Need Help, stock brake rotors stuck!

[BTSMUSTANG]

I need some help and/or some input, Im upgrading to some slotted/drilled rotors but cant get my stock 1999 rotors off. I think that the 10 years of rusted has bonded the rotors to the spindles. I spent most of the day today trying to get it off, used about a whole can of pb blaster and a lot of eblow grease and yes I removed the stock clips on the studs.

Im probably going to have to take the cobra in to a shop and have them do it but wondering if anyone has any tricks to budging these things loose?

 

[Un4GivN]

I had the same issue.. Since you're not reusing the rotors, invest in a 5lb or bigger mini sledge. Proceed to beat the living piss out of them until they pop off. Rotate them while hitting them.

 

[BTSMUSTANG]

Im going to try that next before bringing it to a shop.

 

[01Cobra896]

If you are going to beat on them, I would invest in a new set of wheel bearings at the same time. I swap front bearings every year now.

 

[birdman941]

Spray some PB Blaster into the wheel stud holes,
that way it can get between the rotor and the hub.
Let it sit overnight, a light smack on the hat portion of the rotor
(between the studs) should get them off.
I assume the little retaining clips have been removed.

 

[flamed03vert]

Sometime a little heat is needed too... oxyacetaline works well. If thats not available a propane torch could work but is gonna take a bit longer

 

[birdman941]

or MAP gas.

 

[Predatorbird]

I had to beat my stock rotors with a rubber mallet to get them off. Give the rotor a good spin and keep hacking away at them.

 

[GreySVTSnake01]

I need some help and/or some input, Im upgrading to some slotted/drilled rotors but cant get my stock 1999 rotors off. I think that the 10 years of rusted has bonded the rotors to the spindles. I spent most of the day today trying to get it off, used about a whole can of pb blaster and a lot of eblow grease and yes I removed the stock clips on the studs.

Im probably going to have to take the cobra in to a shop and have them do it but wondering if anyone has any tricks to budging these things loose?

(sledge) Hammer time!

 

[brkntrxn]

I have had trouble with rotors on various vehicles throughout the years. If they are really stuck, your are going to end up beating the hell out of them to pop them loose. As stated, by then you are going to need a new set of bearings as well.

Horror story for you: I had a rotor stuck on my 98 F150 so bad that after multiple days of PB Blaster, heat with a torch, rubber mallet, mini sledge and finally a full sledge, it never came loose. What did come loose was the entire hub locker assembly and bearings and what not. I ended up replacing the entire hub assembly. A $30 rotor cost me several hundred!!!!


Warning, comments below are my opinion and from several years of open track experience and many, many years of owning these cars:

So why are you "upgrading" to slotted/drilled rotors? You know that is a fallacy, right? Slotted/drilled rotors do nothing for performance. Unless you are looking for a bling factor, just use OEM Brembo blank replacements from Tire Rack.


-Kevin

 

[birdman941]

.........So why are you "upgrading" to slotted/drilled rotors?
You know that is a fallacy, right?
Slotted/drilled rotors do nothing for performance.
Unless you are looking for a bling factor,
just use OEM Brembo blank replacements from Tire Rack.


-Kevin

Agreed. :beer:

 

[Bite Me]

I had the same issue.. Since you're not reusing the rotors, invest in a 5lb or bigger mini sledge. Proceed to beat the living piss out of them until they pop off. Rotate them while hitting them.

+1. I just used a standard hammer to "gently" coax them off of there. The passenger just fell off easy, but driver I had to bang on a few times to loosen it. I havent had any trouble since I did that. Thats all a shop will do also I am sure.

 

[Venemous1]

yea id personally stay away from any drilled rotors, they usually end up with at least one crack which could potentially turn into something much worse, unless is just a driven every now and then kinda car. slotted ones are the only ones id go with if u dont want the stock smooth style rotors. slotted to me does look better, but ur always gonna get better stopping power the more surface area that is contacting the pads. plus slotted and drilled will sometimes wear the pads faster because of the edges on the slots or holes catching the pad as it turns.

 

[SUPERSEXY32V]

If you are going to beat on them, I would invest in a new set of wheel bearings at the same time. I swap front bearings every year now.

why do you swap wheel bearings every year?

 

[99COBRA2881]

Also when you put the new rotors on apply a thin coat of Never Seize onto the hub. Doing so will prevent the hours of rotor removal entertainment next time around.

 

[Un4GivN]

Also when you put the new rotors on apply a thin coat of Never Seize onto the hub. Doing so will prevent the hours of rotor removal entertainment next time around.

Yup, I forgot to mention that part.

 

[Fox-4]

why do you swap wheel bearings every year?

+1. I know the factory hubs suck. Do you track the car?

 

[SUPERSEXY32V]

+1. I know the factory hubs suck. Do you track the car?

the factory hubs suck????

 

[A_Law]

I had the same problem, heat it up. Thats what i did when i replaced my brakes, I took my rotors off to get them machined down. I used a basic propane torch heated it all around the spindles for about 4 minutes, and they literally tapped off

 

[IUP99snake]

I had the same problem when I was trying to remove a set of Baer Eradispeed rotors that had become extremely warped.

I tried a mini sledge, but I ended up denting the rotors!!!

A tip when using a sledge to remove the rotors (to minimize damage to wheel bearings, alignment, etc): Have the entire front end of the car jacked up so the other tire is off the ground, and make sure your ignition doesn't lock the steering. That way, the entire steering system has a little "give" to it. That way, you don't throw off your alignment quite so bad.

If you're looking for good rotors, go to the parts store and order the Brembo Cross Drilled Rotors. They are basically the factory rotors except being cross drilled. (our cars came with brembo rotors). They are like $250 for the pair.

I've got the cheap replacement rotors on my car ($30 each from Advance), and they are 10 times better than the Baer rotors! I've had them 3 times as long and they still haven't warped.

Homer