Mechanic couldn't get brake rotor off?

I'm curious when I go to do my wife's SUV--I DIY'd on a lift in a shop, and at the time they were on the car 7 years and took a lot of whacks. I put so much anti seize on the backs and the hubs, my uncle laughed (he got me access to the lift) and said I'm really wasting the anti seize, there's no need to use that much. I would expect that years doesn't affect it and the rotors all come off, but I can't say for sure...(job was done 2018)

oh btw on her car, rocks can fall in behind the backing plate and rattle in the front. this happened right after I did the above job, so I took the front rotor off and found the rock. The anti seize was all over the place. Then again that was months, not years...
 
I'm curious when I go to do my wife's SUV--I DIY'd on a lift in a shop, and at the time they were on the car 7 years and took a lot of whacks. I put so much anti seize on the backs and the hubs, my uncle laughed (he got me access to the lift) and said I'm really wasting the anti seize, there's no need to use that much. I would expect that years doesn't affect it and the rotors all come off, but I can't say for sure...(job was done 2018)
I'd imagine it burns off.
 
I've had issues before now where copper anti-seize applied to the hub face caused a small amount of run off on the brake disc which resulted in vibrations.

Ever since I've cleaned the hub thoroughly and just applied anti-seize to the centre bore of the hub and not the flat face.

I do like the thought of spraying fluid film or similar on the whole hub-face though. That may be my go-to from now on.
 
Anti-seize on the new one once it comes off,
Just keep rotating it about 90 deg at a time and keep beating on it
 
Another thing I've used for many years is Molykote 3452 which is a fluorosilicone grease. It won't migrate off the hub and it's completely water resistant. I use it on lots of things besides wheel hubs.

However, over the years the price for a 220g tube has gone up from around $20 to nearly $200 lately. I'm being much more careful of how much I use. You need only a tiny film on parts.
 
Had same issue on an older Mercedes E350. Tried penetrating oil, waited and then beat the hell out of it. Eventually came off but ended damaging the wheel bearing due to the pounding. Simple brake job became much bigger! :(
 
15 years in the north the rotor would be non existent
15 years, though, I’ve gone through at least a couple sets of brakes.

So, this is an original, 15 year old rotor? That’s an incredibly long life. I would drive 150,000 miles in that time and I don’t drive much!
 
15 years, though, I’ve gone through at least a couple sets of brakes.

So, this is an original, 15 year old rotor? That’s an incredibly long life. I would drive 150,000 miles in that time and I don’t drive much!
215,000 miles actually. Still has about 1/16" until it gets to the wear indicator. The inside of one rotor is worn due to me running the pads to the backing plate and then some. I don't ever hear squeaking until I'm metalnon metal, then it's a dull rough grinding noise lol you get your moneys worth out of these diesel trucks, the parts last a lot longer. I've gone through like 3 sets of pads by now, but yeah original rotors
 
A torch to apply heat around where the rotor hat slips on the hub. It will expand and the beat the shift out of it.
This is what I do, some cherry red between each stud up close to the center..,..works great on drums too.
One whack with the 5lb sledge and it flies off.
 
Hyundai uses those rotor screws, two per rotor. A 1/4 drill bit will pop the heads off in a couple seconds.
 
Fords use teh little clip that goes around one or two studs per corner. First time the tires are off I cut them off and away they go.

As you know, and probably a lot of other people on this site also, those clips keep the brake drums in place while the car is moving down the assembly line. The rotors and drums are put on earlier in the assembly process, but the tires are put on close to the end. Knowing union rules, if a brake drum would fall off halfway through the assembly line, the nearest guy wouldn't be allowed to reinstall it. ;)
Once the clips are removed by the tech or customer, only someone with OCD who really wants to keep the originality of the car will put them back on.
As far as the stuck drum or rotor, I agree with the comments about using a torch. I got roasted for giving out this advice years ago, but the roasters were the ones who had never tried it, or didn't have access to a torch. First, you have to have an oxy-acetylene torch. Your little, bitty hand-held mapp torch isn't going to do it. You also need to have a rosebud torch tip (actually two tips with two people works better) and you have to hit it with heat hard and fast. The intent is to get the rotor or drum hot really quick before the heat can transfer to the inner flange. And, like posted, you hit the area with heat between the studs, not the studs themself. Quite often, the rotor of drum will give out a "pop" as it releases. If it doesn't, a few taps with the two pound (or larger) hammer will loosen it with a couple of taps.
 
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