Changing brake rotors - too much rust | Page 2 | Ford Explorer Forums

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Changing brake rotors - too much rust

Don't mean to threadjack, but I can't justify creating a new thread for this.

I just got the brakes reassembled (new rotors + pads), and, when I turn the rotor by hand, it sounds like the pads (or p-brake shoes) are rubbing. System's been bled, and the p-brake's off. I'm thinking I just need to adjust the p-brake shoes back a bit. Anyone have a suggestion?
 



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Well you can either wait till the pbrake wears enough so it doesn't rub or if you look on the backside of the dust shield behind the rear tires there is a small rubber plug at the bottom, take the plug off and there is a little gear in there you can turn with a screw driver to adjust the parking brakes, adjust them just till they're not rubbing.
 






Yeah, I made a couple calls, and everyone suggested I drive it a bit before I adjust it. I think what I was hearing was the "fuzz" on the new pads needing to be burned off.

It's stopping like a champ now. thanks for the help.
 






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.


This is exactly what my problem was...i spent 4 hours torching and whacking away at the rotor...wouldnt budge.....saw this and the 2nd rear rotor i did came off in less than 5 min. Thanks a lot Dan, really helped me out.
 






RIGHT on the MONEY !!!

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.

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:::thumbsup:

I had HEATED the rotor, for 30 minutes or more, and sprayed some, with PB Blaster, through the lug bolt holes and the center.....no move...... I searched the forum some more, finally found THIS, and voila, I did JUST as you described SOAKING through the lug bolt holes, and then beating at 4 points around the drum portion of the rotor, and off she popped !!!! THANKS THANKS THANKS
JimJensen
St. Augustine, FL
96 Explorer EB AWD 5.0 166k miles 1 owner
 






So I was having the same issue, the way I found was to take a bolt from the rear caliper and went to the hardware store and got a longer bolt and tightened till the rotor popped off. To Attempt prevent this from happening again i sanded the rust down and put some anti-rust paint on them. And anti-seize on the rotor and studs.
 






To Attempt prevent this from happening again i sanded the rust down and put some anti-rust paint on them. And anti-seize on the rotor and studs.

Been there. Done that. Didn't work.
 






A thin coat of anti seize around the hub flange and base of the wheel studs is the best preventative measure.

If you look closely at the rotor and hub after removal, that's where most corrosion and seizing occurs.
 






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