1994 Camry Front Brake question

[pooder]

I searched the boards first! Okay when changing the pads, I can't loosen the bottom bolt. On my Sable I have to C-clamp the piston first. I am searching for a searching for a haynes manual at local stores. I will probably end up ordering, but I want to fix this now.
any advice?

Thanks
Pooder

[Mike Gerber]

pooder,

Assuming you are working on a 4 cylinder Camry (your profile doesn't say) and if you are talking about the bolt that holds the caliper to the mounting bracket, you can try holding the little metal piece just in front of the rubber boot with a 17MM open end wrench while using a 14MM wrench or socket to turn the bolt head. It has 2 flats just for that purpose. It should loosen up. The torque there isn't too great; maybe 34 foot pounds. Obviously, heat is not an option here as a torch will instantly melt the rubber boot.

Good luck with the problem.

Mike

[pooder]

Yes it is a 4 cylinder. and I am trying to loosen the bottom bolt.

Do I try and turn the 17mm bolt?

Thanks

[Mike Gerber]

pooder,

No, you put a 17MM wrench on the 2 flats between the rubber and the caliper mounting bracket to keep the whole assembly from turning when you try to loosen the bolt. The bolt you turn is the bottom one with the 14MM bolt head. That one holds the caliper to the mounting bracket. Once that bolt is out, you rotate the caliper up to gain access to the pads. If you are only changing the pads and not removing the rotors to turn or change them, that's the only bolt you have to remove. Once the caliper is rotated up and out of the way, you use one of the old pads and the c-clamp to push the piston back in. Only do one side at a time so when you do push the piston back in, the other piston will not pop out of the other caliper.

Mike

[don24mac]

I always have to put a small pipe on the handle of the wrench to loosen those bolts. It extends the handle about 9 or 10 inches making the nut much easier to loosen. Be sure you're loosening the nut with the extra length wrench handle. It also makes it much easier to strip the nut if you turn it the wrong way.

[Mike Gerber]

don24mac,

You may be thinking of the 2 17MM bolts that hold the caliper mounting bracket (Toyota calls it a torque plate) to the car. The torque on those 2 bolts is much greater than the caliper to mounting bracket bolts. For those 2 bigger (17MM) bolts I usually use a 15 inch breaker bar and a socket or if I don't have a breaker bar handy, I put a closed 17MM wrench on the bolt head and wack the wrench with a rubber mallet to loosen it. Works every time.

Mike

[pooder]

Thank You for the reply!!! I will try early next week and report back.

Thanks again

[Mike Gerber]

pooder,

Any luck in getting the bottom bolt loose and the pads changed?

Mike