Not a good day on the Gladiator today…

[Dryfly24]

Broke or lost a caliper bolt in the middle of nowhere desert while off-roading. I had to limp it all the way home. Luckily I was over the bad part of the trail and the remainder was just flat sand leading directly to the highway where I hardly had to use the brakes till I was basically right in front of the house.

I’ve been all over town in my daughter’s car looking for the bolt so I could put it in and get the truck to the dealership in the morning to have it checked out, but no one has it. Nearest place that has one is El Paso. Good news is that they can have one for me tomorrow by eight.

What do you guys think? If there’s anything more serious done would it be covered under warranty or no?
Gouged up the inside of my rim pretty good but I’m not concerned with that.

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[AZCooWhip]

Huh. You don’t see that very often. Would think most dealerships would have 1 or 2 lying around.

What made you look?

 

[Renegade]

I found the same bolt loose on mine after about 2,000 miles. Pull another one off and take another vehicle to the hardware store if you need to. It’s really just a bolt.

 

[Dryfly24]

Huh. You don’t see that very often. Would think most dealerships would have 1 or 2 lying around.

What made you look?

Its a catastrophic failure. That bolt keeps the caliper attached to the caliper knuckle or whatever it’s called. Whenever you hit the brakes it will come apart and drop. At first I thought it was just my four wheel drive not disengaging but the system was telling me it was and the sway bar had reconnected. It happened right after I had set everything back to normal. Once I realized it was only happening when I hit the brakes I looked at the caliper and saw it immediately.

I suspect that bolt has been broken for a while and just gave up the ghost today after the rough terrain.

 

[Dryfly24]

I found the same bolt loose on mine after about 2,000 miles. Pull another one off and take another vehicle to the hardware store if you need to. It’s really just a bolt.

I tried every place in town. Auto parts and hardware. No one has it.

 

[AZCooWhip]

Its a catastrophic failure. That bolt keeps the caliper attached to the caliper knuckle or whatever it’s called. Whenever you hit the brakes it will come apart and drop. At first I thought it was just my four wheel drive not disengaging but the system was telling me it was and the sway bar had reconnected. It happened right after I had set everything back to normal. Once I realized it was only happening when I hit the brakes I looked at the caliper and saw it immediately.

I suspect that bolt has been broken for a while and just gave up the ghost today after the rough terrain.

Gotcha. Figured it had to be over a given period of time.

Glad you looked when you did. Good luck!

 

[AZCooWhip]

I tried every place in town. Auto parts and hardware. No one has it.

Not surprising. For my track cars I always had a few extras lying around Just in case.

No parts stores ever had anything close.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I found the same bolt loose on mine after about 2,000 miles. Pull another one off and take another vehicle to the hardware store if you need to. It’s really just a bolt.

Just a bolt - kidding, right?
- it had better be at least a class 10.9 (grade 8 SAE equal)
You don't go to the Ace hardware store or Menards and buy a bolt that fits on brake calipers.
Anyone putting "just a bolt" in my suspension, steering or brake calipers will be fired.
Even my old cars have grade 8 bolts in the calipers and caliper brackets.

 

[Dryfly24]

Not surprising. For my track cars I always had a few extras lying around Just in case.

No parts stores ever had anything close.

I’ll tell you what. From now one I will keep several spares on the truck in case it ever happens again. You do not want to experience that under similar circumstances to what happened today. Trust me…

 

[Dryfly24]

Just a bolt - it had better be at least a class 10.9 (grade 8 SAE equal)
You don't go to the Ace hardware store or Menards and buy a bolt that fits on brake calipers.

Yes, it’s a grade 8. Auto zone can have one for me here by eight tomorrow. I just want the dealership to look over everything to make sure all is ok under there.

 

[AZCooWhip]

No doubt 1 in a million. But once is all it takes.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Yes, it’s a grade 8. Auto zone can have one for me here by eight tomorrow. I just want the dealership to look over everything to make sure all is ok under there.

The dealership needs to be at least aware........... and should as a courtesy check every other brake and suspension bolt for proper torque.

 

[AZCooWhip]

Just a bolt - kidding, right?
- it had better be at least a class 10.9 (grade 8 SAE equal)
You don't go to the Ace hardware store or Menards and buy a bolt that fits on brake calipers.
Anyone putting "just a bolt" in my suspension, steering or brake calipers will be fired.
Even my old cars have grade 8 bolts in the calipers and caliper brackets.

He’s right you know. These babies are not common At your local wal mart.

 

[CrazyCooter]

Find another jt/jl near by and take theirs? Ok, maybe not......

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Find another jt/jl near by and take theirs? Ok, maybe not......

So the Crazy part was earned, eh? LOL

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