In the days when I could afford it, I had my brakes serviced by the dealer. Last time, they phoned me to say I needed a new nearside front caliper as the threads in the caliper body for the mounting bolts had disintegrated. I questioned this on the basis that only cross threading or stripping could cause it. They protested innocence and in the end gave me 50% off the caliper and did not charge for additional labour.

Now that I have come to do the service myself, I find the offside caliper mounting bolts are over tightened and threads stripped, presumably by the same vandal: I have never stripped a thread in my life of course!!

It's all sorted now, but the reason for the post is that it is clearly easy to screw up these threads and should be an area of caution for anyone doing this, especially as the bolts are steel and the caliper is alloy which does tend to get brittle over time with extreme temperature fluctuations, according to my dog eared undergrad textbook from back in the dark ages. It is probably one of those areas where tightening to correct torque is critical to avoid damage.

I hope this helps. 2014 5.0 Supercharged Autobiography & 2015 3.0SDV6 HSE Lux Discovery 4
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Thanks for this, really useful info.

Another reason why I don't advocate going to main butchers for most work. They seem incapable of working without a windy gun. Useless!

This happened to my front caliper. When i did my brakes i came to take the drivers side caliper off only to find that one of the bolts was tight as a tight thing. But the bolt did not crack off, it was tight all along the thread. I had a look when it was off an one of the threads was slightly mangled.....

Fortunately the bolt went nicely in and torqued well to the recommended setting. I have checked it subsequently andall seems well. But i will have to get it changed at some point.

Problem i had was as i had taken it off i couldnt very well prove who had knackered it.... Not too sure my dealer had had it off so could have been like that for a year or 2.

Anyone have any idea how much a caliper is? There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
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The brembo calipers are so easy to cross thread, it's obvious that foul play was the cause of the threading. When fitting my calipers I almost cross threaded them without even knowing.

It's worth while mentioning that the calipers could have been repaired by using a heli-coil, obviously not something you would accept from a dealer mistake but a perfectly acceptable repair from an engineering point of view.

I wondered about the helicoil but figured that the threads were much coarser than the standard, also wasn't sure about the availability of suitable HT bolts.

I'm glad to know it exists as an option.

Two words for this..........................Copper Grease...... Simples

We have never had one strip! Nor are they over tight to remove when first fitted with a smear of copper grease...

Right on! I am a big fan of copper grease. However, I am advised that the bolts are supposed to be tightened dry with some locktight and so I have resisted the temptation and made up for it elsewhere. 2014 5.0 Supercharged Autobiography & 2015 3.0SDV6 HSE Lux Discovery 4
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1976 Morris Marina 1.8

Locktight in an alloy calliper with a steel bolt is a good way to strip the thread my friend

That may explain the history as the stripped bolt that I removed had tell tale blue glue on it and it was the same dealer that recommended its use who had damaged the iriginal caliper.

I will remove and replace the bolts again next time I am in there as I have spares.

Many thanks. 2014 5.0 Supercharged Autobiography & 2015 3.0SDV6 HSE Lux Discovery 4
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2002 4.4 Vogue
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2009 Freelander 2 TD4.e 2009
1992 Mercedes 300D
1986 Renault 2.1 Turbo D
1976 Morris Marina 1.8