front brake rotor rusted in place

[johndallara]

Hi guys, decided to do a 96 front brake upgrade on my new 95 MTX, no problem until I tried to take the L front rotor off -- it is rusted solid. Tried some lubricant/spray for rusted parts + usual banging w/ hammer -no luck

Any suggestions? The R front rotor comes off fine.

JD
89 Taurus GL/SC (retired)
95 ATX
95 MTX

 

[rcsavage]

bearing puller?

 

[blacklabel]

When you say rusted solid do you mean rusted to the hub? Because if that is the case, you need to go crazy on it and beat the living daylight out of it. Not normal hammering, but actually beating it to death. When I was putting on new rotors and calipers in the front on my car, the rotor was rusted to the hub and my brother was told to beat it all he could and it eventually came loose.

 

[Zap]

This is definitely just like what happened on Mark's '91... I tried everything and finally got so fed up with it that I took the sledge and beat the living snot out of it. It finally fell off. I had never seen this before, but it will take more beating than you might think!

Just be careful not to hit the wheel studs or anything else of importance in there.

 

[SableSal]

Also, becareful... You don't want to disturb the wheel bearings either. They're sleeping!



Sal

 

[Mr95Gl]

I'll have to agree with the above stated methods. Give it some good whacks at 12 and 6, then 9 and 3. After repeating this several times, it should fall right off. Good luck!

 

[Racer X]

Another vote for the BFH method. Had to do this on a few Tauruses and also my friend's GSX.

 

[johndallara]

front rotors rusted -fixed

Appreciate the advice on this. The rotor was definitely solidly rusted to the hub, and had resisted the usual methods of removal. The sledgehammer method worked, after several rounds of beating on the backside of the rotor in different rotated positions. I also used a screwdriver to dig out the rust along the inside rim where the rotor meets the hub. Hopefully the bearings are still OK -- no new noises yet.

A classic example of "failure to provide sufficient brute force" to the problem at hand.

Thanks,

JD

 

[YAHTEC]

I know you already got em off! I usually hit them really hard right imbetween the studs. I've seen a lot of shops using that method and you said something about the bearings... my question is can this method cause damage to the bearings?

 

[Racer X]

I know you already got em off! I usually hit them really hard right imbetween the studs. I've seen a lot of shops using that method and you said something about the bearings... my question is can this method cause damage to the bearings?

No. If that were the case, your bearings would be toast at the first sizable pothole you hit.

 

[YAHTEC]

haha, yeah that would make sense now, thanks

 

[wood_e]

Beat the rotor to death! My left rear rotor was rusted ot the hub. A few powerful hits and it finally fell off.

 

[sho'd]

i've had this happen many times as well, get your sledge and hit it at 6 o'clock, move rotor to 1/4 turn, repeat ect...