Rear brake rotor won't come off
#1
Rear brake rotor won't come off
Hi all,
I'm in the process of changing pads and rotors on all 4 wheels. I've done all brakes and rotors, except that I'm stuck on the driver rear. The driver rear rotor won't come off!
Here's what I've done so far: I've used the metric jack bolts (I didn't buy the long ones) and that freed up some rust, with pb blaster. Now, the rotor comes out a bit, and I'm able to move it around, and the rotor comes forward a little bit towards me. It's so wobblily that it seems like it is about to come out. The rotor isn't solid stuck on, like most threads I've read.
While hammering, I think a piece of hardware of the parking brake fell down on the ground. Do u think that the parking brake is not allowing the rotor to come off? If so, I was reading online that there is some way to release the parking brake via a hole though the rotor, but I'm really not familiar with this. I'm not even sure if it's the parking brake that's not allowing the rotor to come off.
Please help!! I need the car ASAP! Thanks guys!
I'm in the process of changing pads and rotors on all 4 wheels. I've done all brakes and rotors, except that I'm stuck on the driver rear. The driver rear rotor won't come off!
Here's what I've done so far: I've used the metric jack bolts (I didn't buy the long ones) and that freed up some rust, with pb blaster. Now, the rotor comes out a bit, and I'm able to move it around, and the rotor comes forward a little bit towards me. It's so wobblily that it seems like it is about to come out. The rotor isn't solid stuck on, like most threads I've read.
While hammering, I think a piece of hardware of the parking brake fell down on the ground. Do u think that the parking brake is not allowing the rotor to come off? If so, I was reading online that there is some way to release the parking brake via a hole though the rotor, but I'm really not familiar with this. I'm not even sure if it's the parking brake that's not allowing the rotor to come off.
Please help!! I need the car ASAP! Thanks guys!
#2
a brake shoe might be hung on the inner lip of the rotor. Through the service hole you can adjust the shoes to be tightened (expanding outwards to the rotor) or loosened (inwards towards the hub) You'll have to do some experimenting of which direction to rotate the spinning mechanism.
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prech (01-09-20)
#4
Driver School Candidate
I had this problem also - it sucks
Make sure parking brake is off - obviously.
Retract the parking brake through the service hole (diagram above) as much as possible and wiggle and pull.
Eventually the rust will break free from the rotor and the rotor will come off.
From now on I will change rear rotors every 2 years regardless of need.
Make sure parking brake is off - obviously.
Retract the parking brake through the service hole (diagram above) as much as possible and wiggle and pull.
Eventually the rust will break free from the rotor and the rotor will come off.
From now on I will change rear rotors every 2 years regardless of need.
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mikeachurr (09-06-22)
#5
Only reason to change your rear rotors really is if they wore unevenly due to a bad pad bed in, or they reached minimum thickness approximately 8.5mm. or roughly 1.5mm wear down from new.
As a preventative measure to help removal for the next rotor service, you can brush a little bit of anti-seize on the hub surface. A little goes a long way.
#6
Driver School Candidate
Quite excessive but its your money. On my 2002 RX the inner lip took about 12 years to form from using the parking brake.
Only reason to change your rear rotors really is if they wore unevenly due to a bad pad bed in, or they reached minimum thickness approximately 8.5mm. or roughly 1.5mm wear down from new.
As a preventative measure to help removal for the next rotor service, you can brush a little bit of anti-seize on the hub surface. A little goes a long way.
Only reason to change your rear rotors really is if they wore unevenly due to a bad pad bed in, or they reached minimum thickness approximately 8.5mm. or roughly 1.5mm wear down from new.
As a preventative measure to help removal for the next rotor service, you can brush a little bit of anti-seize on the hub surface. A little goes a long way.
#7
I've only seen one successful method that doesnt include using a bolt...but IMO dangerous. A guy was using a propane torch to heat up the rotor and knocked it from the backside with a dead blow hammer.
