How to Remove a Frozen Brake Rotor

The word "frozen" is used often in the automotive repair industry and is often misunderstood. For example, depending on where you live, it is not uncommon to have rotors frozen to the hub of the vehicle. It doesn't mean that all it needs is to thaw out. It means that rust, corrosion, and oxidation have fused the rotor to the hub. Before you try to remove "frozen" rotors, prepare for the job, or else you will almost certainly damage the rotor. The following steps show how to remove a rotor correctly and reuse it, and to remove and replace it.

Instructions

Remove and Reuse a Frozen Brake Rotor

1

Put on the safety glasses since you're trying to remove something stuck on a vehicle by rust. With the vehicle on the lift, or on jack stands, and the wheels and calipers removed, make sure there are no retaining rings on the lug studs of the rotor, or retaining screws holding the rotor to the hub.

2

Spray a liberal amount of lubricant on the hub of the rotor where it seats around the hub bearing. Check to see of there are small bolts holes on the hub face of the rotor. If there are, you can try to thread in bolts (usually 2), but the width and thread pitch of the bolts will vary. Once you've found the correct bolt(s), thread them in until they bottom out against the hub. Tighten the bolts alternately about three times each then switch to the other using the ratchet and a socket, and as the bolt tightens, it will pull the rotor away from the hub. If the rotor is "frozen" badly, chances are it will strip out the bolt or bolt hole threads and you'll have to try another method.

3

Spray more lubricant onto the rotor and hub bearing seam. Strike the rotor with a large rubber mallet. Strike it on the plate of the fin from behind and from the front alternating strikes. You can light the torch and heat the seam and hub face of the rotor and the edge of the hub of the rotor and continue to strike it with the mallet. The hotter the rotor gets, the lesser the chances are of saving it.

4

Use the slide hammer with a rotor removal adapter. This is an L-shaped adapter that screws onto the end of the slide hammer and sits down behind the rear fin plate of the rotor. Slam the slide hammer and move it often to shock the rotor from the hub and eventually remove it.

5

Since the rotor was "frozen" to the hub, clean the face of the hub and the edges where the replacement rotor will sit. Use a medium-grade sandpaper, or better yet, a pneumatic die grinder and a coarse sanding disk. Clean it thoroughly. Apply a light coat of a high temperature anti-seize lubricant on the seam of the hub bearing where the hub of the rotor will sit over and along the edge of the hub bearing which will be seated against the inside hub plate of the rotor. This is where the rust and fusion generally occur, and this lubricant will help future extractions of the rotor so such measures will not have to take place.

Remove and Replace a Frozen Brake Rotor

6

Spray the hub of the rotor where it seams to the hub bearing and strike the plate fin of the rotor with a 2-pound sledge hammer. Strike it from behind and from the front and move the rotor by turning it to hit a different spot. This usually works as long as you're hitting it with enough force to shock it from the hub.

7

Light the torch and heat up the hub face, around the lug studs, and on the side of the hub of the rotor and get it very hot. Once it's heated up, turn off the torch quickly and continue to strike it with the sledge hammer. This is in some extreme cases, but continuing to do this usually works. You may have to heat the hub of the rotor a few times and continue to strike it with the hammer.

8

Plug in the pneumatic impact hammer with a stud removal bit to start if you still have not been able to remove the rotor. You can alter the bits around as you begin to work the rotor off. Start by impacting the flat of the hub of the rotor where it seats against the hub bearing. This will help vibrate the rust fusion apart. Next position the impact hammer so that it's contacting the inside plate fin of the rotor and pushing it outward. Again, turn the rotor to alternate the position. This is the last straw kind of step, but will work as long as you remain diligent. Caution needs to be applied on this procedure so you do not incur damage to the hub bearing beneath the rotor.

9

Since the rotor was "frozen" to the hub, clean the face of the hub and the edges where the replacement rotor will sit. Use a medium-grade sandpaper, or better yet, a pneumatic die grinder and a coarse sanding disk. Clean it thoroughly. Apply a light coat of a high temperature anti-seize lubricant on the seam of the hub bearing where the hub of the rotor will sit over and along the edge of the hub bearing which will be seated against the inside hub plate of the rotor. This is where the rust and fusion generally occur, and this lubricant will help future extractions of the rotor so such measures will not have to take place.