Andre The Giant

Hello everyone, I have started to undertake the removal and replacement of my shocks, since they were original to the car (32 years old). I am having some difficulty removing the rotors at the rear to be able to remove the long pin. I was very happy to see that this long pin was not seized !
On the drivers side I have removed both screws but still unable to pull the rotor off, the right side moves but the left side is stuck, did I forget to remove something or is it just seized there ?


Drivers side

Now on the passenger side different story, one of the screws is not moving and I might have stripped it beyond recuperation, what are my options. I have used penetrating oil and still no go. Can I use an screw extracting tool ?


Passenger side


Closeup of screw 1

Donald Smith

Andre The Giant

Thank you Donald. I just wanted to be careful not to damage anything by drilling it out, I was not sure.
I forgot to mention that I have beaten it up with a rubber hammer, I guess I will have to be more brutal ! lol
Thank you for confirming I missed nothing.

Mrmerlin

Umm I dont remove the rotors when replacing rear shocks
I remove the pins out to the rear of the car.
since they are loose install the rear nuts, remove the bolts on the lower swaybar links,
then loosen the front nuts withdraw the pins.

To remove the rotors turn the star nuts inside the rotors about 5 clicks loose this should permit the rotor to come free of the shoes.

To remove the stuck screws heat them with a Mapp gas torch for about 20 seconds,
get an impact driver and it should break the screws loose.
if the screw is stripped get a chisel and place it into the worn area to the screw edge, a few mallet hits should break it free.
If this doesnt work then get a drill and drill out the screw.

Kevin in Atlanta

Really? I've never been able to do it that way. On all my efforts the forward pointing end is buried behind the rear hub. If you have a better way I am all ears.

Do you have pictures of that process?

mnotz

I definitely second the impact driver (something like this, HF has a cheaper version: https://www.kctoolco.com/hazet-2272-...t-screwdriver/) and heat if needed. In all reality, I pretty much use the impact driver always to start with when they are Philips head bolts. The tapping breaks them loose quickly and I usually don't have a problem. When they are Allen bolts I usually just use a small cordless impact gun with a good quality socket.

--Zax

Bertrand Daoust

I would remove both rotors.

Next time you'll be there, you'll thanks yourself!

Heat the screw or drill it if you don't have a mapp torch.

If the rotor doesn't move, you can use a bolt to free it.
I'm quite sure I got one in my tool box...

SeanR

I've never removed a rotor to do shocks. No reason to. Remove the front nut and use the rear one to rotate and the washer to pry rearward.

Andre The Giant

Thank you Stan, I will try pulling the pins from the rear to see if I can wiggle them out !
As for the screw I will have to try heat, i might still have a little bit of gas in my torch !
Andre

Andre The Giant

Thank you Bertrand.
If I have no choice to drill out the screw, are these readily available anywhere here locally or Roger again ?

What do you mean Bertrand "If the rotor doesn't move, you can use a bolt to free it." ?

Andre

Kevin in Atlanta

Interesting. On all my attempts the front nut and the pin rotated and loosened the rear nut. Never have been able to remove the front one. It interfered with the rear hub.

I'll have to see what happens on my next attempt.

Thanks.

Catorce

The screws are a standard rotor set screw that is usually included with a set of new rotors. This isn't a screw you'll likely find at a hardware store; order the correct screw from Pelican or similar vendor.

Oh, and drill it out already. If you mangled it with a conventional screwdriver, it is because it normally requires an impact driver to remove.

If the rubber hammer doesn't work grab a short 2x4 hold it against the rotor surface and hit it with a 5 pound sledge. It will fall right off.

StratfordShark

Yup there are two threaded holes in the rotor which take M8 bolts. I keep a couple of longish ones handy and they never fail to push off stubborn rotor.
Also note MrMerlin's advice to bank off the parking brake shoe star adjuster. If the shoes are pressing against the inside of the rotor hat they will be pulled off with the rotor, and you'll have to reassemble the shoes on the hob which is fiddly!

240Z TwinTurbo

I just did this to my 83 this past weekend and also removed the rotors and back plates to get better access to the pin.

For the screw, first and foremost use the correct side phillips head, which is typically one side up from the standard phillips head (can't remember the number). Here is a pic of a regular screwdriver (top) vs the next size up (bottom), which is what I used. Just make sure the screwdriver is the correct size and not undersized.


I always put a pair of vice grips on the screwdriver handle and then have someone constantly tap the end of the screw driver with a hammer as you place slight pressure on the vice grips to unscrew the screw. I would initially give it several good whacks with the hammer before you start the backing out process. This has never failed me thus far and I posted a mock up picture below to show you what I mean.

SeanR

Get one of these.