Can't remove front rotor...

Old 08-07-2016, 10:46 AM
  #1  
Racer
Thread Starter
 
Cooldude01's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Under the stars
Posts: 283
Received 16 Likes on 15 Posts
Can't remove front rotor...

hi all,
I'm replacing the front rotors and pads and during the process I'm stuck at removing the rotor.
I removed all the screws, brake bracket and caliper but the rotor won't budge.
I look up direction for the 2008 and noticed that there are two screws are needed in order to remove the rotors.
Two screws are installed in but the rotor still won't come off (see the picture below)



What else do I have to do besides whacking like crazy with the hammer?
Even when I hit it with the hammer, it will not come off...
Old 08-07-2016, 11:11 AM
  #2  
Team Owner
 
TacoBello's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: In an igloo
Posts: 30,487
Received 4,416 Likes on 3,322 Posts
Are you reusing the rotor? I'm guessing it is rusted in place, from the back.

not sure what those two screws you installed are for. I'm wondering if you tighten them down, if they push against the mounting surface, until the rotor pops off. I'd read more into those screws. I'm almost certain that's what they're for, as I can't imagine what other function they'd serve.

if you aren't reusing the rotors- what I did- I took a 8lb sledge hammer with a short handle, and gave the rotor a fairly mild knock from the back, and voila, they popped off. It needs to be a big/heavy object though, otherwise you won't get the force needed to pop it off. I tried using a 20oz hammer to do the same, and the rotor wouldn't budge, no matter how hard I whacked it- I literally put dents in the rotor and it wouldn't move (hey, I was throwing them out, so I didn't care). With the sledge, it was no effort at all.

Kind of a ghetto, backyard mechanic way of doing it... But it worked. Like I said, look into these two screws more...
Old 08-07-2016, 11:32 AM
  #3  
Senior Moderator
 
thoiboi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SoCal, CA
Posts: 46,857
Received 8,568 Likes on 6,621 Posts
Did you impact those screws??? They should push them right away from the hub and come off
The following users liked this post:
TacoBello (08-07-2016)
Old 08-07-2016, 11:44 AM
  #4  
Racer
Thread Starter
 
Cooldude01's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Under the stars
Posts: 283
Received 16 Likes on 15 Posts
I follow the instruction and the 8x1.25mm screws are used to push the rotor away from the hub if it stuck (which is my case)






I hit the rotor with the hammer so hard it created a dent on the rotor but still .. the freaking bastard won't budge..
Old 08-07-2016, 11:47 AM
  #5  
Senior Moderator
 
thoiboi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SoCal, CA
Posts: 46,857
Received 8,568 Likes on 6,621 Posts
Needs more torque on screws.. Also sounds like your rotors are toast now so just grab a hammer and go to town, doesn't matter anymore
Old 08-07-2016, 12:24 PM
  #6  
Racer
Thread Starter
 
Cooldude01's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Under the stars
Posts: 283
Received 16 Likes on 15 Posts
I torque the hell out of the screw to the point that the rotor cracked but the freaking thing still won't move...


Old 08-07-2016, 12:38 PM
  #7  
Team Owner
 
TacoBello's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: In an igloo
Posts: 30,487
Received 4,416 Likes on 3,322 Posts
Keep going, dammit!!
Old 08-07-2016, 12:40 PM
  #8  
Team Owner
 
TacoBello's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: In an igloo
Posts: 30,487
Received 4,416 Likes on 3,322 Posts
Seriously, find a big fucking stone and smash it against the back. A hammer is too light to be able to knock it free. I literally covered my entire rotor with hammer marks and the rotor wouldn't budge. Using something bigger, and it was effortless.
Old 08-07-2016, 12:41 PM
  #9  
Team Owner
 
TacoBello's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: In an igloo
Posts: 30,487
Received 4,416 Likes on 3,322 Posts
Oh, and I hope you are torquing each screw evenly...
Old 08-07-2016, 06:40 PM
  #10  
Racer
 
