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Long story short, I snapped off a wheel stud and need to replace it. I got the brake caliper removed, I drilled the rivet heads off....but I can't get the stinking rotor to budge. (1970 manual xmission car). Rotors must have been original since the rivets were still there.
I can't get the rivets to push back, I'm hitting them quite hard with a large phillips screwdriver and 5lb hammer....they won't pop out like all the videos. I thought maybe the parking brake is holding things up....but I can't get the star wheel to move at all. I have been spraying penetrating fluid on the star wheel as well as around each (of the remaining) wheel studs, and at each rivet location, and around the center hub. I have been trying to hit it with a dead-blow hammer from the back, but not a lot of room to swing much and get much force in that area. I have put two screwdrivers in the vanes (180 apart) and tried to wiggle, but it won't budge. I've rotated the access hole to the top and it looks like the top spring of the parking brake is in tact, but can't be sure. I can say it isn't obviously broken.
I don't know what else to do....suggestions? (and I don't have a torch...and if I did, that scares me).
Not sure how doing rivets..but try to chisel them into the drilled hole and or grind a liitle..should pop off..or hit from sides with chisel.
i would replace all the e brake parts…after rivets you may get it off if not grooved too bad…if not after rovets a chisel on the star?
Not sure how doing rivets..but try to chisel them into the drilled hole and or grind a liitle..should pop off..or hit from sides with chisel.
i would replace all the e brake parts…after rivets you may get it off if not grooved too bad…if not after rovets a chisel on the star?
Thanks - the rivet heads are all off - that is not holding it on. And i did purchase all new SS e brake parts to replace whenever I can get the darn rotor off....
Thanks - the rivet heads are all off - that is not holding it on. And i did purchase all new SS e brake parts to replace whenever I can get the darn rotor off....
hmm..some bfh taps should have the rivets pop out or at least show loose…don’t forget to mark your rotor to be put back on in exactly same spot for runout..
Plastic dead blow hammer from the back?
i got some good advice here for a break… https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...82-please.html
Last edited by interpon; Aug 17, 2021 at 09:30 PM.
Thanks - I am using a bfh pounding on large phillips screw driver. I am not using a flat ended punch...but should that make that much of a difference? I can go buy a punch set if it will make a difference. I did mark the rotor, but thanks for the reminder. I also tried a plastic dead blow from the back, but honestly, because of the dust shield and such, it's hard to get much of a swing on that...
center punch those rivets and drill them out. And yes a real punch will work much better than a plastic handled screw driver. The right tool for the job.
Last edited by 4-vettes; Aug 17, 2021 at 10:20 PM.
In your previous thread, I pointed out that you should be using a pin punch, not the screwdriver. The plastic handle on the screwdriver is absorbing some of the force you are attempting to apply. Head over to Northern Tool, Grainger, or Mars. Stay away from Harbor Freight.
In your previous thread, I pointed out that you should be using a pin punch, not the screwdriver. The plastic handle on the screwdriver is absorbing some of the force you are attempting to apply. Head over to Northern Tool, Grainger, or Mars. Stay away from Harbor Freight.
Point well taken. Lowes seems to have a decent set at a reasonable price. I will be picking one up, hopefully tomorrow. Do you think if I get the rivets out, that will free up the rotor?
i am assuming.. you drilled out the rivets already...??
even a flat chisel coming from the sides will shear it off after drilling..
maybe a pic will help.. tap the bfh sides and front too.. 'tap'
Getting the rivets out will most certainly help in the objective but there are three other resistance points - the flange contact area (between the rotor “hat” and the axle flange), the stud shanks and the respective holes in the rotor, and the parking brake shoes/rotor.
Let’s focus on the rivets first. Post a close pic of the rivet/rotor area so we can confirm you have removed the entire head of the rivets.
Thanks guys. Here are some pictures. I'm pretty sure the rivet heads are off. I had been hesitant to drill them out because I don't have good luck finding center, so then if I drill, I risk drilling into rotor or wheel flange right?
