I almost died on the way home today. I was doing about 75-80 mph in the fast lane (on the freeway), and i started to feel something weird in the front suspension. So i let off the gas and i started hearing like a "clank, clank, clank." I started hiting the brakes and the truck jumped sideways and i came close to hitting a couple cars. Anyways i got it slowed down, and nursed it home. I had to have constant pressure on the brake pedal for the noise not to happen. So i got home, took the wheel off and i found that one of the caliper bracket bolts had fell out and alowed the caliper to fall down onto the rotor. Anyways, i got it fixed and it's ready to drive to work tomorrow. :)

 

Glad to hear no one got hurt, that could have been bad news

 

i had the caliper bolts come loose on me last summer, scary as anything.

 

if i remember right...it happened to STL a while back as well

be sure to use plenty of locktite after each brake job

 

glad your alright, but since you didn't even have an accident, you did not almost die.

 

Come on now..



GB :)

 

I'm gonna sound like a newb here, but what color of lock-tite should you use on the brakes? I'm sure I could read the pack at work tomorrow but anybody know?

 

I used the blue loctite but that'd be at a minimum. A guy could use the red variety with no problems. Some mild heating might be required the next time you do a brake job but no big there... No worse than the factory thread lock crap they used..



GB :)

 

I've said this many times before and I'll say it again.

No amount of Loctite will prevent this if the bolts are not properly torqued! Many years specify 85 lb-ft on the short, thick caliper mount bolts but check the correct year Ranger shop manual to be sure. This is MUCH higher than what most people are likely to do by "feel".

Notice that the caliper bolt loss never happens until AFTER a Ranger has had brake work or some other work that requires the caliper bolts to be removed. The factory torques them properly using a small amount of dry threadlocker applied to each bolt. Best practice is to replace the bolts new each time they are removed although I have sometimes used a drop of blue Loctite on each instead.

If you don't have a torque wrench or don't want to consult a shop manual, do yourself a favor and don't work on anything as important as your brakes.

 

Yes, you really need to torque it properly and use loctite. I lost a caliper bolt on the highway after I let someone work on the front of my Ranger. I also found that I had a few loose lug nuts since they didn't torque anything.
I have replaced brakes without loctite as well (I think on the explorer) and never had a problem, but I did torque them to spec.

 

When i was buying my new caliper bracket bolt, i picked up a tube of the red locktight.

 

I didn't have a torque wrench at the time, but i cranked the **** out of it. But what i'm thinking is that a few months ago i took my truck in because i kept hearing a noise. They ended up changing out my entire right lower control arm, and they may have removed those bolts just to check stuff. But i don't know. . . .

 

glad you didnt tear anything up, aboout 3yrs ago one of my right front ones fell out it caused the front tire to lock up,blew my tire and cracked my rim i was doin about 45 and pullin a 10ft trailer

 

Stop speeding and you won't have that problem

 

Speeding is a separate issue and can obviously make a bad situation worse. However, the loose bolts due to inadequate torque can happen at any time, any speed.

This occurred rolling up to a stop sign at less than 25 per:

 

i usually dont use a torque wrench but if it is brakes then i do use a torque wrench...i just use the good ol calibrated finger when im putting lugs on

 

Not to sounds dumb but are you talking about the Two bolts that hold the caliper bracket to the knuckle?

 

That's stupid, but one day you'll learn the hard way probably. I've had several shops overtorque lug nuts and break studs, and one who under-tightened them. Use a torque wrench, it isn't complicated.

Yes. The two bolts that hold the caliper to the knuckle.


Bob that looks terrible! Obviously you lost the same caliper bolt that I did, causing the caliper to try and dig into the wheel.
If the original poster could keep pressure on the brakes and keep on driving, he is lucky that he lost that bolt instead of the other.

 

if you know what your doing than youre fine...i have gotten into the habit of using torque sticks lately

 

Your what 18 ish? Atleast thats what It looks like from your pic. When you have 10 plus years experience as a mechanic, then you can say that you know what your doing. Before that happens, use a torque wrench

 

im 20 and i worked at a dealer for the past 4 years...i know i dont have a lot of experence i do use a torque wrench every once in a while...i know the settings of my impact well enough to know the approx ft lbs of each one

 

i know the way i do it is not the greatest but when i was working in service(im in the body shop now) and getting paid flat rate you find ways to speed things up

 

Nope, not mine. That was another Ranger at one of the Centralia, PA meets.

 

This makes me want to go double check the bolts on my bro's focus that i just did the brakes on last week. haha I know I tighten them as much as I could with the allen wrench but never hurt to recheck. Glad your alright man! That would be some scary stuff.

 

Always use a torque wrench on whatever you are doing. If you don't have one, buy one, it's cheaper than replacing parts you over tighten or not tighten enough. In my line of work not using a torque wrench will get fired, or jail time or worse kill someone.