Front Brembo Floating bolt issue

[bnight]

Hi All,

After my last track day when swapping to street pads we noticed an issue with the floating bolts on both calipers:







Obviously ordered new bolts but question is should I replace the calipers as well (prefer not to). There is no noticeable issue braking so I can't decide how critical this issue actually is.

Did anyone else have such issue ?

 

[KazarS197]

Hi All,

After my last track day when swapping to street pads we noticed an issue with the floating bolts on both calipers:


View attachment 77212

View attachment 77213


Obviously ordered new bolts but question is should I replace the calipers as well (prefer not to). There is no noticeable issue braking so I can't decide how critical this issue actually is.

Did anyone else have such issue ?

Your caliper is fine as long as the bridge bolt hole is not out of round. Check out my idea for holding the bolt in this thread.

16' GT PP1 - Front Brake Caliper/Rotors

A couple of questions of the PP1 front Brembo calipers, and the rotors.On the calipers, the middle bolt. Mine keeps spinning when I try to torque it. Can quite fit a 17mm wrench to hold it in place. Is there a special wrench to keep it held in place?Front Rotors: This is the second set where...

trackmustangsonline.com

Now you have me going. I'm going to figure out something for today. I'll post up pics once I make a tool.

 

[bnight]

Your caliper is fine as long as the bridge bolt hole is not out of round. Check out my idea for holding the bolt in this thread.

Thanks for that yeah I saw the other thread and I just in case ordered new bridge bolts from Raybestos as are cheap and easy kit for us track folks. My mechanic torqued the bolt fine. So hole is good.

 

[KazarS197]

Thanks for that yeah I saw the other thread and I just in case ordered new bridge bolts from Raybestos as are cheap and easy kit for us track folks. My mechanic torqued the bolt fine. So hole is good.

OK - Do not try to use any kind of shim/bridge bolt stopper. There is not enough space in there and will have to be made too thin like 12 thou / .30 ish mm. It works to stop rotation but breaks off when pulling out. I made one and tried a filler gauge cut at an angle. Both broke. The only other thing I can think of is cut a slot in the bridge bolt head with a hacksaw or a thin Dremel cutting wheel so you can use a large screw driver to hold. @DonPatr0L

 

[KazarS197]

OK - Do not try to use any kind of shim/bridge bolt stopper. There is not enough space in there and will have to be made too thin like 12 thou / .30 ish mm. It works to stop rotation but breaks off when pulling out. I made one and tried a filler gauge cut at an angle. Both broke.

View attachment 77214

Attempt shim/bridge bolt stop. Does not work - breaks

 

[KazarS197]

I was looking at APracing and Willwoods to see what the have. Both have bridge bolts with a head that fits an allen wrench. The brembo's are a bad design. I'm gonna stir the pot and contact brembo.

 

[bnight]

I was looking at APracing and Willwoods to see what the have. Both have bridge bolts with a head that fits an allen wrench. The brembo's are a bad design.

I do agree that they are bad design but if possible don't want to change callipers. Also not sure how dangerous this floating bolt spinning is considering there slide pins that will be still in place if the bolt unlock.

 

[KazarS197]

I do agree that they are bad design but if possible don't want to change callipers. Also not sure how dangerous this floating bolt spinning is considering there slide pins that will be still in place if the bolt unlock.

They are torqued to the bolt not the caliper but still pressure on the bolt to caliper on the outside. Pad pressure should be perpendicular to the bolt. Will it spin - I don't know.

 

[KazarS197]

Here's my email to Brembo ( Race Technologies). I'm curious if they will reply.

"Hello,


I have the 6 piston Brembo performance pack mustang calipers and have seen many posts on on the forums regarding the bridge bolt spinning out in the caliper socket that hold the bolt in place during torquing to 22 ft/lbs. It's a steel bolt against the aluminum of the caliper. I see this as a design flaw. Mine is starting to dig in to the aluminum after changed pads only 3 times. I'm concerned that I will get to the point that the bolts will not be able to be torqued. Are there differed bridge bolts available that have a head that can be held with a socket or allen wrench? If the bolts end up stripping in the caliper housing and I figure a way to get them torqued what is the risk if the bridge bolt potentially spinning? Will the bolt loosed even with blue locktite? This is a real concern. I spent almost $600 alone on the calipers less than a year ago and do not see replacement as an option. Your assistance and input will be greatly appreciated.


