[RussellHodgson]

Over the weekend I changed the pads and rotors on my 718. The old rotors were insanely difficult to remove. They have been on the car since new, so just over 3 years. It took about 20-30 minutes to remove each rotor due to the rust build up. Lots of mallet use was involved. I was successful in the end, and everything worked out fine. But there must be an easier way to help get those rotors off. Is there a spray you can use to help loosen them? Or something else?

 

[Soul Performance Products]

Penetrating fluid along the backside of the rotor can help, just mind where it ends up - you don't want that on your brake pads.

-Mike

 

[CJA]

Recent did 4 year in work for my BMW.
Siezed on solid wheels!
Used liquid wrench, hits but eventually had to partially lower car with loose lugs to get them off.

For rotors, that's unlikely to help, but liquid wrench and time should make need for impacts less.
THEN .. clean up and lightly anti-sieze mating surfaces. Not lugs/nuts.
Wheel - rotor - axle.

When I popped off the wheels on 2018 new-to-me Cayman, was surprised to find parts of axle ends rusting! Brush off and rust converter to stop that $&@#.

For both, looked like water being trapped behind the center caps. Blowing them out with air after washing now.

 

[sobiloff]

Kroil has worked better for me than PB Blaster, but both are good penetrants.

 

[EuroKip]

Providing your old rotors are trash , nothing a bigger hammer won’t overcome. After that a little anti-seize on install will help on the next round.

 

[RussellHodgson]

Providing your old rotors are trash , nothing a bigger hammer won’t overcome. After that a little anti-seize on install will help on the next round.

Do you have to worry about messing up the suspension alignment with a bigger hammer?

 

[EuroKip]

No

 

[EuroKip]

I always thread the lugs in case I miss

 

[RussellHodgson]

No

ok - thanks.

 

[Audience]

My 2 year in service GTS had rotors frozen on all 4 hubs. 5 pound sledge hammer impacting each rotor with a 3/4" piece of plywood on the rotor. Be sure to leave on a couple loose lug bolts or you will be chasing the rotor.

Before reassembly I use a stiff wire wheel on my angle grinder to get the rust off. Then a rattle can of silver aluminum paint got them looking better.

 

[Buckett76]

As you got those ones off (maybe too late now unless you want to redo some work) I scrub the hub with a wire brush and put some anti seize on the hub before installing the new rotors, should make replacement easier next time around.