# What size allen wrench for escape calipers?



## MickiRig1

Doing front brakes on my Wife's 08 Escape. I have spent the day trying to figure out the size of the Allen head bolts. They are enclosed in little protective shields with caps. They is a raised edge above the Allen sockets. Real hard to get to or see. A 3/8's sloppy, a 10mm sloppy, 12mm & 1/2in no fit. There 1/2 sizes? Another special "Ford Tool"? Sears and Napa have up to 3/8's "Caliper bits"


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## grandview

try the 9mm.


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## MickiRig1

Bigger then a 10mm. Which is the bigest size they sell. A 12mm is way too big. Went thru all the mm and SAE sizes. That's why I wonder is there are 1/2 sizes or a Ford size?


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## eludemann

Could it be torx?


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## peteo1

11mm? Or as stated above maybe a torx head.


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## GVL LLC

there are 1/2 in allen wrenches so its probably a 10.5


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## MickiRig1

I tell you this has just drove me crazy! Every size I could find does not work! I am not going to JuryRig the Wife's brakes! Every post on the Net Says 9mm. It's NOT! I have a 10mm and it does not fit. It has no grip, all slop. A 3/8's just grips very little. A 10mm is just a hair bigger. THANKS FORD!


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## Antlerart06

they are 9mm hex bit on the slides Like Grandview said
To remove cage that's 18mm wrench So you can pull the bake rotor to get them turned
Most sets don't come with a 9mm

Google it you will find the answer you want


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## GVL LLC

I found this out the annoying way too when putting new locking hubs on my truck. A 4 was too small and a 5 was too big so i had to go to the store and find out myself that 1/2 exist and a 4.5 fit perfectly.


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## MickiRig1

A 10mm does not work. It has to be 10&1/2 or 11mm. I went all thru the sizes. A 9mm would not even fit. Been down this road with Fords. Not the first time at the rodeo. It's after market or something? My Wife works part time at a Ford dealer. She gets great prices on service. This is the 3rd set of pads. Someone replaced the pins with non-standard pins?


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## B&B

Some replacement guide pins are 11mm and after three brake jobs they've probably been changed. But don't even remove them, the pads can be replaced with the bracket still on the caliper. So remove the two 18mm bolts and remove the complete caliper/bracket as an assembly.


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## Antlerart06

MickiRig1;1621672 said:


> A 10mm does not work. It has to be 10&1/2 or 11mm. I went all thru the sizes. A 9mm would not even fit. Been down this road with Fords. Not the first time at the rodeo. It's after market or something? My Wife works part time at a Ford dealer. She gets great prices on service. This is the 3rd set of pads. Someone replaced the pins with non-standard pins?


My sister has the same 08 escape I replace the pads on I know its a 9mm for the slides

Someone must replace your OEM slides with after market I say
Best thing to do get a allen bit little big and grind it to fit
Make sure grind it on a bench grinder a hand grinder will heat it up to much


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## framer1901

We had an 08 Escape also and I'm thinking that was a Torx, been awhile but I might remember it that way.


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## MickiRig1

Thanks for the replies!
I figured it out. My little friend Dremil and cut off wheels made a 10mm into a 9mm. VICTORY! You right about the after market pins too. Part store pulled out replacement ones and they are 10 or 11mm.


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## B&B

MickiRig1;1621959 said:


> Thanks for the replies!
> I figured it out. My little friend Dremil and cut off wheels made a 10mm into a 9mm. VICTORY! You right about the after market pins too. Part store pulled out replacement ones and they are 10 or 11mm.


Care to explain how a 10mm was too small but grinding it even smaller to a 9mm allowed it to work perfectly?


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## framer1901

The aliens man, that's what did it, no it was Cheney all along, no no no, it was Bill and Hillary - an all nighter with them and he got a bit confused.


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## MickiRig1

It was a Brain Fart Attack! If I spent 5 minutes on the Internet I would of had the answer.
Just the way the pins are constructed with the plastic cups protecting, and the raised collar above the pin made it hard to figure the size.


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## theholycow

B&B;1621708 said:


> Some replacement guide pins are 11mm and after three brake jobs they've probably been changed. But don't even remove them, the pads can be replaced with the bracket still on the caliper. So remove the two 18mm bolts and remove the complete caliper/bracket as an assembly.


I don't know the Escape's brakes, but generally one should clean and re-grease the pins when doing a brake job...


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## B&B

theholycow;1624922 said:


> I don't know the Escape's brakes, but generally one should clean and re-grease the pins when doing a brake job...


Few tout proper brake jobs more than me, so yes absolutely they should be. But obviously right from the beginning this wasn't a proper brake job....


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## grandview

B&B;1625138 said:


> Few tout proper brake jobs more than me, so yes absolutely they should be. But obviously right from the beginning this wasn't a proper brake job....


Now if I had been there......


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## KGRlandscapeing

This is an intresting topic. Because We have a 2010 escape and a 2011 and they both use 7mm i know because i had to buy a set the first time i tore into them


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## MickiRig1

Are you saying I did not do a proper brake job B&B? Just because I did not know the size of the allen head drive? I take great pride in getting it right. At one time I was certified in brakes. It's my family is riding in this vehicle. I get it right and buy the best parts to do it. My machine shop knows me by name. He stayed over an hour to turn my rotors. If that was not your intent, sorry, I just get testy when people think my skills are in question.


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## theholycow

MickiRig1;1627889 said:


> Are you saying I did not do a proper brake job B&B? Just because I did not know the size of the allen head drive? I take great pride in getting it right. At one time I was certified in brakes. It's my family is riding in this vehicle. I get it right and buy the best parts to do it. My machine shop knows me by name. He stayed over an hour to turn my rotors. If that was not your intent, sorry, I just get testy when people think my skills are in question.


Well, your name *is* MickiRig1, not ProperRepair1. 

Boy I say boy, that's a joke son.


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