Changing brake rotors - too much rust

[Heuster]

Okay, bought my 97 Mountaineer from Boston...there is normal rust for 70k miles when I bought it but I don't think the rotors have EVER been off. I went to change out the refar ones cause one of them is pretty scored and I couldn't get them off. I called all over the place and couldn't get anyone that knew anything or could help me. I think that the rotor should just slip off the rear and front but I'm not sure. If anyone can explain this aspect that would be great.

The other thing that I need help with is once I know how it comes off...I need to know how to break the rust so that I can actually get it off. I tried PB Blaster and let it sit for hours, but it didn't help. I used a block of wood and pounded on the center and on the outside to try and break it free but no luck. The only thing I can come up with is heat...get a plumers torch and heat it up enough to get it off. Even then...can you tell me WHERE to heat it so that I don't ruin something?

Any help you have would be appreciated!!!!

 

[Dan Whitaker]

You need to rent a 3 jaw puller to get the rear rotors off. You need one with a min 12" spread.

There is a pilot hole in the center of the hub for the shaft of the puller to set in.

I

 

[Heuster]

You need to rent a 3 jaw puller to get the rear rotors off. You need one with a min 12" spread.

There is a pilot hole in the center of the hub for the shaft of the puller to set in.

I

Any chance you know where to buy them online for cheap? I've looked but none of them say they have a 12" spread.

http://www2.northerntool.com/product-1/200337321.htm

 

[Nocturnall]

you adjust the brake so it's not holding onto the inside of the rotor?

 

[Heuster]

you adjust the brake so it's not holding onto the inside of the rotor?

The parking brake? I had the brake caliper etc off the rotor...I'm not sure how to make sure the parking brake isn't affecting the rotor besides making sure the parking brake isn't set

Sorry, just a wanna-be Elite Explorer here

 

[Dan Whitaker]

you adjust the brake so it's not holding onto the inside of the rotor?

I've experienced the same problem. In AZ you will not have this problem.
If you live where it snows and salt is used this is common.

Heuster, be prepared to pay $150 plus for the jaw puller you need. Any place that rents mowers, concrete saws & such should have them and run about $15-20 for a day.

 

[Dan Whitaker]

The parking brake? I had the brake caliper etc off the rotor...I'm not sure how to make sure the parking brake isn't affecting the rotor besides making sure the parking brake isn't set

Sorry, just a wanna-be Elite Explorer here

There is a rubber plug on the bottom of the backing plate. Pop it off & you will see the adjuster. The parking brake is a miniature drum brake system. Just turn the star adjuster to back them off.

I guarantee that since your Mounty was a Boston vehicle you will need the jaw puller.

 

[nolimitssjca]

Most better auto parts stores loan tools for a deposit.

 

[Nocturnall]

parking brake is inside the rotor not linked to the caliper, should also pick up a haynes manual for your truck.

http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs...D=231000000&productId=2007839&catalogId=10101

$63

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/12-3...120132421519QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVWQQtcZphoto


And couldn't the ebrake hold the rotor on if it were stuck or there was excessive dust or something? Mine were jammed stuck to the inside of the rotor and I never used it and the wheels spun I thought freely. The shoes were just bare metal and were all that held the rotor on once the caliper was taken off. Granted my vehicle is also from Massachuesetts.

 

[gijoecam]

What commonly happens on the rear is that the e-brake shoes allow a lip of rust to build up around the lip of the drum. When that happens, the rotor will pull out about 1/8 of an inch, but spring back when released. To fix that, you have to manually adjust the shoes away from the drum and it'll slide off.

Now, if rust has it seized to the hub/axle, you must first break it loose. Run to the local Auto Zone, rent a large 3-jaw puller, install it on the offending rotor, and crankt it down as tight as you can make it. Odds are it still will not come loose. Now, with all that pressure on it, give the rotor a good whack or three. I've never had one take more than a whack or two using the puller.

Good luck!

-Joe

 

[Nocturnall]

When I did my ex's rotors which were REALLY rusted on I put the puller on, put as much pressure on as I dared and then just left it, went to the front and worked on the front and the rotor would come flying off after about 5mins. Also when I did mine I just ripped the rotor off the ebrake because the adjuster would not budge so it was either that or I dunno what and I got the spring action your talking about. I got the adjuster moving once I took the rotor off and adjusted it all the way in since I hadn't thought to buy shoes to replace the worn ones when I was purchasing the other parts.

