8
                Originally posted by denguy View Post
                What is a "loaded" caliper?

                Means they come with brake pads.

                or

                They have had too much to drink.
                '93 Blue 5spd 230K(down for clutch and overall maintanence)
                '93 White B6 swap thanks to Skeeters Keeper
                '92 Aqua parts Car
                '93 Turquoise 5spd 137K
                '90 White LX Thanks to FB71

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                In fact...
                ...You will not be saved!"

                Prince of Darkness -1987

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                • #9
                  Movin,

                  I'm referring to the two long bolts on which the caliper assembly slides side-to-side as the pads wear.

                  I'm not sure what "caliper bracket mount bolts" are -- perhaps they attach whatever the "slide bolts" bolt into onto the next level up that mounts between the LCA and shocks? I've never look at what exactly the slide bolt go into.
                  88L black, dailydriver
                  88LX silver a/c, dailydriver
                  4 88/89 disassembled
                  91L green
                  91GL aqua pwrsteer
                  92GL red a/c reardmg
                  3 93L blue, 2 dailydriver, 1 frontdmg
                  1952 Cessna170B floatplane

                  Comment

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