First pictures here are where I was able to back the truck down a city street into a parking garage








Refusing to have it towed home we got a ride from my wife's mom and got some supplies

Towing would have been a good 125 bucks for the short 3 mile drive
zip ties and wire FTW





Now the most important part for some questions I got what size are the bolts that go from the caliper mounting to to the spindle? went to lowes and they had nothing close to what I need


Also while limping it home I had to use the e-brake to make a complete stop was going maybe 5mph. Now the e-brake dash light is on and wont go off

 

The switch for the ebrake light could've gotten stuck on or it could indicate low brake fluid level.

As for the bolts, if you have a specialty fastener shop close by that's what I would try. For Greg's (Fenech) Fabtech spindles we had to pick up a new set. He might have the old ones laying around.

 

man that sucks about the lost caliper bolt and grooves in rim, e-brack light may be from not haveing enough fliud in resevour due to it all being in brake line from the caliper compressing all the way in from no rotor betwwen the pads

 

i know they are metric bolts....i want to say 14mm but i could be wrong. Make sure to get Class 10.9 bolts (these are equal to Grade 8 bolts in standard).

 

10.9 is standard thread then?
The head of the bolt is 15mm

It's amazing how fast the truck comes to a stop going 45mph when the caliper jams into the wheel
Wouldn't go forward but I had reverse. I was so tempted to just wait till 2am and drive home backwards down side streets

 

yikes yeah that really sucks

 

no, 10.9 is the strength of the bolt. Go to any good hardware store, they'll have them...bring one bolt with you to match up. It might be 12x1.5mm

 

Ya I am gonna mess with it tomorrow I am angry, tired, and hungry

Really wish I would have paid attention in the bolt sizing class I took a few years ago ROFL

 

I assume it's the typical loosening caliper mounting bolt of doom?




I think it's a specialty bolt size really....Not the thread size or pitch, but the length may be a weird length that you can't get an aftermarket replacement for. I've noticed that with some bolts on these trucks.

Myke...and easy way to check the thread size and count, compare the caliper bolt to your old bodybolts. Bodybolts are M12-1.50 thread. If the threads match up, you've found out your bolt size and thread count. I think on those bolts you can go a little longer...but not much.

If you can't seem to find anything locally, and Ben can't get you one, I know where there's a truck with 4 of those bolts and countless explorers that still have those bolts. I can get them overnighted(if needed) on monday morning.

 

Thanks Shane ill let you know as soon as I can

Not much to choose from on a Sunday afternoon so I may have to take Monday off work to find what I need.

I know where there are 2 04-05 rangers at a car lot. I would leave them a not telling what I took and not to drive the truck till it is fixed LOL

 

hahahaha....my junkyards are open 7 days so getting the bolts ain't a problem. If there's any pick-n-pull type places by you, if there's any 95+ explorers, the bolts are the same.

If it comes down to it, my offer still stands. Shoot me a txt, I think you've got the number. I know Ben's got it. lol.

 

No yards open around here on the weekends

PM me your number I dont know for fact that I have it

 

Ive seen this happen alot with our trucks. me and Alaska Aaron were with Andrew from MN and his opened his wheel like a can opener. It was some wild **** I had never thought I'd see.

So luckily you still have a rim and tire you can use, he was not so lucky. Throw some tack welds on both sides so it will never happen again.

 

little extreme there don't you think? I'd use red locktite and torque it down to spec and not worry about it...

 

If you go to an auto parts store they sell ford caliper bolts.

 

DUDE!!!! i just had the EXACT same thing happen to me a week or so ago. that's when i learned to use LOCTIGHT on those bolts lol!!!! glad everything came out ok and nothing was seriously damaged.....WE were the lucky ones!!! aslo FYI; you coulda taken the top bolt out and put it in the bottom and drove it home just done the same if brake'n in reverse!!

BTW: NO you cant go to a auto parts store and buy those bolts..they are a FORD only thread pattern!! beleive me i know!!!! i went to a JY and got one outta a mustang...stealership wants $14 for that damn bolt!!!!

 

Cleaning out my shop... Myke....do you still have your towhook bolts? I think they may be the same size, just a little too long. Got a grinder?

PM sent too.


Torqued to proper spec aka Red locktite and tight as F! lol.

 

Wut thread pattern are they??

 

A couple grade 10.9 washers might do the trick too until you get the correct bolt in there. That way you can put the bolt back in the tow hook.

 

NOT sure but the AFTERMARKET bolt and nut i got....the aftermarket nut would thread onto the factory bolt but the aftermarket bolt would only thread so far in before it stopped....so i just took the top bolt out and put it in the bottom to get it home.

 

Weird man, you may have gotten a messed up bolt. When i did my brake swap, the factory and aftermarket bolts both went into my Cobra calipers....oh well, no worries.

 

CONFIRMED! You CAN use a front tow hook bolt in there, just shorten it down some. Or use washers just like Hillyard said. It'll get you back on the road for monday for work. And in the meantime I can get you your correct bolts.

I just confirmed it with ones of grants old caliper brackets and my old tow hook bolts. Threads in perfectly. They are also grade 10.9 just like the factory caliper bracket bolts.

 

Um I have the bolts from the auto store and they are THE SAME size, shape and style every which way they are the same. It came in a pack of 2.

 

mm.....i just now from my experiance with it.....no worries though...

 

Same thing happened here! Couple weeks ago, glad I had just gotten off of the highway and home was only about 1 mile ahead. Had to drive very cautiously.

I could not find those bolts at ANY auto parts store. Had to go digging for them in a bucket at a junkyard because they would charge a ridiculous $15 labor for removing a damn bolt! Here they do not allow one to take their own tools in , but I found a bolt on the floor off of a Ford car (I believe it was a Fusion...) and it worked perfectly lol. JY is your best bet with that bolt. Good luck with that.