HELP! Stuck Rotors?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 845
Likes: 12
From: LAKE BARRINGTON IL
HELP! Stuck Rotors?
Hi all,
Pulling the brakes...and the rotors wont budge!!!
I got my RBFH (hammer) and hit it until I was tired...nothing!
Pulled the nut, thinking it was the old type, and the whole hub came off. I am pretty sure these are original rotors on there still.
What to do??
Are they held on by those rivets?
Thanks!
Ron
Pulling the brakes...and the rotors wont budge!!!
I got my RBFH (hammer) and hit it until I was tired...nothing!
Pulled the nut, thinking it was the old type, and the whole hub came off. I am pretty sure these are original rotors on there still.
What to do??
Are they held on by those rivets?
Thanks!
Ron
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 5,738
Likes: 644
From: Lincoln, CA
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 215
Likes: 7
From: Chardon Ohio
Don't drill the rivets. Take the hub / Rotor assembly off and have it turned if you want them cleaned up. The factory rotors are much better than the junk available now. I just had my fronts turned as they were original and still riveted to the hub. The car had been sitting since 1991 and the looked pretty bad but they cleaned up nice!! And since they are riveted you will not have to worry about runout. Replace the bearings while you have the hub off.
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Team Owner
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From: Southbound
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Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Youngstown Ohio
Yes, drill out the rivets if you want to change the rotors. I used a 3/8" drill bit (more than one) to do mine. Drill them out, then pop the rotors loose with a couple good whacks with the hammer if needed. (They should fall right off.)
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 15,892
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And drilled/slotted rotors are nothing but bling items. Possibly your original rotors are still good, depending on how much you damaged them with the hammer. Change the wheels bearings though, they're scrap.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 805
Likes: 5
From: Naperville Illinois
If you decide to replace them, be prepared to measure and correct the rotor runout or you will have brake problems (and embarrassing squeaks). I replaced all my rotors as part of a suspension rebuild (rivets had been drilled by a previous owner) and I got lucky--only one front rotor had bad runout (.010). It took most of a day before I had it shimmed to a little less than .003. I cleaned the hub face, the inside of the rotor, replaced the bearings, tried clocking the rotor every way, tried a rotor from a different manufacturer, then gave up and started trying shims. had the rotor on and off probably 10 times. PITA.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 5,738
Likes: 644
From: Lincoln, CA
Assuming my odometer turned over my 170K rotors are still within spec.
Please don't take this the wrong way, but wacking the rotors with a hammer and not knowing they are riveted leaves me with a feeling you may not know about rotor run out with fixed calipers.
Do you all the tools to do it? If you don't do it right could have braking issues.
Please don't take this the wrong way, but wacking the rotors with a hammer and not knowing they are riveted leaves me with a feeling you may not know about rotor run out with fixed calipers.
Do you all the tools to do it? If you don't do it right could have braking issues.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 845
Likes: 12
From: LAKE BARRINGTON IL
thanks for all the info guys!
ddawson...not taking wrong...i am no professional, but avid DIY enthusiast. Yes, still alot to learn...it is also difficult when asking others (local mechanics) and this is their solution...hence why this site is AWESOME! i learn so much! and realize that life is all about learning---no matter how experienced!
gonna take the rotors in tomorrow to see if I can turn them! Thanks!
Ron
ddawson...not taking wrong...i am no professional, but avid DIY enthusiast. Yes, still alot to learn...it is also difficult when asking others (local mechanics) and this is their solution...hence why this site is AWESOME! i learn so much! and realize that life is all about learning---no matter how experienced!
gonna take the rotors in tomorrow to see if I can turn them! Thanks!
Ron
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
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Instructor
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 215
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From: Chardon Ohio
Try to take them to a shop that knows what they are doing. I didn't trust mine to the kids at Autozone. Call around to a few local brake shops and try to find an old school guy that knows how important it is to get the job done right.
Team Owner
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From: Southbound
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