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Having unsuccessfully tried to get the Caliper Pistons moving easily, I've decided that the best solution is to change the Calipers for New ones, which is actually less expensive than sending them away to be rebuilt, where about 3 years ago I was quoted around £250+Vat
But now you can buy Brand New ones for about £100 each
Although I seem to have run into a Problem, as although the Track Rod Ball Joint came undone easily and I had a Splitter to take it apart, I cannot get the Steering Arm Bolts undone!
Not even with my Mains Powered Impact Wrench!
This has never happened before as I've never seen a Nut or Bolt that this cannot undo, except for this one!
So I'm thinking of Heating the Steering Arm up with my Plasma Cutter, so Stop me if you can think of a problem with that
Having unsuccessfully tried to get the Caliper Pistons moving easily, I've decided that the best solution is to change the Calipers for New ones, which is actually less expensive than sending them away to be rebuilt, where about 3 years ago I was quoted around £250+Vat
But now you can buy Brand New ones for about £100 each
Although I seem to have run into a Problem, as although the Track Rod Ball Joint came undone easily and I had a Splitter to take it apart, I cannot get the Steering Arm Bolts undone!
Not even with my Mains Powered Impact Wrench!
This has never happened before as I've never seen a Nut or Bolt that this cannot undo, except for this one!
So I'm thinking of Heating the Steering Arm up with my Plasma Cutter, so Stop me if you can think of a problem with that
What does taking off a caliper have to do with the steering arm? Just take off the two bolts holding the caliper to the stub axle carrier, and remove it. There's no need to remove any other parts of the steering or suspension. Just crank the steering to the limit to gain access to the bolts.
Yeah, you are correct for one bolt, and you need to loosen the other; I forgot. Just use a long 1/2" breaker bar, and a good 6 point socket. I've found that mains powered impact wrenches aren't all that powerful. I've had two different ones, and neither compares to a modern brushless cordless mid-range impact, such as Milwaukee or DeWalt.
Just for the benefit of anyone else, here is a Pic of the Caliper Bolt that goes Through the Steering Arm (I've just put a Socket on so everyone can see it) This Caliper Bolt gets either Frozen or Rusted in the Steering Arm, making it almost impossible to turn it by any normal means
I've even had a Breaker Bar on the end of a 6ft Scaffold Pole and even that wouldn't undo it, on my other Car but the Mains Powered Impact Wrench did but not this time!
I can't even undo the other Caliper Bolt that's just above it and that is really difficult to get to, so even cutting that Bolt head off with the Grinder would be pretty much impossible at this stage
So wondering if I could somehow pull the whole Hub off, which is something that I have never had to do before, so not really sure where I should start with that
Closer inspection seems to suggest that the Pistons are the Problem in this Caliper and also more than likely on the other side as well
While I might be able to get some heat on this one, the Caliper Bolt above it, is going to be a problem
That is incredible, Alex. In the age BMRG (before mains rattle gun) I had to cut the steering arm to get the caliper off. Ever since, your great tip has saved me.
From your photo it doesn't look that rusty either. Removing the entire upright, hub and disc is not that hard; but I don't think it will help as in place the assembly is being held more securely than it would be off the car in a vice, for example.
Another possibility is to undo the other caliper bolt, undo the steering arm top bolt that connects it to the upright, and undo the ball joint at the steering arm bottom connecting it to the rack.
Then, you will be able to move the arm a few degrees up and down (ie in a circular motion about the stuck bolt) and use a FBH to do so. You must start ANTI-clockwise though. Now this might do one of two things:
loosen the arm on the bolt shank, or
undo the bolt a few degrees leaving the arm still stuck to the bolt shank!
The second is what happened to me which is why I had to cut the arm off!
If you remember we had exactly the Same Problem on my other Car 'The Ice Princess'
Where we had to Split the Caliper and then Cut the Steering Arm Off
The Mains Powered Rattle Gun is proving absolutely useless! it can't even undo the Bolts that Split The Caliper, not even those Small ones and it Cannot undo the Caliper Bolt above the Steering Arm
All the Bolts I've undone so Far have been with a Spanner and a FBH but even then I cannot get the Last one to undo!
