Removing Brake Caliper Mounting Bracket

[willmasse]

96 mazda b4000, 4wd. Doing some work on my brakes, trying to remove the caliper mounting brackets but i seem to be missing the right socket for em. Anyone know what size those bolts are? I know they are somewhere between a 9/16 and a 5/8. Im guessing a 15mm? just wanted to see if anyone could confirm before i go out and buy the wrong size wrench.

 

[TheTopher]

Just get a set of them. My truck's a 95 and just about everything on it is Metric.

 

[98 ranger xlt]

15 or 16mm

 

[ozziemo27]

on my 99 ranger, its a 15mm for sure, I would expect it to be the same on yours.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Yup, 15mm.

 

[LearjetMinako]

While you are at it. Get a breaker bar too. If they have never been removed, they can be a pain.

 

[AllanD]

And a torque wrench for putting them back on, trust me
having the caliper bracket bolts vibrate loose...
lets just say it is annoying...

Leaves an interesting witness mark on the inside of the rim too....

And that was from having the UPPER one come loose
if it had been the lower bolt that came loose it would have wedged against the inside of the wheel locking it and thrown me into oncomming traffic.

The lower one only caused an annoying "clunk" as the caliper flopped around until I could get stopped and figuire out the problem... Got thing was I was on my way to the junkyard when it happened and only about six blocks away...

And I had tools with me

AD

 

[ozziemo27]

And a torque wrench for putting them back on, trust me
having the caliper bracket bolts vibrate loose...
lets just say it is annoying...

Leaves an interesting witness mark on the inside of the rim too....

And that was from having the UPPER one come loose
if it had been the lower bolt that came loose it would have wedged against the inside of the wheel locking it and thrown me into oncomming traffic.

The lower one only caused an annoying "clunk" as the caliper flopped around until I could get stopped and figuire out the problem... Got thing was I was on my way to the junkyard when it happened and only about six blocks away...

And I had tools with me

AD

I like to threadlock mine too, when you buy new ones, they often come with threadlocker on them. I lost a caliper bracket bolt backing out of my driveway once. the caliper swung down and i lost all brakes, i swerved missing my brothers car into the grass, that was no fun. Broke a brake pad too. Sure did learn my lesson and thank god nobody got hurt and no damage to anything besides my parts was caused!

 

[puredreamz]

wow thanks this crap happened to me last night, at least it think this is what happen, I change rotors and pads 3 weeks ago everything was fine all of a sudden i hear a clunking noise my struts were shot so i thought thats what it was i then changed the struts same crap.
Last night the brakes lock up i thought it was the tranny nope it wasnt, i then pull the wheel off and examine it:

1. Lower caliper bolt missing thats how i found this thread i wanted to know the exact size length and thread pitch.

2. not sure if this is related but i think the key way might have came off as well not 100% i ll examine it tommorrow, but the rotor was still in tact but it had alot of play

 

[puredreamz]

as i inspected it, the key way is still in there, Thank god. But Apparently the washer behind the shims for the axle, the actual washer broke causing the rotor to have play.

My theory is someone told me when i did my brakes the axle nut should only be hand tightened.

My theory:

is it was loose, got some play, washer snapped. Rotor starting hitting caliper causing it to vibrate, caliper bracket bolt comes loose, top bolt still in place, but flying around causing clunking noise. and i guess filings from the bracket bouncing around or peices from the broken washer stuck in the peice that engages 4x4 caused brakes to lock up.

WHAT U GUYS THINK?