A bit more help with my Mazda 6 Brakes please!

[Marshall]

You may remember I've recently changed the rear brakes on my Mazda 6....All fine and dandy there.

 

My question relates to the 2 small screws used to locate/hold the front disks in place with no wheels or calipers present (rears removed no trouble). Ive tried to free these screws on one front side today with no luck.

 

Question is: Can I drill the heads off these and then simply replace the new disks on the hubs and leave the road wheels to hold the disks in place, or is this a no no? I've heard differing views??

[stripped fred]

I think you'd be fine drilling them out. I've had cars without these screws. As you say the wheels hold the discs in place.

[beko1987]

The zx has all these screws snapped off in the hub. Its a pain refitting the discs and wheels but once the wheel nuts are tight its fine

[320touring]

The zx has all these screws snapped off in the hub. Its a pain refitting the discs and wheels but once the wheel nuts are tight its fine

Yep, they are only there to help hold the discs on until the wheels are mounted.

 

They are useful but not essential. Iirc the mk5 scrote never came with any fitted..

[Marshall]

Thanks chaps. I was coming around to that way of thinking to be honest. I thought I would consult with the wealth of knowledge on this site first though. To be honest Ive never done anything with discs and calipers before. So I made sure I did it properly. It was a good education because I managed to replace discs and calipers and bleed brakes, all of which I hadnt done before.....And it WORKED!?!?

 

The fronts should be much easier I hope without bloody piston caliper rewinding and setting up the handbrake!!

 

I just wasnt sure with regards these retaining screws and I want to do a decent job.

 

Might give them a try with an cheap impact driver im going to purchase tomorrow (will come in handy) failing that its out with the drill I think.

 

Cheers

[cort16]

On my 7 series the screw was mangled so I cut a little slot in it with the grinder and got it going with the chisel. It was fucked by the time I got it out so tried to refit the wheels without it but it was a nightmare with the disc spinning. I thought it would be a right shit fit if I got a puncture so I replaced them. They weren't expensive. That's if you can get the them out of course.

[Marshall]

I assume a 7 series has Studs does it? I'd not actually thought about that but yeah I bet thats a right pain in the arse! Luckily mines got conventional nuts so they hold the disc still.

[Noel Tidybeard]

impact driver used to work fine on blitish reyrand ploducts

[fordperv]

Another vote for impact driver, but no nuns or kittens will be harmed if you drill them out and run without them

[Tamworthbay]

If you sharpen a slot bit into a chisel end and use it in an impact driving it will usually do cross head screws even when they are already fooked. It's got me out of a hole a few times. And use a big copper mallet ideally, you want a good few kg hitting it.

[gordonbennet]

The old impact driver i use has never yet failed to shift these grub screws, one clout they're out.

 

Incidentally one of my Jap motors, can't remember which, has no screws at all discs just sits there o the studs, can't go anywhere, Merc fit recessed allen bolts they never present a problem to undo.

 

About the only problem i could see by leaving them out would be if if you have wheelbolts instead of studs/nuts and the disc shifts round on the hub whilst you're offering a wheel up roadside following a puncture in the pitch dark, might scupper someone who didn't twig why they couldn't get a bolt in when they're trying to balance the poxy wheel and locate a bolt with lorries thundering by 2 ft from your arse.

[twosmoke300]

If you give the face of the disc /hub a good clout over the head of the screw first this usually shocks them enough to use a screwdriver .

Another thing is to make sure you use the right screwdriver , they are usually a no3 phillips or pozi and using the right one makes a huge difference

[beko1987]

The old impact driver i use has never yet failed to shift these grub screws, one clout they're out.

 

Incidentally one of my Jap motors, can't remember which, has no screws at all discs just sits there o the studs, can't go anywhere, Merc fit recessed allen bolts they never present a problem to undo.

 

About the only problem i could see by leaving them out would be if if you have wheelbolts instead of studs/nuts and the disc shifts round on the hub whilst you're offering a wheel up roadside following a puncture in the pitch dark, might scupper someone who didn't twig why they couldn't get a bolt in when they're trying to balance the poxy wheel and locate a bolt with lorries thundering by 2 ft from your arse.

It is this exact reason why I have a few fucked bolt threads on mine, rushing to get the wheel on so she could drive up onto the recovery truck. Now if I have a wheel off I need to note which bolt went into which hole as they go back in and tighten up in the right hole, but wont go in at all in another (non fucked) hole

 

I really should visit my local hardware shop, get 4 new retaining bolts, the right size tap and find a right size drill and sort them out really, makes for a tidier job all round!

[sierraman]

Make sure the thread you get from hardware shop is the hardened metal though!

[colino]

While you really need an impact driver for your toolbox, placing the ball end of a ball pein hammer on the head of the disc screw and whacking it with another hammer usually transmits enough shock to the system to allow a good fitting screwdriver to remove.  I realise hammers hitting hammers are not thought of as wise, but wearing specs and being careful are the rule.  No kittens/nuns have so far exploded on me.

[beko1987]

I've heard of hammers exploding, but never actually seen it. I will head to youtube immediatly to rectify this...