So I am now very Tempted to Cut through this Bolt with a Disc Cutter, which will of course Wreck the Caliper but I really cannot think of any other way to do it and then of course I'll also have to Cut the Steering Arm off
As you can see from the Photos some of the Caliper Split Bolts are very, very Rusty, while others look OK
No very easy way out of this mess unless you can think of something I haven't thought of?
Only one Bolt left and it won't come out!
I would have to cut it through where I have put that White Mark
I think that cutting is the only way Alex.
When putting the steering arm/caliper bolt back on, use the successor or to Moly nickel grease, which sadly is no longer made. The original was good to 1400°C and does not wash off. It is expensive but a tin will see you out! Put it on the bolt shank only, NOT the threads. This stuff is magic and I reckon the new formula will be too. I also used it on the engine/subframe/chassis rail earth strap bolts and it preserves the bolts and the shiny metal under the strap, that I ensured was there, perfectly. https://www.molyslip.co.uk/ceramslip-2/
Or Loctite make the real thing still: https://www.henkel-adhesives.com/us/...e_lb_7710.html
I know that both you and Greg have had to resort to cutting off the Steering Arm previously.
However, my desire to try and avoid having to go done that route means that I would spend a couple of hours each night for the next few nights:
- Alternately trying to tighten then loosen that bolt with the mains gun - again, and again and.....
- Alternately trying to tighten then loosen using a 4ft breaker bar, as above
- Hitting it with a FBH then using the mains gun
I reckon it will suddenly break loose on the 3rd night!
I may still be able to undo the Last Bolt that holds the Two Halves of the Caliper together, to save cutting through it with the Disc Cutter
(marked in white) as Tomorrow I think I'll be able to get some Serious Heat on it
But as for the other 2 Caliper Bolts, especially the one that goes through the Steering Arm, I am thinking that could be a problem, although I will give it a try as its really difficult to get any Heat on it, as it is surrounded by the Wheel Speed Sensor and other stuff that could easily get melted
Though once again I will do what I can to get it undone
Then something Magical Happened! as when I went into the Garage to find a 16mm Ring Spanner!
The very first thing that I saw was This!
Is there any Possible Chance that this could be a Steering Arm that would fit the Passenger Side of my 1995 XJS 4.0L
In theory, that's the left hand steering arm for a Series II XJ6/12.
BUT, I've also found that part number advertised as coming off scrapped mid-80s XJS HEs! Even though the Jaguar parts system quotes C45361 as being the LH part number for XJSs up to 1990. And the part number changes after that for late facelifts.
So, my GUESS is that it's identical for all XJSs. But that's just a guess! And after all, why would you own it unless you thought it was for an XJS?!
I reckon if you match it up against your car, you'll find it's the same!
Some days, life has a habit of just working out ok!
Hey OB the only thing I see amiss in your attempts, is you are using a regular chrome socket. I had an old timer ( of which I'am one now ) educate me on the need for True Impact Sockets! Yeah those big, ugly, obnoxious, black sockets. I never used them, mostly because I didn't own them, at that point in time. I had a stuck bolt, and had broken my "chrome" Snap On socket. And had asked if I could borrow his. He inquired as to what I was trying to remove, then said you used a chrome socket didn't you? I replied yes. He said let me teach you the difference. He took a Black Impact socket. Put it on "My" Impact gun, and after 10 or 15 seconds the bolt backed out!!!!! I stood there with my mouth open, and said he had broken several "chrome" sockets before he learned that trick too. Not a guarantee, but if that doesn't work. Cut It !
I was putting some New Calipers on my other Car 'The Ice Princess' but had to take the Old Calipers off First (So Far So Good!)
I'm having a bit of a struggle undoing the Caliper Bolts on the Drivers Side and that is when a 'Mate' (no longer a Mate) Turned up out of the blue and told me that I was doing it Wrong and that the Bolt needed Heat from a Blowlamp!
And this I also thought was a good idea! so told him that I would go and get my Blowlamp (Don't Second Guess This-The Car did not Catch Fire!) but while I was gone to get the Blowlamp......
