Rear Disc Removal
Thread Starter
Rookie
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
From: International
A sledge hammer would be good but i personally still think that a car jack is the best way to go about it. Upto you really but you GOT to make sure that the ebrake adjustment is turned the right way or it wont come off no matter what you take to it.
When adjusting, turn the little cog DOWNWARDS.. this is release. When you have done it right your ebrake itself will sit at almost a 90degree angle. And are you makig sure you are getting enough WD40 or other rust cleaning agent behind the disc itself. When i prised mine apart with the jack i only got a few mm through each bolt hole to spray through.... but it eventually did the trick!!!!
Good luck and let us know how you managed it?????
When adjusting, turn the little cog DOWNWARDS.. this is release. When you have done it right your ebrake itself will sit at almost a 90degree angle. And are you makig sure you are getting enough WD40 or other rust cleaning agent behind the disc itself. When i prised mine apart with the jack i only got a few mm through each bolt hole to spray through.... but it eventually did the trick!!!!
Good luck and let us know how you managed it?????
Pit Crew
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 170
Likes: 6
From: Arkansas
but you GOT to make sure that the ebrake adjustment is turned the right way or it wont come off no matter what you take to it.
I think that's the problem...I seriously thinking of buying a small hand held sledge to get it off after i get the ebrake completely open..
BIGd
Thread Starter
Rookie
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: International
You best be careful with that sledge hammer or you could bugger up the whole hub. Thats the last thing you want.
When you think you have fully released the shoes then apply the ebrake.... not only should the lever be near enough 90degrees but you will also be able to turn the disc with the ebrake fully on.
If the ebrake lever is pointing towards the roof and you cant turn the discs then something is seriously siezed!!!!!!!
When you think you have fully released the shoes then apply the ebrake.... not only should the lever be near enough 90degrees but you will also be able to turn the disc with the ebrake fully on.
If the ebrake lever is pointing towards the roof and you cant turn the discs then something is seriously siezed!!!!!!!
Pit Crew
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 170
Likes: 6
From: Arkansas
When you think you have fully released the shoes then apply the ebrake.... not only should the lever be near enough 90degrees but you will also be able to turn the disc with the ebrake fully on.
Thanks for the help guys..
BIGd
Rookie
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 65
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From: Pittsburg Kansas
Don't use a sledge hammer! Remember there are wheel bearings in the hubs and you don't want to screw these up. Also unless you're an expert at "aiming " a sledge you might miss the target and really screw up the hub, suspension components or body work.
Thread Starter
Rookie
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: International
True, True! The last thing you want is an extra hole in 1 of the rear panels.
As for the little cog for the drum shoes..... dont guess about how loose it is. Just turn the cog ALL the way down until it DOESNT TURN NO MORE. That way your sure you've done it enough.
After that id try again with a Jack. The amount of WD40 of other rust releasing stuff you must have put on there by now should have loosened the disc to some extent.
I put my discs on about a month ago. Yesterday iv had to take them off again. The fronts just fell off as soon as the caliper was removed, just as before. The rears however also fell off as soon as the calipers were removed. Now you see the difference rust can make on a disc thats been in the same place now for a month compared to something like 10 years!!!!!!!
As for the little cog for the drum shoes..... dont guess about how loose it is. Just turn the cog ALL the way down until it DOESNT TURN NO MORE. That way your sure you've done it enough.
After that id try again with a Jack. The amount of WD40 of other rust releasing stuff you must have put on there by now should have loosened the disc to some extent.
I put my discs on about a month ago. Yesterday iv had to take them off again. The fronts just fell off as soon as the caliper was removed, just as before. The rears however also fell off as soon as the calipers were removed. Now you see the difference rust can make on a disc thats been in the same place now for a month compared to something like 10 years!!!!!!!
