Thread: Brake rotor removal tip.

Hi all. I've gotten some good information from this forum, so I wanted to post a tip I found on-line and used this weekend. Worked great on my 2004 GP after banging on the rotor with a hammer for 20 minutes.

As it's demonstrated in this video, it works really well.
Remove Rusted Brake Rotors ( Easy for any car or truck ) - YouTube

The jist of it is that you use a couple grade 8 bolts to push the rusted rotor off the hub. Here is what you'll need for the front brakes:
Two 1/2 inch grade 8 bolts, 2.5 inches long (I think anything between 2 and 3 inches would have reached)
Two grade 8 washers
Two grade 8 nuts

I used "regular" bolts I had laying around and they bent. Maybe grade 5 would work, but for the cost of materials, I just went with grade 8.

After removing the brake caliper and caliper bracket, slot the grade 8 bolts through the same holes the bracket uses. It's tight, but slip the washer over the bolt and tread the nut on it. Run the nut all the way down till it's tight. At this point the nut will be tight against the caliper bracket mount, and the bolt will be pushing against the inside of the rotor. Repeat the procedure for the other bracket hole. Now grab a couple of wrenches and start cranking down on the nut and bolt. Alternate a little so that you spread it out. After a little bit, mine popped loose with a loud bang. It still took a couple of hammer swings to get the other side loose. It would have saved me a headache if I'd known this before I started.

I did not need this for the rear brakes, but I'd guess you need bolts one size smaller in diameter. The rear caliper bracket bolts are definitely smaller and the 1/2 inch won't fit. Grab a couple sizes smaller to be sure.

One other little tip that would have saved me some time. The rear calipers need to turn as they push in. I did the brake pads on this car before, but have no recollection of this. They made a special tool to do this, but my regular brake tool did the unintentionally. I have something just like this that works great most of the time.
Buy KD Tools Disc Brake Pad Spreader KDT3376 at Advance Auto Parts

And somewhere in time, I had this for working on a Lumina that would have done the job too.
Buy KD Tools Disc Brake Piston Tool KDT3163 at Advance Auto Parts

I found this same video when I was doing the brakes on our 05 Magnum R/T. Big 13.5" rotors and dual-piston front calipers, and those rotors were like welded on. Even though I was changing the rotor, you don't want to beat too hard because you can damage the suspension.

I just did this again when I was changing teh RF hub bearing on the 01 GP GT. In this case I was saving the rotor and didn't want to beat on it at all. I spray a little PB blaster into where the rotor sits on the hub, to help it pop loose.

This technique works like a charm though, thanks for posting.

Nice video and certainly an option. A friend of mine who is a Volvo mechanic gave me his technique that has worked every time and takes 30 seconds to 1 minute and involves a small mallet! BUT you don't hit the rotor surface with the mallet you hit the cast iron face of the rotor between or near any 2 studs. 2-3 wacks and off the rotor comes. Has never failed me. Hope that helps!

I did actually get up to using my 20lb maul. But at that point, I wasn't willing to hit too hard any more. I've done pads before, but I'd guess these were factory original rotors. I can't remember taking them off before. Needless to say, I "painted" the entire hub with anti-seize, and I won't let them go more than a few years again without coming off.

I acutally have the same problem with my pickup truck's wheels. I ended up taking it to a mechanic because I could not bust the whole wheel loose. I did find a tip for that while I was looking up my brake issues. One guy took a bottle jack, and push against the frame to pop a wheel off. I may need that when I go to do the truck's front brakes.