Takehold66's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: L.I., N.Y.
Age: 58
Posts: 275
Likes: 0
Received 11 Likes on 11 Posts
try spraying some PB Blaster all around(front and back of rotor) and letting it sit for 15-30 minutes - then take a larger hammer and hit it from the front and back if you can at different places like 12,3,6,9 on a clock - should come off - I was doing a brake job for a friend with an 06 Corolla and had the same issue - this worked for me
Old 08-07-2016, 08:37 PM
  #11  
Racer
Thread Starter
 
Cooldude01's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Under the stars
Posts: 283
Received 16 Likes on 15 Posts
I spray WD-40 on both rotors and wait for 25 minutes after that beat the living hell out of them for 30 minutes each. Finally I got both of them out. To my surprise, the original Honda Brake pads are still decent after 54k miles. At least there is one thing Honda did that has good quality.


The rotors look like they went 10 round with Mike Tyson. They are beaten up so bad that one of the corners was deformed and mangled.
In the end, I'm happy i got them replace. Hopefully, I won't have to do this again for another 50k miles.
Thanks everyone for their help.
Old 08-08-2016, 08:39 AM
  #12  
Drifting
iTrader: (1)
 
ucf_bronco's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Orlando, FL
Age: 43
Posts: 2,364
Received 554 Likes on 387 Posts
I'd put some anti seize on the backside of the new rotors before installation...
Old 08-08-2016, 11:20 AM
  #13  
Racer
 
Takehold66's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: L.I., N.Y.
Age: 58
Posts: 275
Likes: 0
Received 11 Likes on 11 Posts
^ Great idea
Old 08-08-2016, 11:27 AM
  #14  
Team Owner
 
TacoBello's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: In an igloo
Posts: 30,487
Received 4,416 Likes on 3,322 Posts
Mine didn't even get that beat up

But like I said, I switched to the 8lb hammer and the suckers came off easily.... after putting 50 dents on each one with a 20oz hammer.
Old 08-13-2016, 03:40 PM
  #15  
Racer
Thread Starter
 
Cooldude01's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Under the stars
Posts: 283
Received 16 Likes on 15 Posts
Originally Posted by ucf_bronco
I'd put some anti seize on the backside of the new rotors before installation...
That's a good idea. I applied a little bit of anti seize on the slot itself not the rotor but it's the same method.
Old 08-13-2016, 03:42 PM
  #16  
Racer
Thread Starter
 
Cooldude01's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Under the stars
Posts: 283
Received 16 Likes on 15 Posts
Originally Posted by TacoBello
Mine didn't even get that beat up

But like I said, I switched to the 8lb hammer and the suckers came off easily.... after putting 50 dents on each one with a 20oz hammer.
It was hard labor for me. I changed lots of rotors on Honda Accord and Toyota Camry but this was the first time I ran into something like this. The Jack Ass neighbor was asking if I need help destroying the car..
Old 08-13-2016, 03:45 PM
  #17  
Senior Moderator
 
thoiboi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SoCal, CA
Posts: 46,857
Received 8,568 Likes on 6,621 Posts
By the way WD40 doesn't really break up rust, use PB blaster next time.
Old 08-14-2016, 02:40 PM
  #18  
Burning Brakes
 
Reorge's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: New Orleans, LA
Posts: 831
Received 185 Likes on 150 Posts
That is the worse case of rusted-on-rotor I've ever seen.
Old 08-18-2016, 05:31 PM
  #19  
Racer
 
sympley's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Mississauga, Canada
Posts: 289
Received 45 Likes on 40 Posts
OP, I had the same issue with mine. Used the screws, and the rotors cracked and I had to pound it off with a hammer. What the pain in the ... I don't think I ever swore so much in my life.
Old 08-19-2016, 06:35 PM
  #20  
Instructor
 