 

[Dan Whitaker]

Run to the local Auto Zone, rent a large 3-jaw

The parts store where I live did not have a 3 jaw puller large enough. That's why I went to a rental place.

 

[762mm]

I've had the same problem on my 99, and here in eastern Canada the rust is unforgiving (tons of salt + calcium in winter). After you back the parking brake all the way you can to a closed position, you have to spray PB blaster or some other product that breaks rust onto the hub and into the bolt holes to get it to free up as much rust as possible on the inside of the rotor (the rotor is fused into the face of the hub-thing with a lot of rust, this is what keeps it from sliding off).

I spoke with a Ford mechanic before I did mine, and he says that at Ford they never actually removed them in one piece, rather they would cut the rotors with a torch and remove them, then install new ones. He did tell me that to remove it without cutting would imply spraying as much PB Blaster as you can into the bolt holes, then giving it approx 15 minutes to work its' way through, and then using a small sledge hammer to hit the rotor on the flat surface that goes around the hub (the mini-drum that shields the parking brake inside of it - see the attached picture I've made in "paint" - you're supposed to hit it with the big hammer where the arrows are pointing, on all sides of the drum). Once you start giving it some good blows with the hammer (not though wood, you really need to break this sonofab*tch up with a lot of vibration), it will eventually become loose and slide off... I did mine just like that on all 4 sides, and this trick worked very well... now I'm kicking around with 4 new rotors and all it cost me to put them on is the price of a can of PB Blaster (I already had the hammer, hehe). Good luck, I also thought for a while it was impossible to do it myself, but it can be done if you do it this way.

 

[gijoecam]

Just to add one thing: Before you start swinging the hammer, reinstall the nuts on the studs to protect against errant hammer blows.

Ok, add two things.... To prevent this from happening again, clean both surfaces thoroughly with a wire wheel to remove the residual rust, then coat the mating surfaces with plain old anti-seize. It'll make subsequent removals MUCH easier. I've always applied it during the first tire rotation, and never had to pound a rotor off a hub or axle.

-Joe

 

[762mm]

Yup, you're absolutely right.. I did hit one bolt with a poorly aimed hammer, but luckily it did not damage it... the thread got a bit mangled, but when I put the tire back on, I used a small 230 ft/lb air hammer to reinstall the nut, and it restored the threads to a working condition again. But I agree 100% that damage can be done if one is not careful.

As for the anti seize, I didn't have any at the time, so I've put some high heat bearing grease on the inside of the hub where the rust initially fused the old rotors into place - a very thin coat of grease so that it doesn't interfere with the brakes and get them greasy, lol... I hope that will help if I ever have to do the job again. It was a big PITA, but I'm glad I did it...

 

[Dan Whitaker]

Ok, add two things.... To prevent this from happening again, clean both surfaces thoroughly with a wire wheel to remove the residual rust, then coat the mating surfaces with plain old anti-seize. It'll make subsequent removals MUCH easier. I've always applied it during the first tire rotation, and never had to pound a rotor off a hub or axle.

That is what I did a couple of months ago when I did the rear brakes

 

[skoal_mint]

If you have a torch on had it makes it a piece of cake, heat it up for 2 minutes and hit it with a hammer, I have to do that lots and the same goes for trucks bush trucks that come to the shop....and wear safety glasses, hitting rust with a hammer causes ALOT of flying shards

 

[Explrr96XLT]

I just changed my rotors a couple of months ago and had the same problem. They were rusted on there pretty nicely. I just used the poor man's solution to get them off. Went into my garage, grabbed my little sledge and bagged the crap out of the until they came off. Just make sure you hit the rotor!

 

[Heuster]

Update on rusted rotors

Ok gentlemen,

Thank you all for your replys - here is my update:

I called around to all the Checkers and Autozones, but all the 3-jaw pullers they had were all for gears and too small for a brake rotor. So, I went to the local equipement rental place and they had one that was perfect for the job. I tried the sledge hammer prior to using the puller just to see if I could get it to break loose, but no luck...on went the puller. once the shaft tightened in the pilot hole, about a full turn later the rotor came sliding off the axel shaft. Worked like a charm. I anti-seazed everything and put the new rotor on...used it on the other rear wheel and that one came off while I was putting the puller on (it got scared of what I did to the opposite rotor). Any who, new brakes, and rotors on the rear. Thanks for all of your input and help. BTW - the puller cost me 10 bucks...well worth it.

 

[Manix]

I'm doing my wife's rear brakes on her '01 Sport 2WD, and this is exactly the answer I needed. This should definitely get stickied.