Cutting Off my Brake Rotors

[zachsEVO3]

Ran out of available time for this garage and torque wrench, and patience for that matter.

I am cutting off my front brake rotors, just renting a proper cutting wheel and carefully going to town.

I tried soaking in PB and rotating it and tapping it, then really smacking it, I tried the screws in the holes and one just cracked the rotor.

I tried the screws in the caliper bracket trick and the rotor material just chipped off.


Its happening unelss someone stops me, otherwise wish me luck, ill post pics up.

 

[99gst_racer]

Have you tried a sledge hammer yet?

I had to use one on one of my Grand Prix's rotors, and it still took quite a beating to get it to come off.

 

[zachsEVO3]

ill try again but dammit im not spendin too long on this ha

 

[99gst_racer]

It shouldn't take more than a couple minutes at the most. Beat it like it stole from you. A sledge hammer will be far quicker than any cutting device.

 

[1992awdlaser]

I agree with Paul. I never had a rotor that I couldn't get off with some type of hammer when I was a mechanic. My first tool of choice was my air hammer. If that didn't work the ball peen always did. I just hit it as hard as I could a couple times and it would come off. I had a lift to do it on though. That made me able to swing it with more power verse having the car on the ground.

 

[ist dwa]

Have you tried the old mini press idea where you remove the caliper and run a bolt and nut through each of the hub caliper ears and press the rotor off? Also why there is load on the rotor from the bolts smaking the hub at that time, hell throw some heat at the hub as well, but becareful you could melt the seals if you get carried away.

 

[1992awdlaser]

Have you tried the old mini press idea where you remove the caliper and run a bolt and nut through each of the hub caliper ears and press the rotor off?

Just use a properly sized hammer. It is quicker and a stress reliever.

 

[housegsx]

The hammer method works best except for that one time when I hit the caliper ear and broke it off the knuckle. So watch your aim

 

[zachsEVO3]

K not quicker if it takes a couple days hammeing with a sledge and still won't budge. If I dont return the cutting wheel today those @$$holes will charge me a full week sooo it's on.

It's funny and kinda sad I'm renting the same bigass power grinder I rented like 3 years ago from this place to help my friend fit a Supra radiator into his Starion...I had to BUY and attach the proper grinding wheel first of all and I don't think they've changed it since.

Still its like meeting an old friend.

 

[crash89]

Have you tried any kind of lube compound?? WD40 perhaps????

 

[zachsEVO3]

Ofcourse I've soaked it in 3 different kinds over 3 days and wailed on it with a sledge...actually the onetime i did one small bounced practice tap is where i smushed some of the threads on one of the studs so thanks all for that gem.


Anyone have any tips on where to cut first?

 

[spydergotboost]

If the studs look like crap anyway i would just go ahead and pound each one out first with a 4lb mini sledge. then the rotor shouldn't be too much of a hastle after that. And a map gas torch can do wonders.

 

[gsxitement]

After 12 years of being a mechanic, A good hammer+High velocity swings to the rotor face should take care of them. I've seperated rotor faces from the hats on the car with swings from a hammer. Hit the Rotor face since your obviously getting new rotors. Swing hard.

 

[ktgurl87]

i just helped one of my buddie's get his rotors off his lil honda. his were stuck pretty good but a few good whacks to the back of it with a big ass hammer (claw hammer, btw) and they were good. i'm not understanding why yours are stuck so bad?

 

[anthonydinatale]

Heat it up with a torch!!!!

 

[Ghostcrafter]

I recently tried everything on mine, spray, heat, hammer, bolts, you name it. Ended up using a 20lb. dead-blow hammer. A few swings, and it was all over...

(We also tried carefully lowering the lift so the the car started to rest on the rotors, to apply pressure perpendicular to the axle ... didn't budge)

 

[slipstream808]

I vote a dead-blow hammer too! Its very satisfying really!

 

[chenk18]

I recently tried everything on mine, spray, heat, hammer, bolts, you name it. Ended up using a 20lb. dead-blow hammer. A few swings, and it was all over...

(We also tried carefully lowering the lift so the the car started to rest on the rotors, to apply pressure perpendicular to the axle ... didn't budge)

Where did you find a 20 lb dead-blow hammer at?

 

[Ghostcrafter]

It's from a company called Nupla, you can find them for around $300.00.

 

[chenk18]

Wow, I want one. I think the biggest one I've seen was 10lbs.

 

[Ghostcrafter]

It's come in handy a few times ... more often then not, on my Talon.

 

[Flash]

Take pics, because this can only get better with pics!

 

[tec_41]

Pff, cut em' off. I want to see...

 

[dented_coffee]

I just had to break off my rotors the other day on my 1994 talon . I took a 25lb sledge hammer to them and no movement at all. I remembered my 1993 rotors that were as bad as these and did one simple thing to get the off.

Remove the nuts on the tie-rod arm's, ball joints and the shock collar bolts, axle nuts, remove the 2 17mm bolts that hold the caliper bridge, and caliper to the spindle assembly to remove the hub/spindle assembly off the car. Place the wheel studs facing down on the pavement or a dense board and take a carpenters framing hammer and whack the back side of the rotors face threw the opening where the caliper was at, spin the hub a bit and keep hitting around the rotor. One came off with a few smashed in dents and the other completely shattered and fell off. Doing this will not only save you money on buying replacement parts but if you have factory dust shields it keeps them intact and saved from getting damaged as well.

NO HEAT OR YOUR CAN DESTROY THE RUBBER SEALS FOR THE WHEEL BEARINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SMASHING ON IT FROM THE FRONT CAN CASE PREMATURE WEAR ON THE BEARINGS AND THE CADGES!

To replace the outer wheel seal you need to remove the hub out of the bearing in doing that you destroy the wheel bearings. If you don't replace the wheel seal after melting it water and dirt will enter the bearings and destroy them slowly.

SAVE SOME TIME AND MONEY AND PLAY IT SAFE.

When installing the new rotors take a wire wheel and grind the rotor centering hubs surfaces and apply anti-seize to the surface you just wire wheeled free of rust and corrosion.

 

[ist dwa]

You know what would be easiest, just get a new knucke and change it, I mean seriously how much can one cost on these forums, $25 shipped??