How to remove front rotor?

Dragstr05 · Nov 18, 2006

This is what I quickly started liking about mitsubishis cause they put 2 holes in the rotor so you can use 2 bolts and run them in against the hub and rotor comes right off.

OK, as for your problem, you really shouldnt have this much trouble. Occassionally, this will happen and I've had my own experience of beating the snot out of a rotor before it comes off. If I walked into your situation now, I would screw the lug nuts on (if they arent on there already, to protect the threads on the studs), get a nice and heavy 5lb hammer and beat the living ***** out of it. Trust me, it will come off.

EDIT: BTW is this the front or rear? I cannot say for certain because I've never had the rear rotors of a mustang off, but I do know the calipers are a screw type and it was always my belief that that was due to using the calipers for the e-brake. But I have down countless rear brake jobs where there was a drum assembly inside the rotor as the e-brake. Please tell me if its the rear you dont have the parking brake engaged...

Kilgore Trout · Nov 18, 2006

There is no mini drum brake inside the rear disk brake on 99-04 Mustangs. I believe that the F-150s are like that though.

Dragstr05 · Nov 18, 2006

Kilgore Trout said:
There is no mini drum brake inside the rear disk brake on 99-04 Mustangs. I believe that the F-150s are like that though.

As I said I wasnt certain, thanks for making that clear.

urban96 · Nov 19, 2006

you need a bigger hammer

DanTheCobraMan · Nov 19, 2006

Okay, I upgraded to a 4lb hammer. I can only go so big because I only have a limited amount of space to work with inside the wheel well. The SOB is still not budging. It's almost like the rotor and hub have become 1 piece. I suspect the idiot who did the brakes last time didn't put on any anti-seize. So out of curiosity, I call the local PepBoys. They want $99 per front tire to remove the rotor. Can you believe that? No way in hell am I paying $200 to have the flippin rotors removed. But I may not have a choice. The problem is that I don't have enough leverage to really whack at hit hard enough. I then thought about wedging a block of wood against the back of the rotor and the frame of the car and using the power steering to break it lose, but didn't want to risk breaking anything.

Any other advice guys? I'm desperate. I do not want to give someone my hard earned $200 just to remove the rotors. I can't believe what they charge for labor in So Cal these days...

Shiroelex · Nov 19, 2006

The little clips are called tinneman clips, and they will be slipped over the stud, slid all the way down to the rotor hat. If you don't have these clips on, then spray the center part liberally with PB Blaster, and let it soak for a while. After that's sat for a while, smack the top of the rotor hard a few times with quick, sharp blows, and it should loosen up. Good luck!

Kilgore Trout · Nov 19, 2006

Use a good dead blow hammer on the side of the rotor hat.

DanTheCobraMan · Nov 19, 2006

There are no clips. The problem is that rotor hat is very narrow, I'm actually starting to flatten down the edge of the had with the hammer. The 4lb hammer is even harder because it's got a larger surface area. What effect does hitting the rotor hat perpendicular to the way the rotor will come off have? Hitting it from behind makes sense. Is it like the same idea of hitting a bottle against the counter to break it loose? Should I be under the car when whacking it from behind? Right now, I'm trying to whack it from on top. I'm simply not able to get enough leverage to hit it hard enough. Very frustrating.

Kilgore Trout · Nov 19, 2006

A dead blow hammer transmits force more effectively. Harbor Freight sells them cheap ($20 is cheap for a good dead blow)

Mustang5L5 · Nov 19, 2006

You gotta hit it from behind. Get a small 2x4 or block of wood, put it on the backside of the rotor where the caliper used to be and whack the hell out of it with a 5-lb sledge

n0v8or · Nov 19, 2006

I don't swing my block of wood like a baseball bat. I use it like a battering ram, usually from the opposite side of the car. A 2x4 will work too. You might have to turn the wheels to the right or left for best angle of attack. Whack the end of the 2x4 a few times with your sledge, rotate the rotor, and repeat. A toolbox or blocks of wood come in handy to keep one end of the 2x4 lined up with the space where the rotor is exposed.

I like your wooden wedge-power steering idea, but have never tried it. Make sure if the wood shifts out of place, it can't damage a body panel or fluid line. Also thread on 2 of the lug nuts a few turns to keep the rotor from flying off. Seems like it would be a lot easier on the wheel bearing than hammering.

Striking the side assumes the lug and spindle holes are oversize, so there is some play. You are trying to shear the rotor-to-hub bond rather than push it apart.

urban96 · Nov 19, 2006

i hit mine from the outside near the outer edge of the rim. took like a min or two of good wacks b4 it poped lose. definatly spin the rotor as your hitting it

if its still not budging use some heat (propane torch)

GodAmGT00 · Nov 19, 2006

After reading it, I think you should just "man up," and beat the sh-t out of the rotors. I'm not talking "Bang-bang." I'm talking, get a good 2-3ft swing arc, and beat the hell out of the rotors. They're $25 a piece, and are useless to you right now..

I've had some real hairy, stuck on rotors, but there was never a rotors, that stayed stuck, w/ some serious BFH Persuasion..

Maybe this sounds stupid, and don't feel insulted, but, are you sure you the caliper brackets off?? Do you know for a fact that the rotors are coming off straight??

JT

DanTheCobraMan · Nov 19, 2006

Okay guys, finally got. The dead blow hammer did the trick. Thanks for the advice! The nice thing about the dead blow is that it's also rubberized so I didn't need the block of wood to protect the rotor which was a pain to hold while hammering. I got under the car and just whacked the living daylights out of it and it finally broke lose. I still can't believe how difficult it was. I'm going to make darn sure I put that anti-seize on. Any particular brand I should get?

Thanks again guys for not giving up on me and keep encouraging me. Just saved me $200 in unnecessary labor!

n0v8or · Nov 19, 2006

Wire brush or sand off the surface corrosion on both the hub and where the rotor contacts it before applying anti-sieze. Any high temperature nickel-based brand should work.

Kraw · Oct 5, 2007

what about a copper based anti-seize? that's all Oreily had

good thread BTW, It helped me remove mine. Driver side came off easy, had to PB and whack the pax side. Was a PITA

How to remove front rotor?

Dragstr05

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Kilgore Trout

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urban96

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Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

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How to remove front rotor?

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That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

bubb rubb says:"woo woooooo"

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