Brake Rotor Froze on Hub

[Lazzman]

I was changing the front brakes on my '98 sport today and it was going well. left side was up and out and back on in no time.

Right side rotor will not come off, used PB blaster, a 3lb hammer and a 10lb sledge hammer and it did not budge a milimeter. I think this might have something to do with tightening the lugs nuts a while back with my new Milawaukee Impact wrench, think I might have put it on to tight.

Any way what should I do to get this thing off?

If worse comes to worse I will have to purhase a new hub and junk the old one with the old rotor as they are mated together.

PLEASE HELP, THIS SUCKS!!!

I need my vehicle for the weekend.

Lazz

 

[Turdle]

If the rotor doesn't have one of those little speed nuts on a stud holding it-

I think you need to hit harder.

rotate the rotor 1/2 turn every whack, so it will "walk off" the hub.

 

[Jd0gg919]

A little heat probably wouldnt hurt either.

 

[Dan Whitaker]

A little heat probably wouldnt hurt either.

I wouldn't use a butane torch or any kind of torch. There is a good chance you will cook the grease in the bearing hub and they don't come cheap.

 

[chance942]

"Tap" the center of the hub also as you're pounding it out. I hope you're using wood or planning on installing a new rotor. Tap it from the rotor's outside diamenter too. There is a lot of play between lugs. Just get it moving and it'll walk off. Using an impact for final torque is no good!

 

[chance942]

I wouldn't use a butane torch or any kind of torch. There is a good chance you will cook the grease in the bearing hub and they don't come cheap.

Damn skippy,not worth the risk in my book! $150 a piece,I'll pass on that

 

[Lazzman]

This thing was rusted frozen to the hub, it hurt but I opted to replace the hub assembly to fix the problem.

Picked one up at pep boys with a 1yr warranty for $123.00, kind of a bummer that the one it replaced was a 2yr old Timkin that I paid $185 for.

Anyway I got the thing bolted up and put back on quickly.

I installed Summit Racing Drilled and Slotted Rotors at $67 a piece, very nice build quality BTW and EBC Green Stuff 7000 series SUV pads for $95. Truck brakes very nice now.

A word to the wise do not use an impact wrench to tighten your lug nuts, I am sure this it was froze the rotor to the hub. The Milwaukee impact wrench I used was very strong (325ft lbs) and it is hard to tell how tight the nut is actually getting once the hammering starts. I know on some of the lugs I could not get them off with the tire iron. This is way past the 100 or so ft lbs that is spec.

I have had the rotors off my truck on 5 occasions and they usually come right off, this was the first time they did not. The hub and rotor were so welded together I could not get them seperated even after removal from the axle and many blows from a 10lb sledge

 

[chance942]

That sucks

You can still use your impact. Just look into getting some torque limiters for it. Or like you say don't let it start hammering.

 

[04gixxer6]

My rear rotors would not come off for anything. I tried PB blaster and hammers but in the end I had to take it to a friends house and have him heat them with a torch while i tapped it with a hammer. They popped right off. Just be carefull not to melt the seals. I was replacing the seals anyway so I didnt worry.

Good luck

Oh and use anti seize on the inside of the new rotors so they wont stick the next time.

 

[techieman33]

My rear rotors would not come off for anything. I tried PB blaster and hammers but in the end I had to take it to a friends house and have him heat them with a torch while i tapped it with a hammer. They popped right off. Just be carefull not to melt the seals. I was replacing the seals anyway so I didnt worry.

Good luck

Oh and use anti seize on the inside of the new rotors so they wont stick the next time.

DO NOT use anti seize on the inside of the rotor. That is your emergency brake so don't go messing with it's ability to keep your truck from moving.

 

[04gixxer6]

DO NOT use anti seize on the inside of the rotor. That is your emergency brake so don't go messing with it's ability to keep your truck from moving.

I only put it where it touches the face of the axle and on the lug nuts. LOL, not all the way around the inside. =)

 

[techieman33]

I only put it where it touches the face of the axle and on the lug nuts. LOL, not all the way around the inside. =)

Ok, that's fine, but there are a lot of people who might have read that and slathered it all over the drum.

 

[04gixxer6]

Ok, that's fine, but there are a lot of people who might have read that and slathered it all over the drum.

Good point. I guess I didnt think anyone would be that dumb.

I'll be more specific in the future.