stuck rotor help!!

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Aug 1, 2012 | 09:22 PM

autochefc

Thread Starter

Junior User

Joined: Nov 2007

Posts: 84

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From: Helena, MT

stuck rotor help!!

ok gear heads I read on here that sometimes the rear rotors get stuck and you just need a BIG hammer to losen them so I got my biggest no marking hammer and powned away no luck still stuck I check to make sure the parking brake was not on and it was not so what next how do you pry off stuck rotors they are on the rear pass side of a ford explorer 2002. any help would be great

Aug 1, 2012 | 10:40 PM

bigunit54

Elder User

Joined: Apr 2010

Posts: 687

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never dealt with these, but on my pickup the parking brake had to be manually loosened to allow the rotor to come off, there was a little rubber piece on the inside of the hub, you had to take that off, then there was a star wheel inside there that you could turn with a flat screwdriver and loosen that parking brake to allow the rotor to come off. Could be something like that on your explorer also, I don't know.

Aug 2, 2012 | 07:01 AM

shorod

Logistics Pro

Joined: Jun 2009

Posts: 4,810

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From: Cedar Rapids, IA

Often the rotor hat will rust to the axle hub. If you've confirmed there is nothing intentional preventing the rotor from coming off (assembly clips on the wheel studs, caliper mounting bracket, screw holding rotor to hub), try spraying a little PB Blaster around the wheel studs and the axle stub in the center. Give that a minute or so to soak in, then go at it with the hammer again. You may need to use something like a 3 lb sledge rather than a rubber mallet to really get the impact effect, and yes, this could cause some damage to the rotor.

One other option that worked well when Dad still had his shop was to use the air hammer, with a hammer tip, to impact on the hat between the wheel studs. Impact for about 3 seconds in one place, them move in a star pattern around the hat. Usually after about the third spot the tapping sound would change because the rotor was loose. This method worked really well, but I've discovered it's pretty difficult to find the hammer tips for air hammers locally and online.

-Rod

Aug 2, 2012 | 02:35 PM

aquanaut20

Cargo Master

Joined: Aug 2003

Posts: 3,263

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From: BC Canada

Quote:

Originally Posted by shorod

but I've discovered it's pretty difficult to find the hammer tips for air hammers locally and online.-Rod

Last time I needed a hammer tip, I cut off the chisel tip and used the shank as a hammer tip... Philip

Aug 6, 2012 | 02:16 AM

WillFargo

Senior User

Joined: Nov 2008

Posts: 190

Likes: 1

From: Broomfield, Colorado!

Pb blaster and patience!
Recently did a full brake replacement on my 96. You can hit those things much harder than you feel is safe. For me, it took really "nutting up" and laying it to those things. got the second one off in about 2 minutes

Aug 8, 2012 | 06:30 AM

Newenglandfordjunkie

Posting Guru

Joined: Feb 2010

Posts: 1,504

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From: Maine

I just did mine on my 96 explorer last weekend. The adjustment on mine to back off the emergency brake's was rusted. It looks like you live in the rust belt to so you might have the same issue. I went to auto zone and rented for free a puller and got them off with that. The driver's side came off really hard even with the puller.

Sep 10, 2012 | 01:57 PM

Frat-man-du

Tuned

Joined: Aug 2007

Posts: 355

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Here is a YouTube clip that walks you through a step by step to pop off a stuck rotor - worked great on my 03'!

Remove Rusted Brake Rotors ( Easy for any car or truck ) - YouTube