This morning I was trying to remove the passenger side rear brake rotor on my truck so that I could replace a broken wheel stud. After 2 hours of working on the trying to get the rotor off all that I got was really pissed off, so I called my dad, he came over and he couldn't get it either. I tryed beating it with a 3lb hammer, heating around the hub and then hitting it with the hammer, and also released the presser on the parking brake by turning the star wheel then hammering and prying on the rotor. It still won't come off

So how the heck do you get the rear rotors off?? What didn't I do or what did I do wrong??

 

You did remove the caliper right?

 

It took me FOREVER to get mine off, but I was able to after I found a certain thread on here about how to do it.

1. You are going to have to have a brake caliper tool. The tool that depresses the caliper piston when you put new pads on.

2. Use the part of the tool shaped like a brake pad to brace against the two "ears" of where the caliper itself mounts to. The piston part of the tool should be pressed against the back of the brake rotor. As you tighten the tool, the pressure will push the rotor out and closer to breaking free. You will have to tighten it, rotate the rotor a bit, tighten it again, etc etc until it slowly works its way off.

There is a thread somewhere that illustrates this and if I can find it, I will link it but its pretty self explanatory once you get in there and if you have that tool. Either that or get a bigger hammer and swing harder.

 

Well I had another buddy come over and take a look at it and try to get the rotor off, no go. I have decided to say heck with it and just take it to a mechanic to get the rotor off and have the stud replaced. It will probably cost me 60-70 in labor, but at this point it is just is not worth the frustration anymore.

 

We used a mallet to hit the back side of the rotor while rotating the axle at the same time.

 

When I did my axle sealds, I broke the one rotor from hitting it so hard and ended up delaminating the ebrake shoes to get them off, went from a 40 dollar axle seal and gear oil job to a 250 dollar brake rotor and ebrake shoe job

 

if you have backed the starwheel adjuster off all the way, the rotor may have a ridge that gets caught on the parking brake shoes. see it all the time at the shop

 

^i agree that's why my shoes delaminated, the ridge won't allow them to come off

 

I think that may be what the problem is. The mechanic that I am going to take the truck has be in business for over 30 years, so hopefully he has a couple tricks up his sleeve. But I guess we will see...

 

When I changed mine out, I backed the E Brake all the way off then used a 5lb mallett to smack the crap out of it as it turned.

 

One other trick I just thought of that I used when I took the rear rotors off of my dads super duty, I got the rotor coked sideways, then had my brother spin the other tire, and kind of worked it off little by little like you work a dirtbike chain that fell of6, That actually worked well for me.

 

Yeah, these things are a serious Pain. An Air hammer helps...

 

I guess I really got lucky when I did my rear brakes, the rotors just slid right off with no problem.

 

okay, i know it may seem annoying to ask such a simple question but can "WHY!" is it so incredibly difficult to take off these rotors? rhetorical of course, but seriously, it does not matter what kind of car you have--- they all use the same bad design. we all know that brakes need to be redone, yet everyone of us must strain and struggle trying to get these rotors off. and often do damage in the process. alas, i have a mercedes 380 SEL and must prepare myself to remove the rear rotors. there is some sort of screw on the wheel base that i have heard you can use to disengage the rotor from the backing. i only hope that is really the case, in the meantime, my heart goes out to all those who have done damage to their cars trying to remove these suckers because i know that i am next. just had to say it.

 

I have a 2006 f150 4x4 that I need to get the rotors off to have them turned but I can't get them off. i released the the emergence star and it still won't come off. The truck only has 59000 miles on it . I need some help.