Stuck brake rotors

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Jun 2, 2009
Messages
2,158
Location
Wisconsin
I am trying to change my brakes and am to the point where I need to take the rotors off. But I can't get it off. It has one screw and I took that out without problem. But the rotor just won't detach from the hub. I've hit the front and back with a hammer. Nothing.

Any suggestions?
 
Tap the back side, rotate 90 degrees and tap again. Keep tapping and rotating, maybe increase the tapping force and the rotor should come off.

To avoid this problem in the future, clean the hub from rust and apply a thin coat of antisieze or brake grease.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: wallyuwl
I am trying to change my brakes and am to the point where I need to take the rotors off. But I can't get it off. It has one screw and I took that out without problem. But the rotor just won't detach from the hub. I've hit the front and back with a hammer. Nothing.
Any suggestions?


What vehicle, and front or back?
 
What kind of vehicle is this? If you removed all retaining screws then you will have to beat on it harder with a hammer, but the best place to hit it is not on the face where the pads sit. Generally you want to hit the part that sits against the hub between the studs (just be careful not to hit and damage the studs). Get yourself a nice heavy hammer and keep hitting it real hard in the area between the studs and keep turning and repeating till it cracks free. It might not sound like it will work beating on it there, but it always works best for me
smile.gif
 
spray the hub to rotor gap with PB blaster and let it soak for 1/2 hr...hammer the rotor face moderately evenly and then re-soak again for another 1/2hr (time permitting).

After a couple of soaking, give it a nice "wack" on the rotor surface close to the hub part and it will fall right off.

(also: soak the wheel bolt to rotor area with PB blaster as well)

Q.
 
I gave myself a sore elbow beating on one with a good size ball peen from awkward angles for way to long. I finally drilling and tapped a hole in the rotor and put a bolt through where I could put something behind the rotor to push on. 3 turns of the bolt at a few taps and it popped off.
I'd guess there was a few hundred pounds of force on the rotor from the bolt before it finally let go. I did use antisieze on the new rotor!
 
If you have an Autozone nearby you can rent a three jaw puller. Clamp it on the edges and center the bolt on the axle end/hub, tighten down some, hammer on back of rotor, tighten more, keep repeating. Just watch your shins, some of those really stubborn ones release with a fair amount of energy.
 
Also, if it's a rear rotor with an integrated parking brake, make sure the parking brake isn't engaged.

Like Memphis mentioned, some rotors have threaded holes in them where you can thread a bolt in to push the rotor away from the hub.
 
+303030
on the threaded holes..
If you have those its very easy.
just thread in 2 bolts and start tightening them down

I usually use allen bolts as I have a bunch at work.
 
I had a similar problem. I used a combination of PB Blaster, Kroil, heat and hitting it with a rubber mallet. They came off. The heat was a propane torch applied around the stud area until it was good and warm/hot (I didn't "sit" on it with the torch, just gave it a good few minute warm-up).

It took a few cycles of penetrant and heat and bopping with the rubber hammer, but in the end I got all four off. They were all stuck.

Heat expands things, see my sig.
 
Last edited:
I once had rotors stuck so bad that I had to hammer them hard enough to break them into pieces. Good advice above, but be prepared for anything.
 
I just hit it harder several times, rotated, repeated for about five minutes. It eventually broke loose. The other one wasn't nearly as bad. Put some anti-seize on the hug and the bolts that hold the caliper on.
 
Get your angle grinder out with a thin cutting disk, cut a wedge out of the rotor, and let it have it with a BFH and cold chisel.
 
If you or anyone decides to hit the area where the pads sit front and back, make 100% sure you are wearing eye protection. A very good friend of mine used to do it this way and never liked wearing eye protection and one day a hunk broke off and the projectile flew right into one of his eyes... he ended up losing an eye. This is the main reason I never do it this way anymore, plus hitting between the studs works so much faster. I have yet to work on one that I could not remove this way. Mainly just be safe.
 
Originally Posted By: 137_Trenton
If you or anyone decides to hit the area where the pads sit front and back, make 100% sure you are wearing eye protection. A very good friend of mine used to do it this way and never liked wearing eye protection and one day a hunk broke off and the projectile flew right into one of his eyes... he ended up losing an eye. This is the main reason I never do it this way anymore, plus hitting between the studs works so much faster. I have yet to work on one that I could not remove this way. Mainly just be safe.


I hit between the studs when I started hitting it harder. Good advice, though.
 
Put a nut and bolt through the caliper bracket. I would use thicker and shorter hardened bolts, full thread with hardened nuts and washers from any hardware store.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top