jefflikesbagels's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Age: 32
Posts: 113
Received 18 Likes on 14 Posts
That is one gnarly looking rotor. It would have been funny if you used the ball peen side to get it out. I'm not sure if you've seen them, but you can get dead blow hammers that would be great for this situation. The head is filled with lead so that when you swing against the rotor, the lead prevents the rebound, allowing you to get a heavier hit.
The following users liked this post:
Cooldude01 (08-23-2016)
Old 08-23-2016, 04:00 PM
  #21  
Burning Brakes
 
jim_c's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: ancaster ontario
Posts: 819
Received 124 Likes on 107 Posts
You did it.
This is an extreme case but it is not really unusual.
It's called galvanic action - two different metals welding themselves together.
The antiseize is a must when you install the new rotors.
This is why I remove my rotors every two years and service the brakes every year.
I had a similar situation with a Ford F150 I bought with just over two years old. I destroyed the rotors with a sledge hammer getting them off.
A mechanic friend of mine says he sometimes has to use the torch to literally cut rotors off in pieces.
Old 08-23-2016, 08:52 PM
  #22  
Racer
Thread Starter
 
Cooldude01's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Under the stars
Posts: 283
Received 16 Likes on 15 Posts
Originally Posted by thoiboi
By the way WD40 doesn't really break up rust, use PB blaster next time.
I'll try that next time.. hopefully, it won't be this bad..
Old 08-23-2016, 08:54 PM
  #23  
Racer
Thread Starter
 
Cooldude01's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Under the stars
Posts: 283
Received 16 Likes on 15 Posts
Originally Posted by Reorge
That is the worse case of rusted-on-rotor I've ever seen.
You know it.. It's the first for me as well.
Old 08-23-2016, 08:55 PM
  #24  
Racer
Thread Starter
 
Cooldude01's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Under the stars
Posts: 283
Received 16 Likes on 15 Posts
Originally Posted by sympley
OP, I had the same issue with mine. Used the screws, and the rotors cracked and I had to pound it off with a hammer. What the pain in the ... I don't think I ever swore so much in my life.
My arm was sore and I had blisters on my fingers.. but I was so happy after everything was done..
Old 08-23-2016, 08:57 PM
  #25  
Racer
Thread Starter
 
Cooldude01's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Under the stars
Posts: 283
Received 16 Likes on 15 Posts
Originally Posted by jefflikesbagels
That is one gnarly looking rotor. It would have been funny if you used the ball peen side to get it out. I'm not sure if you've seen them, but you can get dead blow hammers that would be great for this situation. The head is filled with lead so that when you swing against the rotor, the lead prevents the rebound, allowing you to get a heavier hit.
Thanks for the info. I just hope I don't have run into the same situation again on the rear brakes.. keeping my fingers cross..
Old 08-23-2016, 09:00 PM
  #26  
Racer
Thread Starter
 
Cooldude01's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Under the stars
Posts: 283
Received 16 Likes on 15 Posts
Originally Posted by jim_c
You did it.
This is an extreme case but it is not really unusual.
It's called galvanic action - two different metals welding themselves together.
The antiseize is a must when you install the new rotors.
This is why I remove my rotors every two years and service the brakes every year.
I had a similar situation with a Ford F150 I bought with just over two years old. I destroyed the rotors with a sledge hammer getting them off.
A mechanic friend of mine says he sometimes has to use the torch to literally cut rotors off in pieces.
My last resort was the torch but the rotors came up so i didn't use it.
I don't replace my brake every two years but I do flush the brake fluid every 15k miles and for some reason the 4g TL seems to have dirty brake fluid more often than the Accord.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Yumcha
Automotive News
242
03-27-2024 01:43 PM
gavriil
Automotive News
5666
03-01-2024 07:56 AM
00TL-P3.2
Automotive News
16
02-11-2019 11:23 AM
Mr Hyde
5G TLX (2015-2020)
12
08-29-2016 06:34 PM
Acuraneewb
4G TL (2009-2014)
3
03-07-2016 01:50 PM


Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Quick Reply: Can't remove front rotor...



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:02 PM.