Brake Rotors Rusted On... help

[zeke2230]

2000, 155k and I'm replacing rotors and pads... I've soaked the rotors with PB for a few hours and taken a 2 lb sledge to try to free them and still no movement. Any tricks out there to get them off?

Thanks.

Z

[Fairmonco]

Try a bigger hammer....usually works wonders.

[CanMan]

If your replacing the rotors, beat the crap out of them anyways to get them off. If you have access to some sort of torch, heat them up around the hat, just a bit, it might help.

[Fred85]

hit them from the inside outward with a BFH, be merciless since they're being trashed anyway......then drink beer

[zeke2230]

Seems like the thread is unanimous on force... what are the risks though? Can I screw up the hub? Got no problem wailing away, but want to keep my $'s in my pocket and not the parts store...

[Monkey55]

Seems like the thread is unanimous on force... what are the risks though? Can I screw up the hub? Got no problem wailing away, but want to keep my $'s in my pocket and not the parts store...
Yep.. Just pound it. They "should" come off easy. There isn't too much surface area for the rust to hold on to.. Check the wheel studs, they may be rusted to the rotor. Tap/Hit the the rotor in different spots to help break it loose. Your hub will be ok as long as you don't take a sledge hammer to it.. ;)

Oh yeah, make sure the wheels and calipers are off before trying to remove the rotors. :laugh3:

Elias

[Yucca-Man]

You don't have the factory assembly clips on there still, do ya?

[Frank Z]

Heat up the hat section with a torch, propane will work just fine, then comense tapping with favorite BFH....after ensuring that the retainers have infact been removed.;)

[Weasel]

You don't have the factory assembly clips on there still, do ya?

been there, done that. ;)

[zeke2230]

Ummm... retainers? Anyone got a photo and a description of the location of those puppies? Haven't taken anything but the caliper and pads off to this point... and Haynes doesn't mention retainer clips...

Beginning to realize God created auto repair to instill humility... right after marriage...

[Yucca-Man]

The factory uses one or two small metal clips on each rotor during assembly to hold them on. They're just a small metal ring that presses onto the stud - nothing major but they'll cause exactly the problem you are having.

[thebrick]

I have a 2000 XJ...replaced the front rotors and pads a few months ago...had the same problem as you. You basically have to be the h-ll out of them to get them off.

Oh yeah, are you sure you have the right rotors...most autopart stores list two versions of the rotor...on composite with a hat height of 3-1/16" (if I remember right) and a solid cast rotor with a hat height of 3-3/16".

Good luck.

[RichP]

Before you start whacking an wailing on the rotor stick two lug nuts back on for a few turns, your toes and other body parts will love you for it... especially when it finally does break loose.
Smack it from behind, turn it as you go, it will eventually come loose..
When you remove it use a wire brush or 3m wheel to clean all the rust off that was behind it, then apply a very thin coat of copper based anti-seize, the copper stuff holds up better to the high temps than the aluminum based.

[jaymo]

Good advice RichP. Also before you beat the crap out of it , Take a wire wheel to the hub and get as much of the rust out of the way. You may break that rusty seal doing so.

[Rev Den]

The correct way to do this is to smack it "sharply" between each of the wheel studs...it will come right off.

Beating on it from the back with force will get it off....but it can also destroy the unit bearing.

HTH

Rev

[CJ~Abuzer]

Beginning to realize God created auto repair to instill humility... right after marriage...



:roflmao:



Sorry for the off topic remark but that was hilarious. Good luck with the rotor.


If all else fails you could maybe get a large puller (like a harmonic balancer puller maybe) and hook it up.

[zj to xj]

heat and beat heat and beat, Rust has incredible welding effects. Makes sure your clips are off and heat the hat and hammer it around the rotor between lugs as said. just hammer a little everywhere to break the rust bond, you'll get there. I have seen brake drums so welded on it takes hours of heating them and beating them off, that same drum broke a drum pulling tool, but with heat and patience she came off. !!!1

[NighthawkXJ]

A very old trick my father taught me with these brake rotors and drums is water. Water caused the rust, and believe it or not, water will help get it off. Get a couple of gallons of hot hot hot water, and pour on your rotor, if you can get as much between the rotor and hub as you can, then use the heat, and beat. The hot water will start loosening the rust, then heat will expand the metal, and the beating will get it off.

With drums, fill the drum as much as you can with water, at times we have had to pull the axel out and turn it on end, then put it in a bucket (cherry pickers are handy) then when it is full, heat, and it would just fall off.

I know this is the hard way, and is the last ditch effort, but hey, it works.

A large puller can also work some times too.

[RichP]

Water, the universal solvent. It works because the water gets in behind the parts and applying a torch causes the water to expand and pop the thing off. Just watch the steam and don't let it burn you...

[stevez]

Are these the rotors with the a little factory clip on the wheel stud that you need to remove first?

[CJ~Abuzer]

Are these the rotors with the a little factory clip on the wheel stud that you need to remove first?

This has already been brought up in this thread a few times.:read:

[zeke2230]

Well... my 14 year old helped and what worked was a combination of all the advice given (less the torch). The old rotors were crumbling from the inside out and you could shave in the pads the metal was so shiny...

But not without at least one follow on problem to correct... one onf the lug studs broke loose with the lug nut about half way on... I've looked online and can't seem to find studs for a 2000 XJ... did they make those part of the hub for that model year? If so, I'm replacing a hub... if not, anyone know where I can find the studs online? I'm going to replace all the nuts as well with something better than stock.

Thanks for all the advice!

Z

[CJ~Abuzer]

They don't sell the studs for the front but I believe rear studs will work on the front. Someone please correct me if I am wrong on this.