I'm surprised that so many don't loctite the caliper bolts. I've always done this and always found it to be recommended.

When someone had his caliper fall off, he thought it was sheared caliper bolts, I just assumed he hadn't used loctite?

Why wouldn't you loctite these mission critical bolts. If you were racing, you'd have to safety wire them.

I use loctite:

• when it's called for
  
• when it's really important
  
• in high vibration applications
  
• when the bolted part heats and cools often

Obviously, not using it will work 99 out of 100 times. But what would be the down side or reluctance?

 

They are floating calipers pretty much isolated from vibration by the caliper pins. In the unlikely event a bolt loosened the caliper would not go anywhere as another bolt is holding it, it is straddling the rotor, and held in place by the caliper bracket.

The one case where someone reported loose calipers was actually a loose rotor because a rear wheel was mounted on the front hub so the rotor was not held in place.

I have never seen a recommendation or need for loctite on brake parts.

 

Well Chris, I guess it must work because so many are doing it and the calipers aren't falling off (phew ). I've always considered it gospel, though, to blue loctite the caliper bolts so (as you might imagine) I'm not gonna stop now. Plus, I still don't see any downside.

I have an appointment with a Honda tech coming up so I'll ask him what they do.

BTW, I do believe differently about another point. The vibration comes primarily from being attached to the suspension, not the caliper/bracket.