Stuck Front Rotor

[JohnHaggerty]

I've been wrestling with tight parts since I started. I need to change ball joints. Latest problem is a stuck rotor. I've been beating a wood block against the back of the rotor and can't get any movement. Tried beating steel rod against rotor between studs hoping to help break it. Been soaking with WD40. Rotor has never been removed and has 103k miles on it. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[JohnHaggerty]

Got it! Used one of the bolts and nuts that held the hub extension to rotor and jacked thru the lower caliper retaining hole. A 1/2" thick aluminum bar and some steel shims. Jack and got a pop, rotated 90 degrees three times and broke it free. So far the biggest PITA part so far. Tomorrow the hub bearing assembly and axle shaft off. Then finally to the ball joints. Figured that since I'm here I'll change out the front drive u-joints also.

 

[BigPapa]

Sorry to be a Debbie Downer, but if the rotor was that much trouble, you're in for a real fight with the hub.....

 

[JohnHaggerty]

I was so messed up that I tried to take both the rotor and hub off together. That didn't work. After finally getting the rotor off, I saw my earlier attempts broke the hub free. Looks like a simple pry should do it. I'm doing both sides, so hopefully I learned something and the second side goes better.

 

[Ozymandias]

Torch is your friend, heat the flange of the rotor and it poppes right off.

Same for the bearing, heat the knuckle and the bearing popps out.

And again for stubborn ball joints...

 

[Crunch]

Torch is your friend, heat the flange of the rotor and it poppes right off.

Ain't that the truth! I was never a torch devotee, but a friend of mine knew an old timer (he'd be about 100 now if he hadn't passed away) who would go to the torch at the first sign of stuck metal. After using a torch a few times I was converted and baptized. Just be careful to avoid starting a fire when you are working around the engine or grease.