C5 calipers done

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john alexander
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C5 calipers done

Post by john alexander »

Well thats the rear calipers sorted on my2006 C5 estate, What a nightmare , Seal top of master cylinder, disconect brake pipe , remove long thin bolt holding pads in place, remove pads and replace bolt, undo the two bolts holding the caliper to the suspension arm , unbelievably tight due to the bolts being sealed with loctite. Once the bolts are far enough out to remove the caliper ,clamp it in a vice and with a punch and a big hammer knock the bolts out, you may need to rethink the size of the hammer. When you eventually get the bolts out and your knuckles back from A&E clear the holes out with a drill to remove all the remaining loctite. Clean the corrosion off both mating faces and smear copperslip on one face ,take two new bolts and coat in copperslip and reassemble the caliper to the arm then refit new pads. Bleed the brakes. wheels on .A big cup of tea and then try and figure out who thought it a good idea to loctite the bolts in .??????.
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Kowalski
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Re: C5 calipers done

Post by Kowalski »

john alexander wrote:Well thats the rear calipers sorted on my2006 C5 estate, What a nightmare , Seal top of master cylinder, disconect brake pipe , remove long thin bolt holding pads in place, remove pads and replace bolt, undo the two bolts holding the caliper to the suspension arm , unbelievably tight due to the bolts being sealed with loctite. Once the bolts are far enough out to remove the caliper ,clamp it in a vice and with a punch and a big hammer knock the bolts out, you may need to rethink the size of the hammer. When you eventually get the bolts out and your knuckles back from A&E clear the holes out with a drill to remove all the remaining loctite. Clean the corrosion off both mating faces and smear copperslip on one face ,take two new bolts and coat in copperslip and reassemble the caliper to the arm then refit new pads. Bleed the brakes. wheels on .A big cup of tea and then try and figure out who thought it a good idea to loctite the bolts in .??????.
I managed to get the bolts out of mine without resorting to hammer and punch! First step was to spray brake disc cleaner and penetrating oil into the threadlock via the convenient holes in the caliper. Next step was to unscrew the first bolts until it was out of the suspension arm and stopped unscrewing. Next I got hold of the bolt head in a pair of molegrips and pulled whilst rotating, it eventually came out. With one bolt out, I could clean up it's hole using a drill bit, reinstall the bolt and then remove the second bolt in the same manner.

I wasn't a fan of the threadlock, not after I'd got the forth bolt out and my arms ached a bit ;)
Chlorate
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Post by Chlorate »

I've heard that heat is the answer to that horrible stuff.
Holding a (high power) soldering iron against it or heat gun or carefully blasting it with a little blow torch for a few minutes can soften the threadlock such that it can be unscrewed.
Although I haven't had to try this out yet.
I'm terrible for not using threadlock on things especially when the BoL tells me to use it 8-)

-Alex
Citroen Xantia Exclusive HDi

previously:
Citroen ZX Volcane - RIP
Peugeot 106 XN... stolen and destroyed by Kent Police :evil:
john alexander
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Post by john alexander »

I tried the heat , it made no difference . Loctite is for folk who don't check their cars on a regular basis.
citronut
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Post by citronut »

Loctite is fine if use as its ment to be used,

the other cause that adds to the tight calliper bolt syndrom,

is corosion jacking the calliper/s away from the arm/s,

as this wedge's/jams the bolt/s tighter,


you should not use heat on a brake calliper as the body is a good heat sink being alliminium,

you rick damage to the seals,


regards malcolm
john alexander
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Post by john alexander »

Hi Malcolm , I only applied heat to the bolts not the body of the caliper. Does anyone know why the bolts are "glued" in , as far as I can see the only problem was corrosion between calliper and the arm, Citroen should have fixed this problem rather than cause another.
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AndersDK
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Post by AndersDK »

Presumeably there has been reports on loose fit calipers.
Though never seen it myself or ever read about it on the web.

It seems like an act of terror, as you always have to service the rear calipers mounting because of corrosion.
A wellknown problem heritaged from the Xantia.
Anders (DK) - '90 BX16Image
john alexander
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Post by john alexander »

Anders , At least the xantias came off easier.
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