So I decided to do a full brake job on my little project SE and install some decent Bonez stage 1 pads etc. I pulled the wheels and over about a 1 week period I've been running a wire brush & wheel getting all the old rust and gunk off. I then painted the mounting brackets with some high heat black paint along with the backing plate and painted the relevent parts of the rotor itself. Even changed out the entire brake fluid supply... man was that nasty. Overall was a pretty satisifed with my inexpensive restoration.

So tonight I finally get it all done and also get my new power steering pump installed when I decide to go for a test drive to break in the pads. So as I reach 35 mph and go for a decent hard brake, and that's when I hear this horrible clunking in the back brakes.... just to verify I tried only pulling the ebrake and sure enough its in the back. Now when I put the rear caliper back on, the manual said to torque from 23 - 30 lbs... well as I was putting them on, it got to about 15 - 20 lbs but really never got to 30 and it just seemed like it was on fairly snug... but it just didn't seem right so I decide it must not be tight enough as it was probably shifting. Back into the garage we go... get er back on the stands, pull one of the rear wheels and I first loosen up the bolt... sure enough slightly snug but not really that great... so I give it a good 30 lb torque and then I hear it... a horrible crack and I fell over hitting my head on Mr 7. The damn bolt broke off inside the mounting bracket.

Sigh...

Anyone got a few mounting bolts laying around

 

Now that I think about it, I think what might have happened is some grease got down in the threads and may have put strain on the bolt so as I was twisting it broke when the hydraulic was too much for the bolt...

 

Phew... thank goodness for interchangeable parts... turns out the second gen rear disk brakes are held on by the same bolts the GSL-SE brakes are... same part number at least

 

Fwiw, when torqueing rods, heads whatever on a piston engine, it is recommeded to lube the threads to achieve proper torque specs. The grease didn't break the bolt, you did and Mr 7 hit you in the head for doing it. lol

 

Haha, noted I did see grease all over the threads and both calipers have the same issue. I took a cuetip to the other caliper and cleaned out the grease and put the bolt back in with some silicone spray lubricant. Didn't have the hang up anymore, oh well. I'll have to go junkyard hopping tomorrow.