Brake rotor stuck to hub

I don't believe you'll damage bearings, I don't imagine it's good for them, but at this point what else to do. ?? On the bright side if you need new bearings 6 months down the road, the new rotor should come off easy enough.

 

sounds like an episode of "South Main Auto"... Eric would bust out 'Big Nasty' and pulverize a stuck rotor. Just a silly question since I'm not familiar with the 5 luggers- is there a screw that holds the rotor to the hub?

 

Tractors and beer. One of the unbeatable combo's! Almost as good as guns and beer.

 

No grease. It will liquify with brake heat and ruin your brake pads - and your braking.

 

Not a bad question; my daily driver Impala has that screw. The OP's been maintenanceing for some time so he'd probably see that.
But then again I may have had a brain fade a time or two in my years of mechanican

 

No I don't see any bolts or anything it looks like the rotor just slides over the lug studs and is held in place by the caliper and pads.

 

If your out and about before you get back to it. A left hand drill bit just a little smaller than the pusher bolts that are broken off. If you hit those with a left hand bit sometimes they'll grab the broken piece and it will screw out. Just might be an option if you can get them out and try pushing again with a new bolt.
I can't count the times too, when I just walked away from a situation like this for a few minutes then go back and the darn thing practically fall off there!

 

Leave your caliper off
Put the wheel back on - finger tight lugs
Set the truck back on the ground
Give the truck a little side to side to side wiggle
You should hear a "tink" as the rotor breaks free from the hub

And Bobs your uncle.

 

That sounds like a really good idea! I'm deff gonna try that

 

Trying to paint a picture in my mind of it. Imagining if you assemble the caliper back on but leave the outer pad off, or install the outer pad with all the braking material chiseled off, then step on the brake if it would push the rotor outwards. I’d be gentle with the pedal pressure and have a second guy looking to make sure you don’t bend the caliper or something weird.

 

This might work. But the force will primarily be on the studs not the rotor. If you stick a block of wood on the inside or outside edge of the wheel that would amplify the sideways force on the rotor. It would also be pretty unsafe. So nothing too fat, 1/2 or 3/4” so if it falls off it won’t be catastrophic.

You may need to get your hands on a rotor puller. Maybe a parts store will have one to rent. If you buy one, stay away from cheap Chinese it’s gonna kill you garbage.

An important step, once you do get it off, throw the rotor in the trash can as hard as you can, the important part is to make the UHHHH sound.

 

This would maybe be a last resort, but if you drill holes in the rotor in a few spots and put a bolt in from the backside that is compatible with a slide hammer and smack the shit out of it that way, might get better leverage. You’d likely make the rotor unusable, but you sound like you’re getting to last resorts.

I’m guessing you can only hit from the backside where the caliper is or you’d mangle the dust shield so maybe not getting a square hit, plus you’ve gotta worry about hitting mounting points on the knuckle, etc

 

I just ordered an OTC 6980 rotor puller. It'll be here in a few days. Hopefully it works I'll let you guys know how it goes

 

OP I don't have any better advice than anyone here but just wanted to say good luck and I hope you pop those fuckers off. Take some pics when you get it!!!!!

 

While a 5/16" and 8mm bolt have diameters that are close, I think the thread pitch is different. When you do the other side perhaps use a metric bolt. Sounds like your rotor is really stuck, so a metric bolt may not solve the problem but wouldn't hurt.

 

If it hasn’t been already suggested I’ve gotten them off before by rattling the shit out of it with an air hammer.

 

I was thinking this too. One of the first things on the list of maintenance items, get the correct size bolt, stick it in with some anti seize. If it seems already mucked up, I'll pull it off, chase the threads with some anti seize. A tap will sometimes sorta make the hole too big. A bolt with a grinder cut groove then wire wheel to clean up its threads, sometimes a thread file needed. So later down the road, when it's time to pull the rotor, there's a better chance to get it off.

That rotor puller should get it. I don't like the tie down strap idea tho. You might need a metal plate or something for the center bolt to push against. As tempting as it is, don't use a impact wrench on the center bolt. Use plenty of lube on it's threads. It should immediately start to move once there's tension on it. If not, make it super tight and let it sit. You might later hear a pop sound indicating it came loose. Pullers can take a tremendous amount of force. I've worked mine to the point I thought it would break, but it flexed, broke it loose, then flexed back. The only puller I ever bent is a cheap harbor freight chain breaker, which I straightened in a vice.

I don't think this applies for this situation, a problem I've encountered using a similar puller when pushing against a center stud with the little divot specifically for puller use. On a stuck one, I tightened the crap out of the center bolt, it caused the stud divot area to mushroom out. So then the nut wouldn't go back on. So now I put the nut on the end of the stud with anti seize on the threads. Then if it does want to mushroom out, it isn't as much. Removing the now stuck on nut is easier since theres anti seize on the threads. Then I make sure I have the correct size tap if it's something small like a steering wheel, or a thread file for something big like a wheel hub.

Let us know how it goes, send us some pictures, good luck.

 

Use one of these. I bought one last year and they come in handy for working in the rust belt. Much better than using the jacking screw if it's really stuck.

 

You missed the part where they said to grease the mating surfaces, not the braking surface. Rub a little grease or spray some dry film; it does work very well to preventing mating metal surfaces sticking together.

 

Nope, didn't miss it. Even if you only put it on the mating surfaces, the heat from braking will liquify it and it will go everywhere. Trust me, I've seen it happen since we have so many problems with rotors rusting to hubs up here. People try all sorts of stuff and sometimes end up with a bigger mess.