Hey, newbie here with a dumb question no doubt. I have a "warped" front rotor that won't come loose. Read the FAQ so I know what warped rotors really means. But PB Blaster, hammer, even heat, and the thing won't budge. I'm afraid to really let loose on it with the BFH. I don't want to damage the bearing or anything else. This thing just will not let go. Am I the only one who has ever had this problem? It looks like the car has had little maintenance done by previous owners. Any help would be appreciated, thanks.
keep drenching with blaster and beat on it with a hammer...it'll come lose eventually.
GO PATS!!!
OK, I was just hoping there wasn't any mechanical thing holding it on. I assumed it was push-on like most other FWDs I've worked on. Needless to say, this thing is in need of some work.
James Miller wrote:OK, I was just hoping there wasn't any mechanical thing holding it on. I assumed it was push-on like most other FWDs I've worked on. Needless to say, this thing is in need of some work.
You can hit the rotor as hard as you want, it isnt going to damage the bearing.
However if you miss and take a good swing, you might be replacing a wheel stud.
- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new
just beat the heck out of it! plus its a good way to get out any anger.
Ill make a sig someday
thats weird ive never heard of this.. most of the time i take off my wheel its usually moving and if i take off my caliper the rotor will just pretty much fall off i wonder why its stuck. never heard of such a thing
Exactly the reason it brought up my concern. I've worked on many FWDs and even 4wd s-series, they should all work the same. Rotor just slides off. My buddy did tell me a way that might work. Said he had this problem on his old beater Baretta. Hit around the center with a punch and work your way around. I guess the rust has taken up all the clearance that was there. I'll try it this evening and see what happens.
1999 Cavalier RS 2.2 5-speed
Try cutting into where the rust is with an air hammer and hit it with the torch. We got an old stuck drum off this way.
Heya James Miller
Ive had a few too many rotor get stuck, Just get a 1ft pc of 2x4 wood place it against the flat part of the rotor better off inside area, get a 2.lb sleg hammer or 20.oz hammer 2 good wacks should pop youre rotor off, What happens when you use the 2x4 pc of wood it allows the rotor to absorb force to pop off the rotor.
Good Luck
Thanks for all the advice guys. I finally got it off. Though the edges of it are broken off, haha. From what I can tell, it rusted on the backside of the rotor where the 3 holes are to get to the unit bearing bolts. It filled those three holes with rust and completely siezed tofether. Wire wheeled it nice and clean, used about a bottle of antizieze and put the new rotor on. Problem solved, brakes smooth. Thanks again for the help, just needed reassurance that I wouldn't break anything by using more force.
1999 Cavalier RS 2.2 5-speed
When I had this problem on my Malibu, I used a grinder to cut four slots about 2" deep into the flat part of the rotor at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock. It's an old guy trick my pap taught me. I'm noit sure how it actually works, but his rationale was that it lets the rotor shift and flex more because it's no longer a completely solid piece. I've used it several times since with good success... but usually on rotors that rusted to the outer edge of the hub. Never had one get that bad on the face of the hub, but it might help that too.. I know it's a little late, but hopefully it'll help people who search later.
