Can you reuse brake caliper carrier bolts?
Mechanics and service manuals often give conflicting advice on whether brake carrier bolts can be reused or need replacement during a brake job. This leaves DIYers unsure if a loose or removed bolt is safe to put back on or if it creates a dangerous mechanical failure risk.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1checking if the bolts are torque-to-yield (TTY)
- 2fully tightening it with a wrench
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“do you guys generally replace the carrier bolts once you've released them or do you just reuse them?”source ↗
“I was bleeding the brakes on a 2008 Honda CR-V when I noticed a bolt on the rear caliper that was loose to the point it spun when I accidentally touched it with my finger.”source ↗
“Honda service manual says do not loosen that special bolt but the previous owner had a shop service the rear caliper and it may have been loose since then. Should I get this replaced or have a shop check it?”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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- 15Why am I paying for broken bolts during a car repair?
- 7How to tell if a manual car clutch actually needs replacing