I replaced my rear pads and rotors last night.
After getting the tires, calipers, and brake frame off, the rotors were seized to the hubs. I had read before that they will come off with a little effort from a hammer and block of wood, so when they didn't come right off at first, I figured no worries. I sprayed a little wd-40 around the edges and used a three pound dead blow hammer to attempt to knock them loose. It didn't even budge, at all. No problem, I got a block of wood and began working around the rotor and...nothing. I figured maybe there was an extra bolt or something I missed but nope. I got out my big pry bars and tried to wedge it back and forth. I eventually got two large screwdrivers and put them in the rotor slots and began to wiggle it back and forth....nothing. I beat on the rotor again, this time I beat the living crap out of it, mostly from frustration....nothing. I tried the screwdriver technique again which resulted in a broken shaft on a nice craftsman screwdriver. Funny thing is, the haynes manual said "the rotor will slide right off." Yeah, well Bullshat, they wasn't "just sliding right off". Finally, after much frustration and about 40 minutes of banging, I got ole sally sledgehammer out of the wood barn out back. I knocked the crap out of the rotor several times with the sledge and finally, it broke loose. I finally won the battle. I put the new Motorcraft rotor and the matching severe duty pad set on and got the tire mounted and moved to the other side. I didn't even play around with the other side. I went straight to the sledge and after about ten hard knocks the rotor came right off. Got everything back on and tested the brake system. Gave them the break in treatment and all was golden.

From getting the jack out to washing my hands it took about two hours to replace both sides. Next time I'll cut that time in half with ole sally comming out of the bullpen right away.

Just thought I'd share that.

Anyone else have a "when a sledge hammer is the right tool" story to share?

Ya'll have a good day.

 

The other day an Obama supporter came up to the door and...

 

Monsta, I thought you weren't gonna tell anybody!!!!

 

That would be a pry bar story for me... it would continue something like:

... it took my 220 lb weight on top of a 3ft long prybar to remove my dog from his neck...

 

So, what size hammer are you going to need to drive out the bearing races when they need to be replaced?

Just kidding, but that can do some damage. I prefer to take the entire hub off and use the gaseous sledgehammer (torch).

While the bearing SHOULD be able to take up-and-down loads like that, it might not like the lateral slap ... and the spindle ain't likin' it neither...

 

I just spit my soda!!!

 

... smacked a McCain supporter in the head with a 20-pound sledge ...

... who then fell on a Ron Paul supporter, suffocating him ...

... and the Bob Barr supporter resuscitated him ...

... and then promptly smacked the Ralph Nader supporter with his pantyhose ...

 

Use anti-sieze and you won't have have that problem, or at least not as bad. You can also take a grinder to the rotor and cut a wedge out of it, that way you won't have to beat on the truck. But of couse all ways keep the BFH in the tool box.....just in case....

 

The only problem with using any sort of lubricant or anti-seize on the rear rotors is that it'll work it's way into the drum parking brake. On the fronts, it's fine.

When I did the rears in my SD, I used a VERY small light coating of grease on the face of the hub...