Lead Lap
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 501
Likes: 0
From: New York
dont be hammering away at the rear rotor unless your sure you have fully disengaged the shoes. I learned that the hard way. I didnt know the rear rotors would not come off unless you fully disengaged the shoes so I managed to bend the hardware for the shoes while i was putting such force on the rotor when the shoes were still engaged. Just rotate the rotor till one of the holes in the rotor in which you can see through is at 6 o clock and then you will be able to access the gear thing that releases the shoes. Just turn it all the way down with a flat head screw driver. its a bit tough to see in that small dark hole but you'll manage to find it with some poking around.
I used 2 8 x 1.25 mm screws and threaded it in there and it came out no problem much easier and quieter than hammering at it. But even if you do hammer at it, it should take no more than a few hits with a sledge hammer to knock it loose. if its loose and its still wont come off then you know the shoes are still engaged.
I used 2 8 x 1.25 mm screws and threaded it in there and it came out no problem much easier and quieter than hammering at it. But even if you do hammer at it, it should take no more than a few hits with a sledge hammer to knock it loose. if its loose and its still wont come off then you know the shoes are still engaged.
Lead Lap
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 622
Likes: 1
From: CA - San Deigo
unless you're an idiot ...I can't imagine how you would accidentally smash the sludge into the car.
I just taped the around the circumference of the rotor to loosen it ... not the surface area.
I just taped the around the circumference of the rotor to loosen it ... not the surface area.
Pit Crew
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 170
Likes: 6
From: Arkansas
dont be hammering away at the rear rotor unless your sure you have fully disengaged the shoes. I learned that the hard way. I didnt know the rear rotors would not come off unless you fully disengaged the shoes so I managed to bend the hardware for the shoes while i was putting such force on the rotor when the shoes were still engaged.
no sledge hammer for me.!
Thanks again..
BIGd
Pit Crew
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 170
Likes: 6
From: Arkansas
After i had the bolts loosen from the first attempt, i took me a total of 20mns to install one rotor. I seated the rotor with the 8mm x 1.25 bolt, it worked great! ..it popped right off after a few turns..
The other rotor, however, the caplier bolts were nearly impossible to loosen, until a pilot neighbor came over with larger socket wrench, and it finally kicking it, it came loose...
Thanks for everyone's help..i'd suggest the screw method to get the rusty hub....getting the caplier bolts was still extremely hard..no matter what...
BIGd
The other rotor, however, the caplier bolts were nearly impossible to loosen, until a pilot neighbor came over with larger socket wrench, and it finally kicking it, it came loose...
Thanks for everyone's help..i'd suggest the screw method to get the rusty hub....getting the caplier bolts was still extremely hard..no matter what...
BIGd
Last edited by BigD026; Jul 28, 2004 at 06:03 PM.
Originally Posted by W4SIM
Your quite right about that mate. You MUST do this or the disc wont come off.
Right this is how i did it. And i know some people are not going to like it and maybe even criticise me for it but this was the ONLY way i could get these off. I couldnt apply this much pressure with just a hammer. At the end of the day you have to remember that most of these discs are the original discs that came with the car, dont know about your but my SC is almost 14years old.
1. Take off rear wheels.
2. Remove rear pads and calipers.
3. Put a block of wood or something similiar infront of the front wheels.
4. Take off the ebrake.
5. On the rear discs there is a little rubber bung in one of the holes on each disc. Locate and remove this.
6. Turn the disc so that the hole you just removed the rubber bung from is at about 6 o'clock.
7. Shine a torch through the hole and locate a small cog facing you side ways.
8. This cog is the 1 that either releases the shoes or tightens them.
9. Using a flat head screwdriver turn this downwards. Turn it as far as it will go.
10. Turn the rear disc. If it is turning freely you've done that right. If its stuck fast then you've turned it the wrong way. Also when you have done both sides the ebrake should almost sit and a 90degree angle when applied.
11. At this point most people recommend a hammer and brute force. I know this works for some people aswell but it doesnt always work for the unlucky 1's. Try beating it with a rubber hammer. If the disc comes off then repeat steps 2 to 11 on the other side and your done. If however it doesnt work then read onto step 12.
