1997 Mounty Cant get rear rotors off

[bth]

Just bought the car and the rear brakes were never replaced. 60,000 miles and lots of rust.

I can get the rotors off. Is it just a manner of elbow grease vs. rust? Below is my current state:

Do I have to do anything to the parking brake? It's not on although maybe it's seized? I can rotate the axles very easily.

Anyone else have this experience as well?

 

[bth]

another view

 

[Electrohacker]

normally there's a star wheel to retract the e-brakes, but I'm not seeing it...

I'll be watching as I need to do mine.

maybe look up an e-brake thread

 

[ranger-93]

spray penetrating lube around the center hole of the rotor and hit the rotor between the studs with a hammer to break it loose. dont hit the studs or the rotor itself.

 

[bth]

So I dont need to mess with the parking brake at all?

 

[my pos mounty]

So I dont need to mess with the parking brake at all?

I circled the rubber plug you need to remove to get to the star wheel to back off the parking brake shoes. Otherwise, you could beat yourself to oblivion and still not get that rotor off.

 

[ranger-93]

I wouldnt think the e brake is stopping the rotor from coming off or at least not entirely cuz if it was seized up the rotor wouldnt turn. the rotor should spin freely unless e brake is on. but backing up the adjustment screw or star thing cant hurt anything.

 

[my pos mounty]

The OP claims that the brakes have not been changed in 60,000 miles. The parking brakes will wear grooves in the rotor, just as every brake shoe will over time. I would bet the farm that the grooves that the e-brake shoes wore into the rotor are preventing it from being removed. If it was only the "hub" of the axle being rusted to the rotor, it would only take a slight tap of a hammer to break it free.

Its not that the e-brake shoes are seized to the rotor, it is because they have worn a groove into it.

 

[bth]

THANK YOU! I'm calling it a night although i will tackle this advice first thing in the morning.

Again, thank you.

 

[Electrohacker]

also realize that drum brakes, even E-brake drums, are an interference fit. Meaning they apply slight force even when off!

 

[Xplorer82]

you shouldnt have to remove anything to get to anything, just makes for more work. Get a BFH and it'll come off. dont worry about "hurting/braking" the rotor. its getting changed anyway correct?

 

[bth]

so I just loosen up the star bolt some and go at it? That's my plan at least.

 

[my pos mounty]

you shouldnt have to remove anything to get to anything, just makes for more work. Get a BFH and it'll come off. dont worry about "hurting/braking" the rotor. its getting changed anyway correct?

Sure, you could beat it into submission if you have alot of frustration you want to rid yourself of.
Your right, it wont hurt anything......unless you miss and end up beating the crap out of the backing plate. Then you get the joy of trying to straighten it out while it is mounted to the axle.
OR, you can experience the real fun of opening up your rear diff to remove the axles and the backing plate.
I hope that your cross pin keeper bolt doesn't break on you.. oh and since your in that differential, why not replace those axle bearings and those seals...what? You found what looks like a gold sheen in that diff fluid? Oh, welllll, just replace those carrier bearings.

OR, you could spend a whopping 2 minutes backing the star wheel off and have that rotor just about pop off into your hand.

Choice is yours

 

[Xplorer82]

LoL. i dont see 95% of that happening and i never said beat the living **** out of it but, to each his own! took me 45 seconds to a minute to get mine off w/the trusty BFH and a steady hand (and they looked the same condition as his). just a few whacks will/should have it right off, if not then i would suggest your tip. done it on every vehicle i've owned.... No problems.

 

[my pos mounty]

I wasn't trying to be an A-hole, what I quoted was how it would happen to me if i tried it that way. Every time I try to use the "brute force" method of getting anything off my truck, its like dominoes, one easy task turns into a whole week of wrenching.
I once went to change a flat tire, and ended up rebuilding my entire rear end, from one side all the way thru to the other.
Took the tire off, saw the brakes looked like they could be replaced, couldn't get those darn rear rotors off (mine looked better than that pic), beat the snot out of them, then i found that rubber plug, actually thought to myself "huh, whats this for?" LOL
Pulled it out, backed off the star wheel and slid the damn thing right off. Thats when I noticed my axle seal was leaking.... well, you get the idea.

Please, to everyone that is going to do this in the future, do yourself a favor. Buy the new hardware kit when replacing the parking brake shoes. Makes life so easy and it only costs about 20 bucks. All new springs, clips and starwheel adjuster. Goes together that much easier.
I also buy the hardware kit every other time I replace the pads, its the caliper slide pins and the rubber boots.

 

[Xplorer82]

I wasn't trying to be an A-hole, what I quoted was how it would happen to me if i tried it that way. Every time I try to use the "brute force" method of getting anything off my truck, its like dominoes, one easy task turns into a whole week of wrenching.
I once went to change a flat tire, and ended up rebuilding my entire rear end, from one side all the way thru to the other.
Took the tire off, saw the brakes looked like they could be replaced, couldn't get those darn rear rotors off (mine looked better than that pic), beat the snot out of them, then i found that rubber plug, actually thought to myself "huh, whats this for?" LOL
Pulled it out, backed off the star wheel and slid the damn thing right off. Thats when I noticed my axle seal was leaking.... well, you get the idea.

Please, to everyone that is going to do this in the future, do yourself a favor. Buy the new hardware kit when replacing the parking brake shoes. Makes life so easy and it only costs about 20 bucks. All new springs, clips and starwheel adjuster. Goes together that much easier.
I also buy the hardware kit every other time I replace the pads, its the caliper slide pins and the rubber boots.

hope i didnt come off like a a-hole, didnt mean so if i did. i know you are a really knowledgeable guy which i have taken your advice before so i wasnt trying to criticize your advice. im having computer problems (shuts down on me randomly and only comes back on when it wants) so i had to hurry and type before it did it again.

that sucks about the rear end . i have luck like that to sometimes. just never had it happen while doing rotors (knocks on wood) so my motto is "get the BFH", but i can tell you i will use your tip if ever the need arises.

to the OP, dont be afraid to hit it a few times to see if it breaks free. if not take mounty's advice.