Tips on Removing Stuck Rotors

Sometimes removing rotors can be a challenge. Rust and corrosion can cause the rotors to stick to the hub. Rust and corrosion are especially common on older vehicles. Depending on how stuck the rotor is, several techniques might help, some that are simple and others that require professional tools and a lot of time. It's best to start with simpler, cheaper methods.

Rubber Mallet

A large rubber mallet may already be in your toolkit arsenal, or they can be purchased or borrowed with ease. To remove a stuck motor with a rubber mallet, spray lubricant on the hub and on the backside of the rotor and hit the rotor from the front and backside repeatedly until the rotor comes off. Afterward, scrape away any rust with sandpaper. If the rotor still won't budge after several attempts, move on to another method.

Rotor Puller

A rotor puller is a specialized piece of equipment many people probably don't have in their tool collection, but it can be rented from most auto parts stores. A generous amount of lubricant should be used on both the hub and rotor along with the rotor puller. This tool has a center bolt that attaches to the hub and three arms to hook onto the back of the rotor. By tightening the center bolt, pressure makes the arms pull the rotor away. Once the rotor has been pulled away, remove any rust with sandpaper.

Considerations

Park the vehicle on level ground before attempting to pry off the stuck-on rotors. Also, the rotors can be stuck in two different places on the hub and the parking brake shoes. If the rotor moves at all, most likely it is stuck to the parking brake shoes, and a small tool, such as a screwdriver, can help release the rotor from the parking brake shoes. Heat sometimes helps loosen the stuck rotors, so using a blowtorch may do the trick.