12. I ended up here coz my discs wouldnt come off no matter how hard i hit them. I even took a metal hammer and that made absolutely no difference what so ever. So do the following.
13. Get a small car jack.
14. Sit this between the disc and the rear strut. See the picture's below.
15. Start opening the jack until it starts pressing on the disc. Then start opening it further but slowly.
16. If you look carefully you'l notice the disc starting to prise itself from the hub but it wont come off.
17. Look at the gaps that have now been created between the hub and the disc through the holes that are on the disc, where the threads are comming through.
18. The gaps are very small, just a couple of mm but enough for you to get a good dosage of WD40 in there. This will help release the rust that is holding the disc to the hub.
19. Close the jack and the disc will go back on to the hub again.
20. Spin the disc a a little so that maybe the next thread is nearest to the jacking point.
21. Repeat steps 14 to 20 quite vigourisly and the disc will eventually prise apart from the hub. BE VERY CAREFUL HERE AS THE DISC WILL JUST RELEASE WITHOUT WARNING. THIS WILL CAUSE NO DAMAGE TO ANYTHING OR ANYONE BUT IT MAY GIVE YOU A HEART ATTACK AS YOU'L THINK THE CAR HAS JUST FALLEN OFF THE AXLE STANDS. IT HASNT, THE DISC HAS JUST COME APART WITH A RATHER LOUD BANG!!!!!!
22. Repeat steps 13 to 21 on the other side and that too will eventually come right off.
23. Before you put the new discs back on clean the hub with a metal brush to make sure all the WD40 and the rust/grime/dirt come off. Then put some Copper Grease ON THE HUB between the threads and put the new disc over it
24. Before you put the wheel back on the car make sure you reverse step 9. Turn the cog till it turns no more. Then turn it back a little and the disc will spin. Do the same on the other side. Apply ebrakeand see how little the travel is now.
25. Put the rubber bung in to the correct hole. This is the 1 that allows you to see through the hub. There is only 1.
26. Put wheel back on, drop the car and test your new brakes very gently.
Words of advice.
A. Try not to replace both discs and pads at the same time. You should only replace 1 of the either at a time. Let the old pads bed in the new discs for a week or 2 on very gentle braking, and vice versa.
B. After you have put in new discs OR pads NEVER go out and thrash your car. If you brake too hard constantly before bedding the new items in they'l more than likely warp.
C. Bedding usually takes around 200miles on very easy braking.
Hope this was of some help to you all. If theres any thing above you dont understand or think iv got wrong then please let me know.
Right this is how i did it. And i know some people are not going to like it and maybe even criticise me for it but this was the ONLY way i could get these off. I couldnt apply this much pressure with just a hammer. At the end of the day you have to remember that most of these discs are the original discs that came with the car, dont know about your but my SC is almost 14years old.
1. Take off rear wheels.
2. Remove rear pads and calipers.
3. Put a block of wood or something similiar infront of the front wheels.
4. Take off the ebrake.
5. On the rear discs there is a little rubber bung in one of the holes on each disc. Locate and remove this.
6. Turn the disc so that the hole you just removed the rubber bung from is at about 6 o'clock.
7. Shine a torch through the hole and locate a small cog facing you side ways.
8. This cog is the 1 that either releases the shoes or tightens them.
9. Using a flat head screwdriver turn this downwards. Turn it as far as it will go.
10. Turn the rear disc. If it is turning freely you've done that right. If its stuck fast then you've turned it the wrong way. Also when you have done both sides the ebrake should almost sit and a 90degree angle when applied.
11. At this point most people recommend a hammer and brute force. I know this works for some people aswell but it doesnt always work for the unlucky 1's. Try beating it with a rubber hammer. If the disc comes off then repeat steps 2 to 11 on the other side and your done. If however it doesnt work then read onto step 12.
12. I ended up here coz my discs wouldnt come off no matter how hard i hit them. I even took a metal hammer and that made absolutely no difference what so ever. So do the following.
