how to remove heavily worn brake rotor

**audiness** · 05-01-2008 08:24 PM

ok, i've included a crappy pic to try to illustrate....

I am changing out my brake rotors, and they are so heavily worn that the caliper with the pads cannot slide past the outer-most part of the rotor, which is not nearly as worn down as the rest of the rotor. So there is a lip on the edge... any body ever had this problem before?

**B518T** · 05-01-2008 08:28 PM

a big screwdriver and some elbow grease got mine right off

**Nebone** · 05-01-2008 08:29 PM

Easy. Take a large C-Clamp and with the caliper still on the rotors, place the C-clamp on the outer pad that you see through the caliper opening (the large C shaped hole) and other part of the clamp on the back of the caliper. As you start turning the c-clamp, it will compress the piston in giving you space to separate the brake pads and full them out real easy.

Just like in this picture.

**Rosati** · 05-01-2008 08:32 PM

Hardest thing is gettin that caliper off

Bolts were in there like a U know what

If you get the right leverage and the right power they'll give and youll be on your way

Its all about how you go at them that matters and yes a big screwdriver and the rotor will just fall off

**audiness** · 05-01-2008 08:45 PM

Originally Posted by nebone22

Easy. Take a large C-Clamp and with the caliper still on the rotors, place the C-clamp on the outer pad that you see through the caliper opening (the large C shaped hole) and other part of the clamp on the back of the caliper. As you start turning the c-clamp, it will compress the piston in giving you space to separate the brake pads and full them out real easy.

Just like in this picture.

thanks man, this sounds like it will work.
I'll give it a try.

Thanks for the quick responses everyone

**bass_lover1** · 05-01-2008 09:17 PM

Yea sounds like the pads are getting stuck on the lip of the rotor, caused by wear. All you need to do is compress the piston to clear that lip and it'll slide right off. The c-clamp method will work, or just take a big flat head screw driver and put pressure on the pad backing plate, both will compress it enough for you to be able to get it off.

**whoace** · 05-02-2008 01:46 PM

Open the bleeder screw on the caliper before compressing the piston.

**Nebone** · 05-02-2008 02:53 PM

Not the bleed screw but rather the brake fluid reservoir cap.

**whoace** · 05-02-2008 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by nebone22

Not the bleed screw but rather the brake fluid reservoir cap.

Actually, the proper way is to open the bleed screw to push the old fluid out. You will not let air in the lines since gravity forces fluid down, not up (that's why the screw is on the highest point of the caliper). You don't want to be pushing used fluid back in to your master. But hey, to each their own.

**317ssayzarc** · 05-02-2008 03:46 PM

this is what i do to every car that i do brakes on at work...

stick a pry bar/screw driver into the slotted part of the rotor, pry against the caliper using the slot as your pivot and leverage point... you will compress the piston enough to get the caliper off, i actually compress the caliper all the way using this method so i dont have to grab a pair of channel locks later on to reinstall it