Mor Ryde Disk Brakes - ALL 4 CALIPER TO AXLE TUBE BOLTS/NUTS WERE MISSING!!!

wdk450

Well-known member
Gang:
This problem seems so freaky to me, but also so dangerous, that I thought I had to post it.

My disk brake system was installed in 2014 at Mor Ryde, I had one major frame repair in 2016(?) which involved work on the disk brake system. I just know that as a final step on that repair we had to bleed the disk brakes system.

Anyways, it has been working fine for years and years, and then i had a little electrical problem about 6 weeks ago where it failed a departure trailer brake check. The problem at that time was a bad ground connection for the actuator in the front storage compartment. Easy Fix.

3 weeks later I am ready for my next move, did my brake check on the way to the park dump station, and no trailer braking. While dumping I checked the system out. The actuator made noise when I applied braking, but now no fluid in the reservoir. Uh Oh, broken brake line somewhere. I secured the electrical power to the system, refilled the reservoir (optimistically), crawled under the axle area and found that the caliper assembly on the door side front axle was missing ALL 4 of its bolts/nuts mounting the caliper, AND HOLDING THE AXLE FROM MOVING LATERALLY OUT THE AXLE TUBE!!! The caliper had rotated 90 about 90 degrees downward around the axle breaking the 12 inch long 1/8 inch steel hydraulic line. All the other 12 bolts/nuts on the other 3 wheels seemed good and tight, and the 1 bolt/nut I took off the door side rear axle tube for a sample for the auto parts store was on so tight that I had to use a box end wrench and a hammer to get it loose enough to unscrew.

Even with sample parts in hand, it took 3 trips to the rural NAPA store 11 miles away to get the right stuff. The lower rear bolt and nut were impossible to get started with the caliper covering the inside nut hole, But I was able to get the upper rear nut/bolt started with a straight 9/16 box wrench with tape stuffed in the wrench hole to hold the nut until it started. I drove to my next site with 3 of the 4 nut/bolts in place, and ordered a special half curve box end wrench to get the one I couldn't get before started later. All nuts were treated with Loctite blue, and the split lock washers were also in place. The broken12 inch hydraulic line was replaced, and a neighbor helped me bleed the system. Did repeated trailer brake tests as i left the park, and everything was now OK.

Why all 4 bolts from just 1 of the 4 wheels were gone, and no work had been done in that area for many years, is a complete mystery to me. I DO seem to remember a posting here about an owner who had the Mor Ryde disk brake upgrade done, and discovered loose (or maybe even missing) bolts/nuts like mine pretty soon after the upgrade. I have been waiting to search the forum for a link to that old thread, but the search function on the forum has been out of order lately.

I just wanted to advise that if you have had a disk brake upgrade done at any time in the past, from my experience it would be a good idea to check now and then if those caliper mounting axle flange bolts/nuts are tight (and in place).

Here's a pic of what I initially found:
IMG_0354.JPG
 
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jnbhobe

Well-known member
I have had a couple of them loosen up or loose them on mine over the years. I just pull the hubs and replace them with grade 8 bolts and nylocks
 

LBR

Well-known member
When we get back to our home state this summer, I'm putting on 6 new tires and will check all hardware on our 8K axles, disc brakes and system, and both X-members.
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
I do know of one guy that did not use graded bolts when he installed his disk brakes. A couple stops and those bolts sheared off.
I hope that NAPA sold you grade 8 bolts.

Peace
Dave
 

wdk450

Well-known member
I do know of one guy that did not use graded bolts when he installed his disk brakes. A couple stops and those bolts sheared off.
I hope that NAPA sold you grade 8 bolts.

Peace
Dave
I checked the leftover bolts from NAPA, and they are grade 8.
 

RickL

Well-known member
Based on the picture it wasn’t sheared bolts as there would be parts still in threaded part of the axle flange. While it isn’t normal to utilize locktit, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to use the blue product. Keep in mind that hardened bolts (grade 8) have a higher degree of shearing then a grade grade 5. Personally I would use a grade 5 locktited in place.
 

CoveredWagon

Well-known member
On that size bolt, I would Red Loctite. It's what is recommended by Loctite. I also agree I would use grade 5 bolts.
 

wdk450

Well-known member
Thanks to all for the good advice. Everybody with disk brakes should look at these bolts on all axles routinely.
 

Gary521

Well-known member
Well, are you confused yet. Grade 8 or Grade 5. The caliper flange has a torque spec. I have seen a couple of youtube videos about trailer caliper brake mounting where the bolts stripped while torquing. I don't think either one will shear.
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
I just read through my Kodiak installation manual that I kept from when I installed my brakes in 2011. It recommend 40-50 foot pounds for the caliper guide bolts and that's the only spec given. Nothing on a graded bolt.

Peace
Dave
 
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RickL

Well-known member
On that size bolt, I would Red Loctite. It's what is recommended by Loctite. I also agree I would use grade 5 bolts.
Unless Locktite changed, the red was designed and developed for permanent applications. Yes, you can break the adhesion but it usually takes heat.
 

RickL

Well-known member
Well, are you confused yet. Grade 8 or Grade 5. The caliper flange has a torque spec. I have seen a couple of youtube videos about trailer caliper brake mounting where the bolts stripped while torquing. I don't think either one will shear.
Grade 8 is for high torque applications, but doesn‘t hold up well to shock or sudden impacts. That is why grade 5 is better in shock or impact applications as they are more malleable. Yes they will deform, but they won’t necessarily shear as easy.
 

wdk450

Well-known member
I pulled a sample bolt/nut from one of the other good wheels with no problems. It was grade 8 (6 marks around the perimeter of the bolt head). I had to use a hammer on the end wrench to get it loose. That sample is what the Napa Store duplicated for me. I told them it was for caliper mounting.

I am still perplexed as to why all 4 bolts/nuts on one wheel were missing, yet all the other 12 on the other 3 wheels are extremely tight. Will one bolt loosening cause a chain reaction event on that wheel over time that will cause the other 3 to loosen and come off???
 

CoveredWagon

Well-known member
Unless Locktite changed, the red was designed and developed for permanent applications. Yes, you can break the adhesion but it usually takes heat.
Red is designed for larger bolts 1/2 and up. Green is the permanent stuff. Most Loctite adhesives will break down at a temperature of 450 degrees.
 

wdk450

Well-known member
Red is designed for larger bolts 1/2 and up. Green is the permanent stuff. Most Loctite adhesives will break down at a temperature of 450 degrees.
If Locktite breaks down at 450 degrees, is it of much use on braking system components that can get very hot??? I would wonder if these caliper mounting bolts on the axle tube flanges would get that hot, or if the heat would be dissipated away by the metal masses involved?
 

LBR

Well-known member
I pulled a sample bolt/nut from one of the other good wheels with no problems. It was grade 8 (6 marks around the perimeter of the bolt head). I had to use a hammer on the end wrench to get it loose. That sample is what the Napa Store duplicated for me. I told them it was for caliper mounting.

I am still perplexed as to why all 4 bolts/nuts on one wheel were missing, yet all the other 12 on the other 3 wheels are extremely tight. Will one bolt loosening cause a chain reaction event on that wheel over time that will cause the other 3 to loosen and come off???

Had it happened to me, I would pass it off as the service technician probably got interrupted during their final assembly stage and that corner didn't get the final torquing that the other 3 assemblies got.
 
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