This (no longer a 'Mate' Mate) and very soon after (Deleted from My Christmas Card List 'Mate' Mate) decided not to wait until I had returned with the Blowlamp and went completely off message and decided to start without either me or the 'said' Blowlamp
Where this 'Cack Handed Idiot' somehow managed to Snap the Bolt off in the Caliper, because he couldn't be bothered to wait for the Blowlamp and then decided he had to do home, leaving me with a complicated and very Labor intensive 'Mess' to sort out as well as a Steering Arm to Cut Off
So I had to get a Steering Arm from a Scrap Yard that came off an XJS V12 where not knowing they were a 'handed pair' I bought both of them just in case the Passenger Side one also got broken as well
As it turned out, I only needed the one that went on the drivers side and left the Passenger Side one, on a Shelf, that I saw the moment I walked in the Garage To-day, which it seems is exactly the Part that I need right now
So in someways he's done me a favor and could well be back on the Christmas Card List this Year!
And yes! I offered it up and it's a Match made in Heaven, if this one gets Broken as well
Because I have a load of those Black Impact Sockets but 'Sods Law' being what it is, the only Black 16mm Impact Socket I have got is a Long 2 inch one and when I put that on the Impact Wrench
Its just Too Long to go in the Space!
So unfortunately I have to use a Chrome one but that Caliper Bolt (the one that goes through the Steering Arm) is in so Tight that I may have to cut it
Though all may not be lost, as when I went in the Garage today, the first thing I saw was a Steering Arm that came off a Scrap XJS V12 Years ago and it looks like it will be a match, if I have to Cut the existing one off
Looks a Perfect Match to me, even though it came off an XJS V12
In any event thanks for your advice, that is always appreciated as you are always learning something new on these Cars
We have an 8 ounce "bottle" of the silver stuff with a brush in it, that husband got from his dad sometime in the previous century. It's Permetex brand but looks exactly the same.
I have habitually dabbed threads with it on my mower blade bolts and anything else (fulcrum bolts) I don't want to come undone or chew the threads out. I've been using it for 20 years, husband for several years before that, and his dad, well, no one really knows how long he used it and there's still half a bottle left.
Alex
The steering arms are handed, so the first thing is to check that it is the one for the side you need, by offering it up and seeing.
Not all steering arms are identical between Jaguar models. If you have to cut off the old one, carefully align it with the new one and make 100% sure they are precisely the same length. Some are about 1/2 inch different. If you have to, buy a pair from Andy Harvey at Just XJS that came off the same car.
This Steering Arm came off the same XJS as the one that I used on 'The Ice Princess'
On 'The Ice Princess' I had to Cut the Steering Arm off 'The Drivers Side' of the Car and that left me with the Steering Arm for 'The Passenger Side' that I also bought, just in case it was needed
As it turned out 'The Passenger Side' Caliper, came off in one piece and so this other Steering Arm wasn't needed
So by some quirk of fate, it will be the very thing that I am going to need, if I have to Cut the Passenger Side Steering Arm off this Car
I also get what Paul (ptjs) is saying about trying to undo the Steering Arm Bolt but time is of the essence, as there is a much better chance of selling the Car in the Summer and I also think it will be more Time and Cost effective to buy a couple of New Ready Built (outright purchase Calipers)
As by the time you've bought New Pistons and all the bits and pieces, you won't be saving that much, if I can get Two for £100 each, as at least that way there will be a much better Chance of Passing the MOT Test without the possible problem of Sticking Calipers or Brake Pads
Having said that, I would like to try and avoid disc cutting the Caliper that I am trying to Split, as there is only One Bolt Left to undo! and I think that I might be able to undo that last Bolt if I gave it some heat
I would have to Heat it where I have marked it in 'White' but do you think the Caliper would Explode if I did that? as it might have a little bit of Brake Fluid left inside
Do you think the Caliper might Explode!
If I heated it up where that Chalk Mark is?
As this would be the last Bolt to come out to Split the Caliper as the Mains Impact Wrench cannot Shift it without some Heat
06-25-2023, 08:47 AM