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#8
Thanks so much for your help guys. After struggling and struggling this early morning, I gave up. I didn't think it was rust, and was leaning towards the parking brake, and i was right. I took the car in to a tire shop, and the mechanic got out my old rotor and put in my new rotor for $55. Oh well...a price paid for getting rid of the headache I guess.
But if anyone reads this thread in the future, if your rear rotors are not coming off, consider the parking brake. I'm going to take off the rear wheel to see how it could seize up the rotor, and apply some anti-seize to the hub so that I won't have any issues in the future.
Now a new problem, that same wheel is making a constant, speed dependent, oscillating noise.
But if anyone reads this thread in the future, if your rear rotors are not coming off, consider the parking brake. I'm going to take off the rear wheel to see how it could seize up the rotor, and apply some anti-seize to the hub so that I won't have any issues in the future.
Now a new problem, that same wheel is making a constant, speed dependent, oscillating noise.
Last edited by CPMD; 06-11-15 at 11:10 AM.
#9
My guesses at this point is one of the parking brake shoes is dragging, the heat shield may have accidentally been bent rubbing against the rotor or just one of the pads are dragging at the moment since the new rotor install.
I'd just let it go for a week or so, in the event of a pad dragging. It should wear down enough after the pad has bedded in with the new rotor.
I'd just let it go for a week or so, in the event of a pad dragging. It should wear down enough after the pad has bedded in with the new rotor.
#10
My guesses at this point is one of the parking brake shoes is dragging, the heat shield may have accidentally been bent rubbing against the rotor or just one of the pads are dragging at the moment since the new rotor install.
I'd just let it go for a week or so, in the event of a pad dragging. It should wear down enough after the pad has bedded in with the new rotor.
I'd just let it go for a week or so, in the event of a pad dragging. It should wear down enough after the pad has bedded in with the new rotor.
Last edited by CPMD; 06-11-15 at 03:03 PM.
#11
if you think it is the parking brake, try using it a few times. The whole mechanism somewhat "floats" and may center itself. If it needs adjusting, refer to the earlier diagram...a small flat head will be needed to spin the adjuster. Since your mechanic removed the rotor, you should be able to pull it of easily and see the mechanism as a whole without using the service port and see the brake shoes move in or out depending on the direction you spin the adjuster. Check out some youtube videos on drum brake adjustments for further familiarity. Its quite easy.
#12
In your first post you said a piece of hardware fell off . Probably a hold down clip for the parking brake shoes . I would think the mechanic would have seen something out of whack and told you . Do you still have that piece of hardware that fell out ?
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prech (01-09-20)
#13
Now, I'm enjoying a quiet rx, which stops on a dime, with lightly tapping on the brake pedal. I'm very happy with the oem brake set up.
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prech (01-09-20)
#14
In reality adjusting the shoes can be really tricky if the screw is stuck.
You have to push very hard to have enough grip with the screw driver through the little hole in the rotor.
In the case you pull of rotor too roughly, you may bend the metal clips and bars holding the shoes on the place.
Altering their form may make them be in contact with the ends of tyre bolts that rotate over them.
a brake shoe might be hung on the inner lip of the rotor. Through the service hole you can adjust the shoes to be tightened (expanding outwards to the rotor) or loosened (inwards towards the hub) You'll have to do some experimenting of which direction to rotate the spinning mechanism.
Last edited by rns; 06-14-15 at 12:10 PM.
#15
Did you mean the clip that holds the shoes? Without it shoes move sideways and more or less will touch the wheel bearing?
In reality adjusting the shoes can be really tricky if the screw is stuck.
You have to push very hard to have enough grip with the screw driver through the little hole in the rotor.
In the case you pull of rotor too roughly, you may bend the metal clips and bars holding the shoes on the place.
Altering their form may make them be in contact with the ends of tyre bolts that rotate over them.
In reality adjusting the shoes can be really tricky if the screw is stuck.
You have to push very hard to have enough grip with the screw driver through the little hole in the rotor.
In the case you pull of rotor too roughly, you may bend the metal clips and bars holding the shoes on the place.
Altering their form may make them be in contact with the ends of tyre bolts that rotate over them.