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I'm in the process of changing pads and rotors on all 4 wheels. I've done all brakes and rotors, except that I'm stuck on the driver rear. The driver rear rotor won't come off!
Here's what I've done so far: I've used the metric jack bolts (I didn't buy the long ones) and that freed up some rust, with pb blaster. Now, the rotor comes out a bit, and I'm able to move it around, and the rotor comes forward a little bit towards me. It's so wobblily that it seems like it is about to come out. The rotor isn't solid stuck on, like most threads I've read.
While hammering, I think a piece of hardware of the parking brake fell down on the ground. Do u think that the parking brake is not allowing the rotor to come off? If so, I was reading online that there is some way to release the parking brake via a hole though the rotor, but I'm really not familiar with this. I'm not even sure if it's the parking brake that's not allowing the rotor to come off.
a brake shoe might be hung on the inner lip of the rotor. Through the service hole you can adjust the shoes to be tightened (expanding outwards to the rotor) or loosened (inwards towards the hub) You'll have to do some experimenting of which direction to rotate the spinning mechanism.
Thank you so much for this diagram. I tried to get the rotor out this morning, and the right part of the rotor I can get out almost over the one side of the studs.
From now on I will change rear rotors every 2 years regardless of need.
Quite excessive but its your money. On my 2002 RX the inner lip took about 12 years to form from using the parking brake.
Only reason to change your rear rotors really is if they wore unevenly due to a bad pad bed in, or they reached minimum thickness approximately 8.5mm. or roughly 1.5mm wear down from new.
As a preventative measure to help removal for the next rotor service, you can brush a little bit of anti-seize on the hub surface. A little goes a long way.
Quite excessive but its your money. On my 2002 RX the inner lip took about 12 years to form from using the parking brake.
Only reason to change your rear rotors really is if they wore unevenly due to a bad pad bed in, or they reached minimum thickness approximately 8.5mm. or roughly 1.5mm wear down from new.
As a preventative measure to help removal for the next rotor service, you can brush a little bit of anti-seize on the hub surface. A little goes a long way.
Mine is only a 2007 but I live on the coast - I changed them last year so only 6 years old and they were impossible.
Mine is only a 2007 but I live on the coast - I changed them last year so only 6 years old and they were impossible.
if the parking brake shoes are cleared of the rotor, you should only need to use a metric bolt, iirc m8x1.50 about 2 inches long to separate the rotor from the hub. There are usually 2 service threads opposite of each other on a rotor to insert a bolt and ratchet it in until the rotor separates.
I've only seen one successful method that doesnt include using a bolt...but IMO dangerous. A guy was using a propane torch to heat up the rotor and knocked it from the backside with a dead blow hammer.
Thanks so much for your help guys. After struggling and struggling this early morning, I gave up. I didn't think it was rust, and was leaning towards the parking brake, and i was right. I took the car in to a tire shop, and the mechanic got out my old rotor and put in my new rotor for $55. Oh well...a price paid for getting rid of the headache I guess.
But if anyone reads this thread in the future, if your rear rotors are not coming off, consider the parking brake. I'm going to take off the rear wheel to see how it could seize up the rotor, and apply some anti-seize to the hub so that I won't have any issues in the future.
Now a new problem, that same wheel is making a constant, speed dependent, oscillating noise.
My guesses at this point is one of the parking brake shoes is dragging, the heat shield may have accidentally been bent rubbing against the rotor or just one of the pads are dragging at the moment since the new rotor install.
I'd just let it go for a week or so, in the event of a pad dragging. It should wear down enough after the pad has bedded in with the new rotor.
My guesses at this point is one of the parking brake shoes is dragging, the heat shield may have accidentally been bent rubbing against the rotor or just one of the pads are dragging at the moment since the new rotor install.
I'd just let it go for a week or so, in the event of a pad dragging. It should wear down enough after the pad has bedded in with the new rotor.
Yup, I searched the forum and looks like you listed the majority of possibilities that could be making the noise. I will take your advise on waiting a week and seeing how things go. We rarely use the parking brake. If it happens to be the parking brake, do you think the parking brake shoes/hardware needs adjusting? I'm totally not familiar with parking brake anatomy. I'm just trying to think of the hardest possible issue for me, so that if the parking brake is the problem, I'll know how to handle it (either adjust it if it's easy, or just take it to my mechanic). I am seeing some more superficial lines on the rotor which has the noise. The noise is very embarrassing. Thanks.
if you think it is the parking brake, try using it a few times. The whole mechanism somewhat "floats" and may center itself. If it needs adjusting, refer to the earlier diagram...a small flat head will be needed to spin the adjuster. Since your mechanic removed the rotor, you should be able to pull it of easily and see the mechanism as a whole without using the service port and see the brake shoes move in or out depending on the direction you spin the adjuster. Check out some youtube videos on drum brake adjustments for further familiarity. Its quite easy.
In your first post you said a piece of hardware fell off . Probably a hold down clip for the parking brake shoes . I would think the mechanic would have seen something out of whack and told you . Do you still have that piece of hardware that fell out ?
In your first post you said a piece of hardware fell off . Probably a hold down clip for the parking brake shoes . I would think the mechanic would have seen something out of whack and told you . Do you still have that piece of hardware that fell out ?
Yes, actually it was a parking brake washer that fell off, which the mechanic put it back on. The funny part is, the noise has disappeared! It only took a day or so. I attribute it to the bedding in of the pads. Even though I followed stoptech's bed in procedure, it still needed a few more driving cycles for the brakes to bed in.
Now, I'm enjoying a quiet rx, which stops on a dime, with lightly tapping on the brake pedal. I'm very happy with the oem brake set up.
Yes, actually it was a parking brake washer that fell off, which the mechanic put it back on. The funny part is, the noise has disappeared!
Did you mean the clip that holds the shoes? Without it shoes move sideways and more or less will touch the wheel bearing?
In reality adjusting the shoes can be really tricky if the screw is stuck.
You have to push very hard to have enough grip with the screw driver through the little hole in the rotor.
In the case you pull of rotor too roughly, you may bend the metal clips and bars holding the shoes on the place.
Altering their form may make them be in contact with the ends of tyre bolts that rotate over them.
Originally Posted by fastnoypi
a brake shoe might be hung on the inner lip of the rotor. Through the service hole you can adjust the shoes to be tightened (expanding outwards to the rotor) or loosened (inwards towards the hub) You'll have to do some experimenting of which direction to rotate the spinning mechanism.
Did you mean the clip that holds the shoes? Without it shoes move sideways and more or less will touch the wheel bearing?
In reality adjusting the shoes can be really tricky if the screw is stuck.
You have to push very hard to have enough grip with the screw driver through the little hole in the rotor.
In the case you pull of rotor too roughly, you may bend the metal clips and bars holding the shoes on the place.
Altering their form may make them be in contact with the ends of tyre bolts that rotate over them.
No, I meant a washer. It's an actual washer that popped off. The mechanic reassembled it back. Everything works well now, thank you.
06-11-15, 01:07 AM
Rear brake rotor won't come off
