Dear All,
Today I decided to go get my self a set of front and rear brembo max disks and a set of ferodo premier brake pads.
All was going good until... dissaster!
One of the front disks bolts is so worn out that I cant get it off. The screw is gamaged heavily ( its practically round!) How can I get that out?!?!
The second dissaster of the day was that I was unable to push the rear caliper piston in to fit the new pads! I know there is a special tool for this but I was unable to find one. Any other way to do it? I have tried so hard but didnt even make it move!
Please please someone help as the car is now not able to move!
Best Regards!

Re the caliper did you remove the reservoir fluid cap first? they should go back relatively easy.

On the bolt front, blow torch it till red hot then using good quality mole grips or plumbers type spanner apply more & more pressure and it will eventually give. With the mole grips best to give a little rocking motion. If push comes to shove grind it off so you can remove the disc then mole grips will probably remove the stub quite easy.

reservoir fluid cap was wide open but piston won't bust! I even used a tightener (the kind of one that grips somewear and then screws against ) and still it wouldnt move! the frone one was easy, just pushed the caliper piston with a screwdriver and down it went

I didnt quite get the torch thing but i ll give it a try! what about metal getting bigger with heat? wont it just get even harder? and should i heat up only the bolt or the whole area?

Thanks for the quick reply Alan! you re the man!!

If you are having problems pushing back the pistons in the rear calipers, thats because the back are screw turn pistons. Front are push, rear are turn.

As for the bolt issue, are you talking about the caliper bolt, or the spike bolt ?

With the caliper piston, you need to screw it around as well at the same time as trying to push it in If that does not move it thenit sounds like you will have to take it off the car and get it on a bench to give it some serious pushing and twisting! If you have to take it off then you would be better to remove the piston from the caliper and check the walls of the cylinder and clean as necessary.
I will not talk about the front disc because I cannot remember the exact set-up except to say if it is just the small screw you are talking about then you need to really give it some hard work probably with an impact scredriver and replace with a new screw,

Its the bolt with the pin shape that goes in the alloy! the one you say "take your time with it" in the guide. the disk is held by 2 of these. One of them is totally round!! took me 3 hours banging on it, didnt move it at all! used WD40 and anti rust on it, but nothing!

docorangepeel said:

thats because the back are screw turn pistons. Front are push, rear are turn.

As for the bolt issue, are you talking about the caliper bolt, or the spike bolt ?

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Didn't know that, sjladopoulos Doc's the man

The heat will expand the bolt which as it cools will break the current seal that's holding it tight. Consentrate just on the bolt. I'm assuming you are talking about the bolt that holds the disc to the Hub.

When all else fails with the front disc then it sounds to me that you will have to grind the screw head off, it will not matter what damage you do to the disc as you are replacing it. Once off you will have to very carefully drill the remaining part of the screw out if it is not possible to use a screw extractor.

Doc is the man of all men! it his guide I m following!! He does point all these things out but my car just wants to play hard ball!

OK, i ll give it a try with the torch. gotta find new screws as well by the way

Hi,
OK its not a problem Turn the rear psitons will fix the first problem.

Getting the spike bolts off can be a pain the first time so dont hold back on them. I used a big set of :



As well as WD40

The spike bolts are soft so you will need replacments. When you fit the new bolts, use a bit of copper grease on the threads.



You are doing fine, I had the same issues as you did the first time I replaced mine

Guys, I dont have words to describe how much I appreciate the help from all of you ( especially Doc ).
If I ever sell this car, you people is what I ll miss the most!
Thanks a lot! more (good I hope) news tomorrow!

By the way, the brembo disks came with some replacement screws but with flat head! can I use those instead of the "pin" ones? my alloys have hudge holes at that spot they go so i dont thing there is any point for them to be like pins.

Yes you can use them, the raised locating pins are only there to help with locating the wheel so you can manage without them

nice! thanks!

AHhhh i had the same problem!!! had to grind 2 sides of the bolt to get a better grip...with loads of WD40.

a fellow Greek is see......might be driving the B down to Greece in the coming months to fit an Aircon unit from my uncles shop in kifissia. cant wait for the drive

Hello Stratis! Actually we are quite a few Greeks in this forum
Welcome to you!
Try to take Doc with you! he is desparete to get an aircon

might be driving the B down to Greece in the coming months to fit an Aircon unit from my uncles shop in kifissia. cant wait for the drive

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If we all drive down with you, will we get a group discount?

lol ................via the RING Mu ha ha ha

sjladopoulos said:

Its the bolt with the pin shape that goes in the alloy! the one you say "take your time with it" in the guide. the disk is held by 2 of these. One of them is totally round!! took me 3 hours banging on it, didnt move it at all! used WD40 and anti rust on it, but nothing!

Click to expand...

My X1/9 has the same bolts holding the disc on, and I had the same problem One of the bolts was completely rounded off.

I hammered a smaller socket over it, which worked o.k.

banner said:

My X1/9 has the same bolts holding the disc on, and I had the same problem One of the bolts was completely rounded off.

I hammered a smaller socket over it, which worked o.k.

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Heh, Funny but this is exactly what i did(and loads of WD40). the bolt is size 12 and I hammered an 11 socket on it and then it came out nicely!
Replaced all of them with the bolts the brembo disks came with.

Recap: So far I have changed the rear disks but not the pads because I m unable to push the piston in . At the front end I have managed much better, changed the disks but the pads i got did not fit!:bang: the ones I got were too long and narrow where as my pads are wider and shorter. Think I need the older pads..(my car was build 12/96). So now I ll go to exchange the pads for the correct ones and hopefully all will be done by Wed.

Thanks to all for the help!!!