13. Get a small car jack.
14. Sit this between the disc and the rear strut. See the picture's below.
15. Start opening the jack until it starts pressing on the disc. Then start opening it further but slowly.
16. If you look carefully you'l notice the disc starting to prise itself from the hub but it wont come off.
17. Look at the gaps that have now been created between the hub and the disc through the holes that are on the disc, where the threads are comming through.
18. The gaps are very small, just a couple of mm but enough for you to get a good dosage of WD40 in there. This will help release the rust that is holding the disc to the hub.
19. Close the jack and the disc will go back on to the hub again.
20. Spin the disc a a little so that maybe the next thread is nearest to the jacking point.
21. Repeat steps 14 to 20 quite vigourisly and the disc will eventually prise apart from the hub. BE VERY CAREFUL HERE AS THE DISC WILL JUST RELEASE WITHOUT WARNING. THIS WILL CAUSE NO DAMAGE TO ANYTHING OR ANYONE BUT IT MAY GIVE YOU A HEART ATTACK AS YOU'L THINK THE CAR HAS JUST FALLEN OFF THE AXLE STANDS. IT HASNT, THE DISC HAS JUST COME APART WITH A RATHER LOUD BANG!!!!!!
22. Repeat steps 13 to 21 on the other side and that too will eventually come right off.
23. Before you put the new discs back on clean the hub with a metal brush to make sure all the WD40 and the rust/grime/dirt come off. Then put some Copper Grease ON THE HUB between the threads and put the new disc over it
24. Before you put the wheel back on the car make sure you reverse step 9. Turn the cog till it turns no more. Then turn it back a little and the disc will spin. Do the same on the other side. Apply ebrakeand see how little the travel is now.
25. Put the rubber bung in to the correct hole. This is the 1 that allows you to see through the hub. There is only 1.
26. Put wheel back on, drop the car and test your new brakes very gently.
Words of advice.
A. Try not to replace both discs and pads at the same time. You should only replace 1 of the either at a time. Let the old pads bed in the new discs for a week or 2 on very gentle braking, and vice versa.
B. After you have put in new discs OR pads NEVER go out and thrash your car. If you brake too hard constantly before bedding the new items in they'l more than likely warp.
C. Bedding usually takes around 200miles on very easy braking.
Hope this was of some help to you all. If theres any thing above you dont understand or think iv got wrong then please let me know.
Don't know what i'd do without you guys on CL!
Driver
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
From: Ohio
A great write-up. This should be a sticky.
My rotors came off easily after I turned the little cog thru the little hole. Now I need to replace the e-brake shoes.
Anybody have some pointers? Are there hardware pieces that should be replaced when replacing the e-brake shoes? It looks like I might need to remove the hub first cuz it's in the way of all the hardware, but I'd rather not.
My rotors came off easily after I turned the little cog thru the little hole. Now I need to replace the e-brake shoes.
Anybody have some pointers? Are there hardware pieces that should be replaced when replacing the e-brake shoes? It looks like I might need to remove the hub first cuz it's in the way of all the hardware, but I'd rather not.
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 9,859
Likes: 12
From: Waipahu, Waikele, HI
Great writeup.
I just replaced my rotors and pads today....found this after-the-fact.
Fronts are easy....rears a bit tougher...esp removing the rotor...even after loosening the ebrake adjuster on both sides.
Btw....dont waste your time with the bolt trick...I had stock (OEM) rotors....and bought.....7mmx1.0, 8mmx1.0, and 8mmx1.25.....none worked.
I finally used the trusty old sledgehammer.
Pete
I just replaced my rotors and pads today....found this after-the-fact.
Fronts are easy....rears a bit tougher...esp removing the rotor...even after loosening the ebrake adjuster on both sides.
Btw....dont waste your time with the bolt trick...I had stock (OEM) rotors....and bought.....7mmx1.0, 8mmx1.0, and 8mmx1.25.....none worked.
I finally used the trusty old sledgehammer.
Pete