Stuck brake rotors

[numbnuts240]

i've never come across rotors that are so seized on. i've tried hammers, from run of the mill claw hammer, to mini sledge, to angry full sized sledge. it's been doused with penetrating fluid.

i tried the nut and bolt method:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMuHKDI0 ... BenEytalis[/youtube]

where am i left? the disc is a bit warped now, both bolts from the above method sheared and are now stuck. before i go ahead and call around to some junkyards for replacement spindle/hub assemblies, does anyone else have any other ideas to try?

[rgregoryb]

Put the wheel and tire back on leaving some looseness and hit the tire with the sledge hammer and beware of rebound. If you had an old wheel that would work also.

[BusyBadger]

...to angry full sized sledge...

I'm sorry for your problems, but this made me laugh out loud...because I've been there with other "projects". The Army trained me in the "use a bigger hammer" school of thought.

In any case, you've tried everything I've thought of (and more). What pen fluid(s) did you use?

[numbnuts240]

What pen fluid(s) did you use?

kroil and pb.

[centralcoaster33]

That is an interesting video. I thought I knew the 'nut and bolt' method and used it. I was wrong I guess because I've never ran bolts through the knuckle to push on the rotor. What I have done, is found the correct bolt to match the threads of the extra holes in the brake rotor. Then screw that bolt in until it pushes the rotor off of the hub. Is that what you did and now have sheared bolts in the holes? I think that is my last resort. So, I would have to extract those sheared bolts and try over again. This is also a hole where you could spray more PB Blaster. Have you sprayed the back, to get into and between the hub and rotor? There is heat method. I don't know about that near bearings though and I've yet to try it for a rotor. I suppose you could torch the rotor on one side while whacking the other with your sledge? The heat would mostly be absorbed by the rotor I suppose.

[numbnuts240]

no threaded holes in the rotors, which i why i had to resort to using the caliper mount holes on the spindle itself. and now there are short lengths of bolt stuck in those holes. penetrating fluid was sprayed everywhere. i found a pair of spindle assemblies at a junkyard for $95 each. i'm hoping they'll be extra lazy when removing them from the donor car and include all the brake stuff too. i won't use them, but having spares for emergencies or cores never hurts.

long story short, my gf is learning a valuable lesson about the importance of preventative maintenance. or at least speaking up sooner so i can take care of it while it's not a nightmare.

[BusyBadger]

long story short, my gf is learning a valuable lesson about the importance of preventative maintenance. or at least speaking up sooner so i can take care of it while it's not a nightmare.

Ah! I was wondering what the back story was, didn't seem like you. I just figured you picked up an old car and were in the process of making it right before flipping it.

[Buzzman]

Put the wheel and tire back on leaving some looseness and hit the tire with the sledge hammer and beware of rebound. If you had an old wheel that would work also.

Had similar problems up here in the rust belt known as Canada.
I went one step further: put the wheel back on, Leave the lug nuts slightly loose, as you said, but then lower the car to the ground.
Put the full weight of the car on the wheel.
First try just rocking the car side to side, and if that doesn't work, then very slowly drive it a few feet back and forth.
You'll hear it snap when the seal is broken between the rotor and backing plate.
This has worked for me in the past, and I didn't break any studs.
Good luck.

[frapjap]

I second the "use a bigger hammer" method.

If you can safely jack it up high enough, hit it from the rear with said hammers. Also try a torch.
The last time this happened to me, I beat the s*** out of it with a sledge and 2x4 as a buffer.

[numbnuts240]

the next larger size hammer would just be a wrecking ball. i was swinging a 10lb sledge at it. i quit there out of fear of becoming overzealous and causing additional damage.

[centralcoaster33]

Holy Crap! Maybe you can drill and thread some holes? Freeze the hub with liquid nitrogen? Get a grinder and cut that rotor in half or along the perimeter of the hub? Cut the corner off and poke a chisel in there? Hang the car by the rotors and use it like a wrecking ball into another actual wrecking ball? You have five lug hubs? So nineties! Go four lug and start a trend! I usually have lot's of bad ideas, but this is a stumper.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

For super stubborn s*** like that, I've done the screw-press method plus the giant angry sledge method. Combining methods seems to work. I've also combined with the torch.

[numbnuts240]

well i got them off. mostly. i was fed up and went ahead with the new spindles. they even came with rotors, that were stuck on. wtf. since they were not installed on a car, i put some extra lug nuts i had in the garage on the studs and beat the ever loving piss out of the junkyard rotors. they eventually lost, and not my forearms are sore.

removed the original spindles:



then, i wanted satisfaction. with the old spindles off the car, there was no risk of additional damage to the car, and i could go full swing with the big sledge. this happened:



yeah, the center part of the disc is still stuck to the hub. so i attacked the other one:



success! so after a good helping of anti-seize, which left me looking like i finger banged the tin man, brakes were done



what did i learn after all this?

[rgregoryb]

Good grief, that is unbelievable. Good job!

[PapaSmurf2k3]

WOW!
I thought I had it rough when I had to use the grinder to grind down the lip of the rotor to get the caliper off.

My hat is off to you sir. Keep on fighting the good fight.