JohnAlley

Trying to replace the rotors on my 2004 Z06. It still has orginal rotors and am wanting to replace all four as I get ready for track day season. I cannot get the bottom bolt on the caliper bracket on the rear rotor to come loose. I have tried electric impact wrench, heating, breaker bar, etc. but it will not budge. Anyone have an idea as to how to get this darn thing loose????

Z06Tracker

Have you tried to tighten it a little? Often, if you can tightened it just a hair, that will then make it break loose easier.

GettReal

Heres what I can tell you... get that breaker bar back on and find as much leverage as you can (with an extension bar if you have one) and crank on it. Mine was a total B**** to get off the first time but it finally cracked

Good luck

gmccreary

I nearly broke my forearm trying to get mine off.

Bill Dearborn

Is the car on a lift or jack stands? If it is on a lift you can use a long extension on your wrench. I use a 30 inch piece of galvanized pipe I bought at Home Depot as a wrench extension for tough bolts.

One thing you might do if it is on jack stands and don't have lot of room to work is to place a long breaker bar on the bolt so it is at an angle pointing down then lower the car and use the car's weight to apply pressure.

Bill

DarkMastyr

I think I had to use a pipe to extend the bar length and get extra torque, just like what Bill mentioned. I used the pipe from my jack.

RaleighSS

I think it is like a grade 8 bolt so not likely you will break anything. Put as big of bar as you can on it and apply steady force she will come free .... Remember rightey tightey leftey loosey :-)

davidfarmer

jack-handle slipped over breaker bar=500 ft-lbs. If you break the bolt, you can always replace the bracket. Make sure you are turning right way.

bobmoore2

Make sure you are turning left way.

waddisme

I took mine to tire place and had them break loose. I couldn't get car up high enough to get enough leverage. Once the red stuff is busted loose, they come off much easier. You might want to go ahead and spray some PB Blaster on the rotors while you are waiting or that will be another thread(been there done that). Good luck.

vms4evr

I've posted this before. Late for you this time. You can do this on jack stands easily.

Instead of trying to jimmy a bar at a horrible angle on jack stands. Loosen the tie rod end. 18mm wrench and allen key. Tap it down and move out of the way. Now the rear wheel/rotor swings out just like the fronts do. Just turn the rotor out. Grab all the pipe you need on a breaker bar and pop it loose. I've never had problems doing it this way. Put tie rod end back in when done. It takes all of 2 minutes to get the tie rod end out.

SouthernSon

craftsman box end 21 and 22 mm (I think). Pound with 5# hammer. Never fails. seriously. As suggested, make DOUBLE sure, lefty loosey. Picture yourself on the other side of the bracket and loosening (counterclockwise).

travisnd

Good tip

I've found that removing the caliper from the caliper bracket gives me more room to get around. I used to remove the caliper and bracket as an assembly, but not anymore.

For the lower rear bolt I just use a normal 15" (or close to that) breaker bar with the bar handle pointed toward the front of the car. Then sitting on my c-man mechanic's stool I can use both hands and my knees if needed to force the bar up and break the bolt free.

The top one requires me to unhook the wheel speed sensor and run the breaker bar between the axle and the UCA. You can only move it up/down a little at a time but there's enough room to break the bolt free and to torque it to spec when done.

WNeal

Try some PB Blaster for a day and let is soakthat is some great ****

I changed mine so often last year due to using cheap rotors that they always come off easy.

I have in the past, even used the weight of the car to loosen it, by jacking it up, putting the wrench on and swinging it to the right position and then just slowly lower the car, This only works on one side.
The other side, I just jacked it high enough so that the long wrench hung straight down. It gave me the ability to get the right leverage on it to loosen it up.

They can be a PITA
Good luck with it.

froggy47

Archimedes Quotes

Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.
Archimedes





Read more: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/qu...#ixzz1FwK6h6mF

froggy47

Good tip for rears

I would not use hammers or lower the car onto a wrench, you might get away with it, but somethings going to go flying one time & hurt or break someone/thing.

sothpaw2

I make an breaker bar from my craftsman extension bars and use a deep socket on the end the just slips over my craftsman socket wrench.
This allows an adjustable length breaker bar and also I can put it together locally right where in needs to go so I can sneak it in tight spaces.

Above is what I always use for the rear rotors.

FYI--there's nothing wrong with stock rear rotors. Replace when they are cracked near to the outer edge.

CP Thunder

+1

SouthernSon

Actually, it is all in the execution. With the box end, one simply holds the box onto the head of the bolt while whacking the wrench with the hammer. Not much drama in that. I have over 2 dozen cracked rear rotors that I have had to replace using my method. Works like a charm.

SouthernSon

Never thought of the jack trick. Knowing you, there is no doubt you had that wrench tied and secured. It is all in the rigging!