rusted caliper bolt

[patriceboivin]

I changed the brake pads in the rear left, but in the rear right the bottom caliper bolt is rusted in place and won't budge.
Now it's starting to get stripped. I"m not an auto mechanic, what would you do in this instance, use a torch to free the bolt out of there?

Earlier this year a repair shop declared I needed new calipers and I obtained some, but I salvaged bolts from the front calipers, hopefully I can use one of those to replace the rusted one.

Is rust the enemy of auto mechanics?

Ironically there is almost no rust underneath my van, only on the wheels near where the brakes are.

[Big-Bird]

You can use penetrating fluid and let it soak into the threads. But unless you have a good quality set of sockets a stripped head is a huge problem. Snap-On's Flank-Drive design uses the flat parts of the hex head to exert forces where many other wrenchs and sockets put the force on the corners which will usually strip a head that is really tight.

Heat from a small flame may be needed to loosen the grip of rust but you need to have some water ready as brake fluid is very flammable but thankfully water soluable!

Front and rear caliper bolts are different lengths if memory serves.

[Krazyistkarl]

Make note of where the bolts come out, they are slightly different, no that's the slider pins... MAKE SURE and grease those little buggers when you put them back together.