My car is a 1988 IROC-Z with 9 bolt 2.77 rear end.

Bought full set of rotors and pads as 3 of mine are badly grooved and I'm pretty sure they're original! The one that isn't grooved is the one that squeaks badly... lol.

ANYWAY, Started at the back as I thought they would be easier than the fronts. HA! Rotors are absolutely glued on with rust and will not budge at all. Read loads of threads on here about people with the same problem. I'm at the stage where I think I'm just going to take it to a garage and get them to do it.

Tried WD40 round the centre and each wheel stud, let it soak and hit a hammer against a block of wood on the rotor. Also tried c-clamps on an iron bar (see picture below) and gradually tightened until I could go no further. Kept trying this after rotating it through 360 degrees about 3 times over. From what I've read, they should just slide off, right? There isn't anything I'm missing like a bolt/screw at the back or something...?

 

Nothing holding it in place except rust.

There are two other options. Since you're replacing rotors anyway, might be time to quit the subtle tactics and take a hammer to it. The other thing I've done is remove the bolts holding the axle in, removed the entire thing, and then once that is done there are holes in the axle (3 of them, IIRC) that you can hit the hub of the rotor from the back side to force it off.

 

BFH. No need to be gentle as you're replacing. Other ideas here:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/brak...tuck-rear.html

JamesC

 

with a big enough hammer anythings possible

 

Thanks madmax, that's made me feel better that I'm not missing anything.

Also thank you James. In that link, "customblackbird" says: "wack it with a mallet. if your replacing it then dont worry about the rotor. wack the outside of the rotor around the edges. should break loose. just make sure u have everything off... brake calipers and u take the spindle nut and washer/bearing out." I was also worried about this, will I risk axle damage if I don't remove the bearings? I have no clue how to go about removing the rear bearings. The fronts seem simple enough, but the rears do not.

90t/aguy, I like your thinking!

I have tried with a hammer, but not gone mental with it... yet! I don't want to end up with a busted rotor that won't budge, meaning my car can't go anywhere.

 

On the rear, you can't remove the bearings without removing the axles. I wouldn't worry about going a bit 'mental' with the hammer. Your car would take more of a beating on a road with a ton of pot holes than a few well aimed whacks with a hammer.

For more info on the rear bearing removal/installation, see this link:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tran...ing-axles.html

JamesC

 

Thanks again James! That looks a bit too involved for just changing brakes anyway, so no way I'm going to bother. Also pretty sure my bearings are fine and I'm a firm believer in the "if it aint broke don't fix it" approach.

Looks like it's going to be the big hammer SMASHY SMASHY treatment!

 

I agree, its time for a BFH. Your car weighs more than the force you can hit it with. Time to put your big-boy pants on and man-up.

If you like, you can use some PB blaster on it. Just keep it off the business area of the rotor. Here are the instructions for PB.
Step 1 spray PB liberally on both sides
Step 2 Drink one bottle of your favorite beer
Step 3 Hit it with the BFH
Repeat as needed.

 

After all your encouraging words ( everyone! ) I decided to have a quick bash this morning... So I dragged myself out of bed, shoveled some cereal and a cup of tea into my gob and had the tools out, the car jacked up and wheel off in about five minutes! Then I removed the caliper, squirted a wee bit more WD40 round the hub and studs and gave it the beans with the hammer (hitting opposing sides, a few times on one and then a few times on the other). Didn't look like it was budging at all, so I got the bar and c-clamps back on and hit the bar (as suggested by a friend) in a left-right-left-right-left-right rythm and it MOVED! It actually MOVED!




Had to keep repeating this about 6 or 7 times and I got it right up flush with the hub.




I could go no further with the bar and clamps, so I got a block of wood on the back corner of the rotor and "firmly tapped" it a few times, rotating every so often...




And then FINALLY I had it, like separating Siamese Twins, it was glorious!

 

On with the shiny shiny:




All back together; "Like a glooooove!":




Only took me about 45 minutes, now I know exactly what to do on the other side, although the caliper being at the front on the passenger side makes removal very tricky due to the handbrake cable having next to no play at all. Might be an idea to remove it. Anyway, it feels sooooo good having at least one corner done and dusted!

Off with the old and on with the new! "Great success! Eees naice!"

 

Pat yourself on the back, go crank up some Fratellis and swill a pint or two in victory!

JamesC

 

"Man Card" reissued!

 

Hehe thanks guys! Won the first battle, but the war shall continue...

 

hey! that my line

 

With the climate over there, pull the rotor back, whire wheel all the rust off and lightly coat the mating faces and the hubcentric part w/ copper paste or you'll be at it again in the future