removing front rotors

[kmcdonough]

Anyone have any tricks or secrets to removing the front rotors? I got the rears off with some WD40 and a lump hammer, but after working on the fronts with a sledge for about an hour the fronts won't budge. Any insight would be a big help.

Thanks,

Kevin McD

 

[Cattletrkr]

When you have a wheel bearing go out, drive about 40 miles further than you should. The rotor will basically fall off. Worked for me, although I shouldn't really recommend it. :-laf

 

[rbattelle]

Kevin, did you get them off yet?

Ryan

 

[Coalsmoke]

I use a 15ton portable hydraulic puller. It is by far the easiest way to remove them. Perhaps you could rent one from a local tool house?

 

[AllianceDiesel]

uh it shouldn't be that hard to take them off, it should only be some rings that hold them on from the factory, that is once you have the brake caliper and bracket off.



mopar

 

[rbattelle]

I assume they fused with the wheel bearing flange after years of winter salt baths.

Occasionally I've heard this sort of thing reported here.

Ryan

 

[JNoble]

I just took mine off, I used a block of wood and a hammer. Hit it a few times, give it a spin and hit it again. Try Hitting the face of the rotor in between the lugs to loosen too.

 

[AllianceDiesel]

yep, and when you are hitting the rotor, put a pry bar behind the rotor and pry on it, that helped me many times

 

[kmcdonough]

Thanks for the info. Hopefully I'll get a chance this weekend to give it another try. Someone said if I use a little heat this may help. Any thought on that. I've used the hammer and pry bar but without luck.

Thanks,

Kevin McD.

 

[rbattelle]

Someone said if I use a little heat this may help. Any thought on that.

This may work, just be careful not to cook the grease in the bearings.



If you're looking to heat it, why not run a couple welds across the front of the rotor instead of using a torch? I don't know if that will work, but it may help prevent cooking the bearing grease.



Ryan

 

[AllianceDiesel]

you don't want to weld it, if you weld it on the front, your rim isn't gonna sit flush with the rotor, and you will also get a vibration, you can heat it with a torch just make sure you are moving the torch all over the face of the rotor, but stay away from where the pads run.

 

[Coalsmoke]

Kevin, have you looked into maybe renting a puller? It takes me about 60seconds per side once the hardware is off. Hammers and prybars gets old fast.

 

[rbattelle]

you don't want to weld it, if you weld it on the front, your rim isn't gonna sit flush with the rotor,

I was assuming he's replacing the rotors.



Ryan