# Front rotor removal



## ratherbefishin' (Jun 16, 2007)

It's rusted to the hub. First spray the center where it contacts the hub with a little penetrating oil. You'll see two small threaded holes in the rotor, one on each side of the hub center. Find a couple bolts that fit those holes and thread them in until they contact the hub, then alternately turn the bolts 1/4 turn at a time until the rotor pops loose.

How three studs broke is beyond me, though I'm guessing either you were driving with loose lug nuts, or some kid at a tire shop got overzealous with an impact wrench. The lug nuts on that Corolla should always be hand torqued to 76 ft lbs.


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## greenhorn oo1 (Nov 25, 2010)

ratherbefishin' said:


> It's rusted to the hub. First spray the center where it contacts the hub with a little penetrating oil. You'll see two small threaded holes in the rotor, one on each side of the hub center. Find a couple bolts that fit those holes and thread them in until they contact the hub, then alternately turn the bolts 1/4 turn at a time until the rotor pops loose.
> 
> How three studs broke is beyond me, though I'm guessing either you were driving with loose lug nuts, or some kid at a tire shop got overzealous with an impact wrench. The lug nuts on that Corolla should always be hand torqued to 76 ft lbs.


This is most likely right, Its been a while since I've worked on one.

Ratherbefishin, I know some Asain made cars have the rotor behind the hub so you have to take out the front wheel bearings to get the rotor off :furious:. I hope for Machovera that isnt the case with his. If I had access to my fathers AllData account I would look it up but its been a while since I've logged on and forget the password. 

Good Luck Machovera.


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## ratherbefishin' (Jun 16, 2007)

greenhorn oo1 said:


> This is most likely right, Its been a while since I've worked on one.


This is exactly right, and it hasn't been a while since I've worked on one.....:whistling2:

And btw, the bolts I use to press it off are 8mmx1.25, 50mm length.


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## polarzak (Dec 1, 2008)

That is why I have always bought GM. A sledge hammer works great in loosing rusted on rotors. (assuming there are being replaced anyway)


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## ratherbefishin' (Jun 16, 2007)

polarzak said:


> That is why I have always bought GM. A sledge hammer works great in loosing rusted on rotors. (assuming there are being replaced anyway)



Yeah, that sledge does great things for your wheel bearings, CVs, and alignment, too. But who cares if you do few hundred dollars damage as long as the rotor comes off, huh?:laughing:


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

I'll slap a brake drum with a 2 pound rubber mallet to loosen rust enough to get it off, but you should never hit a brake rotor with anything. A three pound sledge, judiciously used on a tie rod joint at the knuckle will work wonders to get it off, but a brake rotor has delicate parts behind it that don't like getting pounded with a sledge. It should be pulled off, either with a threaded pull, like a steering wheel puller, or a big three jawed puller around the rotor. If you have to hit it, put tension on it with the puller, then just tap it with a rubber mallet, then tighten it up some more. Use the rubber mallet as a persuader, with taps on a rotor under tension and it'll come off, and not damage the bearings and CV joint, etc.

Try just pulling it off first though. That works 99% of the time.


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## ratherbefishin' (Jun 16, 2007)

Bigplanz said:


> I'll slap a brake drum with a 2 pound rubber mallet to loosen rust enough to get it off, but you should never hit a brake rotor with anything. A three pound sledge, judiciously used on a tie rod joint at the knuckle will work wonders to get it off, but a brake rotor has delicate parts behind it that don't like getting pounded with a sledge. It should be pulled off, either with a threaded pull, like a steering wheel puller, or a big three jawed puller around the rotor. If you have to hit it, put tension on it with the puller, then just tap it with a rubber mallet, then tighten it up some more. Use the rubber mallet as a persuader, with taps on a rotor under tension and it'll come off, and not damage the bearings and CV joint, etc.
> 
> Try just pulling it off first though. That works 99% of the time.


Yup, these Corolla rotors are tapped for a threaded pull, but I find the slightly uneven pressure from the two bolt method to work faster than a straight pull. They usually pop right off by the third 1/4 turn.


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## polarzak (Dec 1, 2008)

ratherbefishin' said:


> Yeah, that sledge does great things for your wheel bearings, CVs, and alignment, too. But who cares if you do few hundred dollars damage as long as the rotor comes off, huh?:laughing:


Never been a problem in 30 years. And if you knew your vehicles,:laughing: those items take for more of a beating just driving around town than they will with a few TAPS with weight of a sledge hammer. Imagine for a moment, if you can, the forces on the components you mention, that a 4000 pound vehicle must be able to endure on some of our less than perfect roads. I hardly think I could SWING a sledge hammer with as much force as these components are DESIGNED to handle. Tapping the rotor a few times is not going to damage ANYTHING, not even the rotor in most cases. But, then again you must be referring to components from Japanese vehicles. Building cars out of old rusty Zero scrap metal, does make them weak. huh? :laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

If all else fails, go get one of these. The rotor WILL come off. 

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-ton-hydraulic-gear-puller-66657.html


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