Brake cylinder help please

[CorsaTurboKid]

I have never removed the brake cylinder on my car and I took the brake line off but now I can't seem to get the two bolts holding the cylinder in out. They are in a really right spot, I tried my line wrench to and now the only one I can even get part of a wrench on is stripping out so before I cause myself further stress I figure I'd ask for a helping hand of advice

[terribleted]

Box end wrench is the ticket. These are a problem bolt. Sometimes you can get them to loosten up with liberal PB Blaster and some good whacks with a cold chisel, turning with a needle nose vice grips or similar. I have ground them off and chiseled them off before. Might need to replace the wheel cylinder after doing this depending on whether you can remove the rest of the bolt from the unit once it is off the car.

[CorsaTurboKid]

Thanks I think ill try some pb on it, or will brake cleaner work too? I'm still fighting this darn thing, I don't care abou the cylinder I'm replacing it anyway, it leaked out all my fluid so I'm doing both rear cylinders, ill eventually install dual master as well. Got all new brake lines so I should be good there.

[notched]

If you are replacing the cylinder you could cut the bolt heads with a really sharp chisel. If you are trying to save them you could disconnect the parking brake cable, brake hard line and the axle and pull the hub and brake assembly off. By doing this you would open up a ton more room to get the bolt out.

[terribleted]

If you are replacing the cylinder you could cut the bolt heads with a really sharp chisel. If you are trying to save them you could disconnect the parking brake cable, brake hard line and the axle and pull the hub and brake assembly off. By doing this you would open up a ton more room to get the bolt out.

This works on a early easily but not so easy on a late like Corsa Turbokid's car.

[davemotohead]

First thing you need to do is get the wire brush out and clean around the bolt so you can get a wrench on it cleanly,then put a 6 point wrench/socket on it so it wont slip.

[rowin4]

Looks rounded off now, it's cold chisel time. It will be faster anyway.

[CorsaTurboKid]

Alrighty ill try these things as soon as I can, I have to move tomorrow

[notched]

If you are replacing the cylinder you could cut the bolt heads with a really sharp chisel. If you are trying to save them you could disconnect the parking brake cable, brake hard line and the axle and pull the hub and brake assembly off. By doing this you would open up a ton more room to get the bolt out.

This works on a early easily but not so easy on a late like Corsa Turbokid's car.

Why wouldn't it? I have done it before on a bunch of late model trailing arms when separating for good wheel bearings.
You disconnect the parking brake cable
You disconnect the hardline
You disconnect 4 u joint strap bolts
The disconnect the four 3/8-24 nuts holding the bearing and hub to the trailing arm.
Done!

[terribleted]

If you are replacing the cylinder you could cut the bolt heads with a really sharp chisel. If you are trying to save them you could disconnect the parking brake cable, brake hard line and the axle and pull the hub and brake assembly off. By doing this you would open up a ton more room to get the bolt out.

This works on a early easily but not so easy on a late like Corsa Turbokid's car.

Why wouldn't it? I have done it before on a bunch of late model trailing arms when separating for good wheel bearings.
You disconnect the parking brake cable
You disconnect the hardline
You disconnect 4 u joint strap bolts
The disconnect the four 3/8-24 nuts holding the bearing and hub to the trailing arm.
Done!

This is true but when you remove the axle in a late re-installing it is a bugger. I have never found an excellent way to get the axle reconnected as the hub and bearing unit flex away from the axle from spring tension. A good strong helper pushing the hub back toward the center of the car to engage the u-joint again can work, but, it is very easy to have things pull apart during re-install dropping u-joint caps on the floor etc. Access on the late is not that bad with everything together, you should be able to remove or cut these bolts without further disassembly. On an early I would certainly pull the axle and backing plate for access if needed.

[davemotohead]

You put a tie down on the lower trailing arms and pull it,then axle and lower arms are a snap to install by yourself! I made a Vid about it. maybe one of you smart guys can tell me how to Embed vids on this site?

http://youtu.be/XZVDy3VoZVU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZVDy3VoZVU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[notched]

I used Dave's method with the strap last time and it worked like a champ........even in 25 degree weather :)

[terribleted]

I have had little problem installing the axles with the strut rods loose, although your strap idea is a good one and would make this easy when working solo. Getting the strut rods back in place is yet another story but is not bad if you lower the rear of the engine a bit. The crown bracket is easier to work with than the stock ones in this regard.

What I was referring too above is re-connecting the out board axle end after taking it loose...with the strut rods still fully mounted. If you were only trying to get more access to a wheel cylinder bolt that you can easily cut off I would not want to take axle and certainly not the axle and struts apart to do it...way too much work. I might try your strap idea over the top of the drums if I find myself with an outer u-joint out and strut rods in the car...I think it will work for this instance as well...would likely be more steady than some of my past helpers pushing:)

[CorsaTurboKid]

Cold chisel was the key! Was able to beat them out. One side I had to completely the other I beat out enough to wrench it to the end where it got stuck and one pop from the cold chisel took it right out, thanks guys


!!! Now I can't get the bolts back in !

[viewmaster]

Hey Turbokid... How did it work out? You just replace the wheel cylinders or???