How to Remove a Stuck Brake Rotor From a Chevy Silverado

Perhaps you were hoping for a simple brake repair procedure on your Chevy Silverado. That was before you tried to remove the rotor, but it's rusted stuck to the hub. There are still a few tricks you can try before giving up, and chances are, you'll be successful. Perseverance and diligence will pay dividends, and some specialty tools might help as well.

Instructions

1

Determine if you're saving the rotor--the farther into this procedure you get without success, the less the chance of reusing the stuck rotor. If you're planning on reusing it, start with the lowest impact removal procedures. Depending on how stuck it is, you'll have to consider replacing it if you're not successful.

2

Spray the hub center of the rotor and the back side of the rotor liberally with spray lubricant. Allow the lubricant a few minutes to soak in. Strike the rotor with force using the rubber mallet. Put on the safety glasses and strike the rotor on the plated fins from the backside of the rotor hitting outward. Turn the rotor 1/4 turn after a couple of strikes to change the position of shocking it from the hub.

3

Apply the three-stem puller to the front of the rotor. The stems will grip the rotor from behind the plate, and as you tighten the center adjuster, the shaft will sink and pull the rotor from the hub. Generally, this is a successful way to remove the rotor with the intent to reuse it.

4

Use a slide hammer with a rotor/drum removal adapter screwed onto the end. Much like rotating the rotor 1/4 turn when striking it with the rubber mallet, you want to position the slide hammer on different striking points of the rotor to finally break it free from the hub.

5

Light the torch and heat the hub of the rotor on the edges and in front by the lug studs. The heat may loosen the rust, and then you can try any of steps from Step 2 to Step 4 if you still want to reuse the rotor. Once you've exhausted all of these procedures without success, it's time to throw in the towel and forget about reusing the rotor. Too much force will be required to remove it from the hub, and it will be damaged, but you can still remove it.

6

Strike the plated fin of the rotor again using the 2 lb. sledgehammer. Again turn the rotor 1/4 turn between every couple of strikes. Relight the torch at this juncture and strike the rotor again using the sledgehammer.

7

Unpack the big guns and use the pneumatic impact hammer with a flat stud removal bit to start. Loosen up the rust by using the hammer to strike the flat of the hub near the lug studs, but be careful not to hit the lug studs accidentally. Use a blunt rounded tip with the impact hammer and strike the rotor from behind outward, being careful of the backing plate, and again turn the rotor manually 1/4 turn after a few seconds of striking. Being the last resort, you will definitely be successful with this procedure, provided you have a quality-brand impact hammer.

8

Clean the surface of the hub with a die grinder and a coarse reconditioning disc. Clean along the edges of the hub where the rotor seats against the hub. Apply a light coat of anti-seize lubricant to the edge of the hub and the center of the hub where the center hole of the rotor sits against. This will help you on future removal procedures of the rotor.