How to Remove a Caliper Slide Bolt

The caliper slide bolt, or pin bolt, is the lowermost bolt on a brake caliper. The slide bolt holds the caliper to the caliper mounting bracket. When you remove this bolt, the caliper will swing open from the bottom, giving you easy access to the brake pads. On some vehicles, this is the only way to remove the pads, so it's necessary to know how to remove it.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Socket wrench
• Socket set

1. Locate the caliper slide bolt. The slide bolt is the bottom most bolt on the back of a vehicle's brake caliper. This bolt connect the caliper to the caliper mounting bracket.

2. Find the correct-size socket for the pin bolt. All vehicles have different sizes for the caliper slide bolt. Locate the correct one for your vehicle. The size should be listed in your vehicle's service manual. Your other option is to use trial and error to fit the socket.

3. Connect the socket to the socket wrench and fit the socket over the slide bolt head.

4. Turn the slide bolt counterclockwise to remove it. It may take a little effort, but these bolts are typically not torqued to more than 25 lbs-ft, so you should be able to remove them fairly easily.

5. Pull the slide bolt out of the caliper.

Tips & Warnings

• For specific information about your vehicle's slide bolt location and size, consult the particular vehicle's manual (see Resources).

Resources

• Automobile Service Manuals

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