cant do brakes - United Bimmer Community

**Butterfly** · 05-09-2007, 03:30 PM

Well i got the pads off and everything, then i realized no matter how much i tried i could not get the 2 things holding the rotors off. Sorry things is not very descriptive but after the pads and i guess the caliper were off and hanging there were 2 things keeping the rotor inline and a wrench could not get them off. I think you may need some more serious tools? Anyways i may just have a shop put them on.

nick_318is · 05-09-2007, 03:39 PM

In regards to your issue, i'm geussing you cant get the rotors off.

1st of all I beleive on the rotors there is a screw that holds them in place, usually an allen head, 1st remove that. Since the description isn't that great i'm also guessing that you need to remove the caliper bracket that would more then likly have a couple large bolts in the back to keep it there, they are usually on there pretty good and my suggestion is to get a ratchet and a breaker bar and goto town, also apply some wd40 or pb blaster to help and make it easier to get the bolts off.

After you have that off if the rotor wont come off, get yourself a peice of wood and a hammer and hit the rotor from the back, hard enough to persuade it to come off of the hub.

Also you should not let the calipers hang from the brake lines its bad for the lines, you should get some wire to hang them from inside the wheel well.

Good luck and hope this helps.

drz · 05-09-2007, 04:18 PM

Fonr brakes: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...69&hg=34&fg=05
Rear brakes:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...67&hg=34&fg=10

Click on the pertinent link above and please tell us the part that is giving you trouble.

My guess is that it is the brake carrier, since I figure you would have known how to describe the hex bolt.

The following DIY is my favorite on E36 brakes on the entire Internet. Feel free to ask any questions not answered in that DIY: http://www.bimmerdiy.com/diy/e36brakesystem

**Butterfly** · 05-09-2007, 04:24 PM

No its the 2 large bolts, i just didn't know how to describe what they kept on. i tried large wrenches and doin all i could with those, but the things would not budge.
I applied some wd40 to the thing, but after an hour of trying i gave up

**stevo** · 05-09-2007, 05:58 PM

your best bet is to wedge a block between the rotor and the ground so the suspension can't flex then use a tight fitting wrench or 3/4 drive socket set with a tommy bar extension or a strong steel tube then really swing on it, you have to break the seal on the bolts as they are really torqued up tight, with a bit of brute force and perseverence you will do it.

**mullethunter3** · 05-09-2007, 07:58 PM

Breaker bar and patience. That is all.

Btw, the bolts you can't get off are for the caliper carrier, not the rotor. The rotor is the big round thing. The bolts you are talking about are actually called caliper guide bolts.

drz · 05-09-2007, 11:31 PM

^^ Amanda, what you say makes sense, but I am still unsure if that is what Butterfly is trying to take off.

Butterfly, would you please give us the number used in the diagram to which I linked above to disambiguate the situation?

Thank you and good luck.

**mullethunter3** · 05-10-2007, 12:22 PM

Front brakes? I got dibs on #3.

drz · 05-10-2007, 12:59 PM

Hey hey hey! No calling dibs. I also think it is the brake carrier bolts. And, sadly, Amanda has already provided the answer = breaker bar and patience. I would add to that: get as much leverage as you can. That is the single most frustrating/hard part of the job whenever those are stuck. If you have air tools, then that's the way to go. THere really isn't any secret or trick to it -- you need brute force.

Best of luck.

**Butterfly** · 05-10-2007, 02:02 PM

Well i blocked up the suspension so it dint move as much and ya caliper guide bolts. Anyways i got it today and there working great. Got the EBC rotors with green stuff pads.

thanks for the help.

nick_318is · 05-10-2007, 02:08 PM

Well we were all right with the caliper braket (carrier) call. Happy we could help out.

**mullethunter3** · 05-10-2007, 04:57 PM

Good, hope the rest of the DIY goes well. Good luck, man!

**Niggles** · 05-10-2007, 05:08 PM

Wow just had a read of the whole thread and I cannot wait for the next one buy the way i was also going with 3 and why did'nt anybody mention heat as this would expand the stub axle and help the 2x 15mm bolts to unscrew..

Niggles UK

**mullethunter3** · 05-10-2007, 10:07 PM

Because... Heat + Metal Bolts = Burnt hands

**Niggles** · 05-11-2007, 01:35 AM

Yeh true but also = less effort to release bolts, nothing a pair of gloves won't sortout.

Niggles UK