Is there a tool for removing rusted on rotors?

[ovilla]

After having completed two brake jobs in the last month and having to pound the living hell out of 3 of the 4 rotors to remove them, I'm wondering how professional shops do this. Do they use a gear puller or some other device?

I just grab my biggest ball pin hammer and bang away from the back of the rotor and then rotate a bit and repeat (and then keep on repeating until the damn thing comes off). Anyway, I know that most rotors do have threaded holes that are suppose to allow you to insert a bolt and thus be able to push the rotors off the hub but these holes are often way over corroded to really work well. I'm sure I'm not the only one looking for the special trick/tool here. Come on guys/gals. What's everyone doing? Thanks

[Moose-LandTran]

Professions shops don't always use professional methods. I smack the face the face of the hub (betwen the studs) with a hammer to put a shock through the rust then smack the back face of the disk to get it off.

[nissan_crawler]

Sounds like you need a bigger BFH.:lol_hitti

[PoorOwner]

http://www.stanleytools.com/catalog_images/mid_res/56-001_mid_res.jpg

3 lb drilling hammer > ball pein

[ovilla]

Anybody ever try a gear puller? I'm tempted to rig something up next time.

[russlaferrera]

[Stupid idea!!!!

[famou55TAR]

i just use my hammer. if that dosent work. i usually use my air hammer.

[eschoendorff]

http://www.stanleytools.com/catalog_images/mid_res/56-001_mid_res.jpg

3 lb drilling hammer > ball pein

Just be careful that you don't damage he hub or the bearings....

Maybe try some heat?

[Fedwrench]

Ah, the joys of not living in the rust belt. I would use liberal amounts of PB Blaster followed by wacks on the face of the rotor hat between the studs, with smacks delivered to the rear face of the rotor while rotating it. An air hammer helps at times.
I would be leary of using a puller as you could bend components and when it did suddenly let go, you might be in the wrong place at the wrong time.:thumbup:

[btmatt]

Heat with a oxy-acetylene torch. You will here the rotor pop when the rust bond breaks

[philw]

X 2 on what Fedwrench posted.

I live in the rustbelt and have never met a rotor that PB blaster and my 3 lb. sledge couldn't take care of.

If you are looking to free up rusted parts then PB blaster is the best stuff I've ever used.

[justinmc]

I've always smacked between each of the studs with a 3lb hammer and never had a problem with bearings, etc. The biggest rotor issue I've run into is on Hondas, etc that have a "captured" rotor. You have to push the hub out to remove the rotor. Talk about PITA.

[eschoendorff]

Heat with a oxy-acetylene torch. You will here the rotor pop when the rust bond breaks

What happens to the grease in the hubs/bearings? If you melt that stuff out - or any of the plastic components (ABS) you might as well put those on your parts list too...


I know I mentioned heat in an earlier post, but the more I though about it, the more I didn't like the idea... Fedwrench has a better plan.:beer:

[rsanter]

generally it will get stuck from rust arouf where it meeds with the center flange of the hub. is you take a small wire brush (toothbrush type) and remove some of the rust on the center hub flange then you remove a bunch (but not all) of the restance it has to comming off

bob

[ImportTuner]

I've always used a 3 lb drilling hammer and it works ok; be sure to spray some PB Blaster or similar on the center hub to loosen the rust first ... :)

[GDA]

A big 32oz deadblow has worked well for me and some of my friends. I have not had to resort to my 5lb minisledge yet.

[PAToyota]

I guess that it depends on the vehicle. My Toyota truck has two threaded holes that you can screw a bolt into that by slowly tightening back and forth pops it off.

[wilbilt]

I guess that it depends on the vehicle. My Toyota truck has two threaded holes that you can screw a bolt into that by slowly tightening back and forth pops it off.

Yep...a built-in puller. Lots of vehicles used to have those.

[ImportTuner]

I guess that it depends on the vehicle. My Toyota truck has two threaded holes that you can screw a bolt into that by slowly tightening back and forth pops it off.

I thought that was only on drum units ....

[Moose-LandTran]

To make a tool I would use a 8 inch X 3/4 to 1 inch plate steel cut in a circle.. You would need several slots in the plate to cover most applications. 4/5 sud, different stud circle diameters.

please tell me don't mean "connect the plate via nuts/bolts to the studs/threads and then pull agains the centre of the hub."

Because the studs and threads go into the hub, the disk is only kept in place but the studs/bolts and sometimes a screw. If you pull against the studs/threads you'll break something.

There's no need for a puller of any kind. A hammer has never let me down, and we salt our roads there, so i deal with plenty of rust. It's been more of an issue when i'm not replacing the disk, as you can't afford to damage it. But in that case, put a wood block against the face of the disk. The wood will absorb some of the impact, so hit it harder. :)

[MarkH]

On most GMs and Fords in the rust areas we have. BFH. ie 8 or more lbs to move many of them.

or maybe more correctly described as BFS to get them off.

[Moose-LandTran]

I thought that was only on drum units ....

Nope, both on disks and drum. It's common on Japanese vehicles, and it's a damn good idea too. Sure works well. I've never seen it on anything other than a jap vehicle.

[pl_silverado]

i bought one of these, and it works great on stuck rotors.

http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/media/TA-81000.jpg

http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/TA-81000.html
$ 130 aint bad.

[Freejack]

Had rotors on both my Merkur XR4Ti and a friends Expedition that were glued solid to the hub. We didn't have access to a Oxy/Ac torch and no amount of hammering allowed them to budge, so here is what I did.

Using a cutting wheel in a 4" grinder, I began cutting from the outside of the rotor on a radius toward the center. I cut all the way through the wear surfaces, and cut about 3/4 of the way into the center section of the rotor. There is no need to go all the way through. Rotors are made of a relatively soft material, so a good grinder will cut fairly quickly.

I then took a large cold chisel and began driving it down into the cut along the radius. Just part of the way in, the force of the chisel will cause the center section of the rotor to crack and the rotor will fall right off the hub.

I find this process goes much faster and uses less effort then endless banging with a sledge.

Jake

[Moose-LandTran]

i bought one of these, and it works great on stuck rotors.

http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/media/TA-81000.jpg

http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/TA-81000.html
$ 130 aint bad.

My friend uses one of those Slide-Sledge slide hammers on stuck commercial disks, he tells me it sends them flying across the shop when he uses it. I haven't seen it happen, for fear of being hit by a flying 16" vented brake disk.

[Lightning]

Use a dead blow hammer and pound away until it is loose.

[russlaferrera]

Moose, I clearly missed the point on the rotor removal tool You are 100% right. I think my small brain is overloaded. Thanks for catching it.

[ovilla]

I just thought of another approach that might work. I wonder if one can simply put in much longer bolts on the caliper mounting flanges and then turn until the longer bolt makes contact with the back part of the rotors (essentially pressing the rotor out from the back)? One would just have to keep rotating the rotor and repeat until it popped off the hub.

My only worry here would be that the threads might get damaged or the flanges could get bent. Think about it though, the caliper mounting flanges are always down low, more toward the center of the rotor so one would be pushing out from the closest possible center point.

Anyway, forgot who said it but thanks for the idea of a mini 5 lb sledge. That's definitely another option.

[Moose-LandTran]

Could work, may damage the threads or warp the hub/bend the carrier flange though.

[wilbilt]

Nope, both on disks and drum. It's common on Japanese vehicles, and it's a damn good idea too. Sure works well. I've never seen it on anything other than a jap vehicle.

You can usually use the screws that hold the rotor to the hub in the puller holes, too. Somebody was thinking ahead.:thumbup: