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Help- what tool for 2000 silverado caliper? Torx? Allen?

I need some help folks- I'm just trying to remove the old brake pads in my 2000 silverado 4x2, and to do that I need to remove the caliper mounting bolts, which appear to be a torx bolt, although an allen wrench could also fit. The largest torx bit I can find at home depot or lowes is a T50 bit, and it's too small. A 10 mm allen is too big, and an 8mm feels too small, and like I said, the bolt looks like it's supposed to be for a torx and not an allen. Anybody want to send me an email and tell me the proper tool? Anyone know who sells extremely large torx bits? Thank you.

On a side note (but I'll still take your advice ;), Regarding the 'caliper mounting bracket bolts' which are 17 mm I think (and not the same as the 'caliper mounting bolts' torx problem I ask about above) - anyway, they have never been removed, and today I tried to remove them applying 170 ft-lbs of torque and the damn things wouldn't budge. Anyone else have a problem with these being overly-tightened from the factory and what did you do?

Please email me at snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com at your earliest covenience. I want to finish out the job tomorrow morn. thanks- Chris

Reply to
Chris
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"Chris" wrote

I believe it is a 55 torx bit.

a side note (but I'll still take your advice ;),

Never had a problem with them being "overly-tightened" from the factory...but....I have found them to be extremely tight due to the heavy duty lock-tite they use on those bolts from the factory. It's just the way they are...I use a quality socket and a 30 inch swing handle....they come off....

Ian

Reply to
shiden_kai

I think GM may be somewhat standard across the board, my 94 Jimmy is a

3/8" hex or allen wrench. You can buy one that goes on a ratchet like a socket does, only the business end has the allen wrench. Best bet, go to a parts store, say you need the brake tool or wrench to take the caliper off and tell them the truck. Any parts person worth his or her weight should know exactly what one you need...
Reply to
Mike Levy

Thanks to Shiden-kai and and Tom for responding. For all those wanting to know, it was a torx T-55 bit for the caliper guide pin. Interesting note is that I drive my truck hard and brake hard, but don't haul many loads and at 50k my front pads were still at 70%. Rears were about

40%. Anybody else have input about front brake pad wear in a 2000 1/2 ton siverado? Wondering if I got lucky... Chris

Reply to
Chris

"Chris" wrote

No, this is normal for the new style trucks. I have yet to actually replace front brake pads on these trucks for being "worn out". I've seen trucks with 100,000 miles on them that still have over

50% pad left. What I'm finding is that the front pads usually start to stick on the sliding surfaces of the caliper support and then one or more of the pads no longer is in contact with the rotor. Then the surface of the rotor begins to rust. So then we end up performing a front brake job due to this "seizing" problem, rather then actual front brake pad wear.

Personally, if I owned one of these trucks, I would be dis-assembling my front calipers and pads, cleaning up the sliding surfaces (which are actually removable shims) and lubricating all the moving points every couple of years. I suspect that you would never have to replace the pads over the life time of the truck if this was done.

Rears are another story. Usually, the right inner pad is the first to go. We do rear brakes all the time on the new trucks. Thank goodness, or brake jobs would simply be non-existent on these new trucks. Wouldn't want that, now, would we?

Ian

Reply to
shiden_kai

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