I'm not sure what you mean by using a chisel to sheer them off? How would I do that? I can't get to the rivets because the rotor hat is in the way... Right? Obviously I'm not understanding what you are suggesting. Sorry.
He might have meant that if the rivets weren't drilled out that a good chisel should be able to pop the head of the rivet off. But you are past that now. Good luck getting them out. Center punch and drill them....
I would go ahead and drill them out the rest of the way - even if you do go off the side into the rotor or hub, I don't see how that would harm anything functionally. It might put the rotor the slightest bit out of balance but you are still taking material off pretty much equally around the rotor.
correct.. looks like past rivets.. ( i see the philips head imprint lol)..
good penetrating oil in blue areas... tap tap tap...i don't think the rivets are holding.. until you can see looseness... not off but loose...or any gap or movement..
then step 3 see if e brake holding next..
also suggest a mark in the steel..to align how rotor was removed.. marker tends to disappear..
a soft dead blow hammer or block of wood (rocking back and forth and even FORWARD hits around the edge).. after soaking.. don't go nuts but don't wimp either..
Last edited by interpon; Aug 18, 2021 at 10:30 AM.
here is an example hammering ( you can hammer on outside on a rotor). but i do not use metal to metal.. never tried the bolt method and not possible anyway..just example hitting
When a rivet is installed, not only does the tail mushroom, but the shank of the rivet swells up. Drill all the way thru the rivet with a 1/8 bit, then drill thru with a 1/4. That should relieve the rivet so you can drive it out.
Long story short, I snapped off a wheel stud and need to replace it. I got the brake caliper removed, I drilled the rivet heads off....but I can't get the stinking rotor to budge. (1970 manual xmission car). Rotors must have been original since the rivets were still there.
I can't get the rivets to push back, I'm hitting them quite hard with a large phillips screwdriver and 5lb hammer....they won't pop out like all the videos. I thought maybe the parking brake is holding things up....but I can't get the star wheel to move at all. I have been spraying penetrating fluid on the star wheel as well as around each (of the remaining) wheel studs, and at each rivet location, and around the center hub. I have been trying to hit it with a dead-blow hammer from the back, but not a lot of room to swing much and get much force in that area. I have put two screwdrivers in the vanes (180 apart) and tried to wiggle, but it won't budge. I've rotated the access hole to the top and it looks like the top spring of the parking brake is in tact, but can't be sure. I can say it isn't obviously broken.
I don't know what else to do....suggestions? (and I don't have a torch...and if I did, that scares me).
Any suggestions?
A rivets holding power comes from expansion.
You'll need to drill out the centers before they'll "let go" of the hub & axle.
Choose a bit at least half the diameter of the rivet.
You don't need to go all the way through the other side of the rivet but you'll need to at least clear the hub & axle thickness.
Once you've done that they should easily pop out using a hammer and punch ( or phillips if you will).
Thanks guys... Looks like I will start drilling. (funny, autocorrect first put "drinking" instead of drilling... That's prolly more accurate!). Hopefully tonight (for both).
Agree with the advice of drilling/relieving the shank. Only word of caution is that you will need to ensure the punch you use is at least 1/8” diameter larger than the diameter of the hole you drill. You don’t want to have the punch get wedged inside the hole you drill.
P.S. I was thinking more about your efforts with the screwdriver after looking at the pictures. It is clear from the Phillips pattern on the rivet, you are applying a portion of the force vector radially outward, due to the taper of the screwdriver tip. That radial force vector is jamming the rivet against the side of the hole in the rotor, as well as the axle flange, action that is working against you. It is IMPERATIVE that you use a flat faced punch so as to enable all of the force to be transmitted along the axis of the rivet.
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My star wheel on my 1968 driver side parking brake was rusted solid into one piece. After drilling out the rivets, the drum was hung up on the parking brake shoes. After a long period on banging/prying/cussing it finally gave it up. Some PO had removed the entire parking brake assembly on the passenger side so it was only the rivets and the rotor came off fairly easily.
Another stuck rear rotor thread - help?