Regards, "

 

[bnight]

Here's my email to Brembo ( Race Technologies). I'm curious if they will reply.

"Hello,


I have the 6 piston Brembo performance pack mustang calipers and have seen many posts on on the forums regarding the bridge bolt spinning out in the caliper socket that hold the bolt in place during torquing to 22 ft/lbs. It's a steel bolt against the aluminum of the caliper. I see this as a design flaw. Mine is starting to dig in to the aluminum after changed pads only 3 times. I'm concerned that I will get to the point that the bolts will not be able to be torqued. Are there differed bridge bolts available that have a head that can be held with a socket or allen wrench? If the bolts end up stripping in the caliper housing and I figure a way to get them torqued what is the risk if the bridge bolt potentially spinning? Will the bolt loosed even with blue locktite? This is a real concern. I spent almost $600 alone on the calipers less than a year ago and do not see replacement as an option. Your assistance and input will be greatly appreciated.


Regards, "

Thanks for that e-mail Mark. Let us know what they respond to that.

 

[TMSBOSS]

This should fix it. Tighten the bolt with vice grips on the bolt, install spring with two pins, done. Just sayin.

 

[KazarS197]

This should fix it. Tighten the bolt with vice grips on the bolt, install spring with two pins, done. Just sayin.

View attachment 77218

That will work if you can get it in deep enough. Might have to do a bit of grinding on the claws to get a deeper grip.

 

[TMSBOSS]

You can buy a whole bunch of vice grips for the cost of one caliper.

 

[KazarS197]

You can buy a whole bunch of vice grips for the cost of one caliper.

I pick them up at estate sales for a buck or 2. When I have to pull the wheel again I'll profile a set. I think there is at least 1/8 inch space on the sides of the bridge bolt to work with. If not enough I'll grind down the rounded section of the bolt about 1/8 inch for a better grip.

 

[mwjscn]

I think there is at least 1/8 inch space on the sides of the bridge bolt to work with.

I think he meant gripping via the shank of the bolt where you slot the pads in from, not the bolt head. Spring clip can be installed afterwards.

 

[KazarS197]

I think he meant gripping via the shank of the bolt where you slot the pads in from, not the bolt head. Spring clip can be installed afterwards.

Well, that makes sense. I'm a little slow sometimes.

 

[xr7]

Weld a nut on the head of the bolt If clearance isn't a problem.
With a lathe and the right donor bolt a new bolt could be made.
Common manufacturing technique for faster and easier assembly, captured nut, welded nut, flag nut, welded in studs, anything to avoid a nut and bolt that needs two wrenches to be held.

 

[KazarS197]

Weld a nut on the head of the bolt If clearance isn't a problem.
With a lathe and the right donor bolt a new bolt could be made.
Common manufacturing technique for faster and easier assembly, captured nut, welded nut, flag nut, welded in studs, anything to avoid a nut and bolt that needs two wrenches to be held.

It's a great idea for manufacturing but with the brembo caliper there is just enough play in the capture area where it starts to put a contact point of a hard corner of the bolt to the aluminum. There is only one side as a stop. If the bolt was square or rectangle and the casting was a matching capture there would be 3 points of contact dividing the aluminum contact pressure x3 which would give better longevity.

 

[bnight]

It's a great idea for manufacturing but with the brembo caliper there is just enough play in the capture area where it starts to put a contact point of a hard corner of the bolt to the aluminum. There is only one side as a stop. If the bolt was square or rectangle and the casting was a matching capture there would be 3 points of contact dividing the aluminum contact pressure x3 which would give better longevity.

Did you receive any replay from Brembo to your e-mail ?

 

[KazarS197]

You must be psychic. I just thought about and checking my email to see if there was a reply about 15 min ago. You posted and asked about 40 min prior. Crickets - not even one of those robo acknowledgment emails that say something like " Thank you for contacting.... " from either email. I hate poor customer support. My money has the same value as a billionaire's. Maybe I'll call today. Here's a good one - looks like our design is not an upgrade option in the brembo websites.