How do you get brake discs off of the rotors? (85 300D)

[Carrameow]

How do you get brake discs off of the rotors? (85 300D) Those hex bolts are really in there!
Don't say use an impact driver because they don't make 1/2" 10 mm hex bits or impact hex bits--they do--but I cant find them..my puny 1/4" 10 mm hex is not up to the task.
Will heat do it?

[Benzcrusher]

Your talking about the front rotors correct?

Remove hub/rotor assembly from car
Bolt it back on to the wheel with 2 or 3 lug bolts.
Now with the wheel in an upright position you can use a breaker bar with a pipe (handle extender). Lean on the tire as you do this.

BE SURE TO CLEAN THE HEX BOLT HEADS AND DRIVE THE BIT HOME WITH A FEW LIGHT TAPS. YOU DON'T WANT TO STRIP THE HEADS.

[vstech]

the rotor is the shiny round disk that is bolted to the hub.
the hub is the dirty nasty rusty part that has a dust cap on it, with wheel berrings and greese inside it.
the disk brake pads are the parts that with pressure and friction, stop the car.
and finally the caliper, it is what compresses the pads to stop the car.
I hope benzcrusher's answer helps you.
you will never get the bolts off with a 1/4" wrench. I used a 3/8" allen socket and a 1/2" adapter and a 1/2" Breaker bar. but now I would use the same setup, and an impact wrench. sorry. ]
John

[t walgamuth]

yeah but i would skip the adapter and go right to .5 inch drive allen/ sockets. the torque required is significant and you may break a 3/8 anything.

tom w

[tangofox007]

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

yeah but i would skip the adapter and go right to .5 inch drive allen/ sockets. the torque required is significant and you may break a 3/8 anything.

tom w

And where does one find such a tool?

[MattBelliveau]

The tools I used cost me a total of $10. Do the bolt on thing like Benzcrusher mentioned, and try it his way. The torque on mine was so strong that his way couldn't have possibly worked for me. If his way doesn't work, lay the tire on the ground, with the rotor hex nuts facing the sky. I don't remember what size allen, but I just used one from the $4 set of greatneck brand that I had laying around. get yourself at least 4 feet of iron pipe (home depot or such). Insert the allen key, stand on the tire, insert pipe, and push/pull. Your hammies will be sore.

[vstech]

there is also the "hammer it" type of impact. it is a .5 drive handle with a spot to hit with a hammer. put in the socket, hold on to the tool, and WHAM, it may take a few tries, but impact is the way to go... if you like to keep your hammies ok.
John

[Ken300D]

I didn't have too much problem breaking them loose by using a 2-ft tire iron and a 1/2" drive socket wrench, adapter, and 3/8" drive 10mm hex socket. I clamped the old defenseless rotor in a vise vertically, and then threaded back in two lug bolts. Then I used the tire iron through the lug bolts and against the hub to hold the assembly while I loosened the rotor bolts on the other side with the socket wrench. Maybe I didn't have as much corrosion as some people.

And to think ahead, don't forget to coat the rotor bolts with blue locktight before you assemble the new rotor to the hub with them. Generally speaking, you don't want these bolts to come loose again on the road. I think the torque spec is around 80-100 ft-lbs.

Ken300D

[1983/300CD]

I am in the middle of this job myself.

You will want a torch to heat things up. I PB Blasted them, left them overnight, and brought them to the guy next door with an impact (air) wrench. The bit with adapter held up just fine, but two bolt heads stripped out.

Then, I drilled out the centers of the stripped ones, put it in the vice, put the propane torch on them, and used a bolt extractor.

Heat is your best friend on these.

Remember - 85 ft. pounds! If you get new bolts from the dealer, they are supposed to have a factory applied lock-tite (assuming the nylon stuff) on them already. I am still waiting on mine from Phil. Hope they come before this weekend!

[dmorrison]

Use a propane torch to heat the surounding metal. Then either use a breaker bar setup or an impact wrench setup.

http://www.webtooltruck.com/tools/hex-and-torx-tools/detail/LIS33850.html

Dave

[Eric Eliel]

Without an impact wrench and the proper tool, you'll need to bolt the hub assembly back onto the wheel. Like the others said, your 1/4" won't work, you'll snap it. My 3/8" is fine. I stand the wheel up and leverage down on the hex bolt. Dip the tip of the tool into Borax or Comet to get a smidge better grip inside the bolt.

BTW: In the fastener business those hex bolts are technically called socket screws.

[1983/300CD]

Socket head cap screws, technically.

And it doesn't look like I'm getting mine by this weekend.

[Tiredofagasser]

Wow! All this just for new rotors I just got my rotors and pads yesterday thinking this is something I can handle. On second thought, probably not! Well I guess it's time to bite the bullet on this. I wish I knew of a good indy 'round these parts.

[Carrameow]

Originally Posted by 1983/300CD

Socket head cap screws, technically.

And it doesn't look like I'm getting mine by this weekend.

Yeah I ordered mine from a company that deals with Worldpac too. I expected them yesterday also...they may be backordered..

The solution I used was Heat

[1983/300CD]

Originally Posted by Tiredofagasser

Wow! All this just for new rotors I just got my rotors and pads yesterday thinking this is something I can handle. On second thought, probably not! Well I guess it's time to bite the bullet on this. I wish I knew of a good indy 'round these parts.

Ah, yes you can. Just make sure you have a line on some bolts (M12 x 1.5 - 20mm long) in case you strip yours getting them out.

And a torch, a 10mm bit socket, and bearing grease.

And a Hayne's manual if you don't already have one. But the only thing you need to know from that is to tighten the locking nut down until the rotor no longer spins, then back it up 1/3 turn before you retighten the set screw in it.

Really not as bad as it sounds.