I have a 2003 Expedition and it's time to put another set of front pads on it. The first time I replaced them, I just put new pads on and didn't have the rotors turned. Well, this time I decided to hade them turned. No issues with pulsating or grooves, just want to have them turned.

Well, how the heck do they come off? I saw a new set of rotors at the parts house tonight, and they look to be the type that are just held on with the lug nuts (no castle nut, no small screws, no clips, and the studs aren't pressed into the rotor.

I tried a rubber mallet applied to the backside, then moved to a block of wood and a 5 lb hammer. No dice. I pulled out the wife's kitchen torch and applied some heat, then followed up with the 5 lb "persuasion". Still no dice.

Am I missing something? I can unbold the whole spindle by removing 4 bolts from the backside, , but none of that stuff is connected to the new rotor at O'Reilley's, so the rotor itself MUST somehow come off.

Anyone have any advice? I'm almost ready to just put the new pads on and call it a successful brake job without bothering with the rotors.

I guess I should point out that the Haynes manuals only cover up through the 2002 Expedition (old body style), so no dice with that idea.

 

You are the right track with removing the rotors. They just come off the hub assy, but they are seized on. If you do a search for "front rotors" on this sight you will find out alot of people have this problem. Some techniques are as simple as PB Blast the hub assy and a big sledge hammer. Others went to the extreme and cut the rotor up in wedges to make it weaker. In all cases the rotor will be replaced. If you don't want to replace the rotors then just do the pads

 

A lot of shops and dealers have setups where they can turn the rotors on the car, without removing them from the hub. That's how mine were done. A few weeks after having them turned, I had to remove the rotors anyway, and they had to be cut off. The tech used a torch, Sawzall, hand grinder, and heavy sledge to get the two fronts off. He said that this was common on Ford trucks.

 

Try this link:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/4...rotors+on+expy

 

Yes by all means check that link---the very last post is from me talking about using a flat bar to span across the two bolts---that helped a lot in my case---spreads the pressure across larger area on the rotor and the bracket the bolts are through. Also lots of PB Blaster and rotating the rotor about three times---tightening the bolts very tight and rapping with a hammer---it came off in my case--no damage done. Then I cleaned up with sand blaster and coated the hub edges with silicone grease to hopefully keep it from doing that again. Just looked at it after about a yr and the rotor is loose on the hub so it's working
Hope that helps

 

Do a search on the subject. Search for sawzall and rotors. You'll see a post of mine and believe me. If they are really stuck, a sawzall cuts them off really fast, and just put new ones on.

 

I tried all of the other methods discussed on the first side and after wasting an hour I went for the sawsall and come right off. The other side seemed just as tight so I skipped the BFH and went right to the sawsall. I think this is a lot easier on the front suspension than all of that beating and prying. Do definitly use some kind of neversieze product so you should not have to resort to that method agian.

 

My hats are off to you because I am amazed at how many people will stress their front steering components just to get the rotor off. And where is it going? In the recycling bin anyways (hopefully).

Did you post your experience in the other thread (if you found it)? that would be appreciated.

Hopefully the OP sees this. Though he may be trying to save the rotors - which is often not worth it.

 

Frankly, I think the sawsall is the best bet. I pounded mine mercilessly, tried the bolt trick, tried driving over a bump with the lug nut loose and nothing worked. Finally had to take it to a garage who where one was beaten off and the other cut. I believe I suffered some damage to the hub or the steering linkage on the side that was beaten off. Be sure to use antiseize when you re-insatll.