brake disc screw removal tool help

[15000rpms]

anybody know a useful tool I could use to remove the screws on the brake disc? I used that stupid pound and turn screw shit, but nothing happened.

I get loud noise like an airplane at 35mph. First it took 60mph, now it only takes 35. It vibrates and has noise like an airplane, but when I swerve to the right, its gone. As soon as it I come back straight the noise is there again.

Any help would be good. Thanks in advance.

[CuStOmMaDe]

Get a blow torch and heat up the screw a little bit and should come free helped when mine were stuck

[15000rpms]

Get a blow torch and heat up the screw a little bit and should come free helped when mine were stuck

I'll try that. Thanks

[Twisted-X]

Worst case, you can drill the head off that little screw.

[beechstreet]

impact screwdriver.

[15000rpms]

impact screwdriver.

that's what i used and it was shit. didn't even budge

[rd02SiR]

try taking a mallet to the disk a good few whacks. use a big phillips to the srew and use a hammer to hit that shit HARDDDD!!!! BRUTE FORCE!!!

[AKEP]

i drilled mine off. never put it back in.

[Heitzke]

impact screwdriver.

Word.

[56chevydan]

The impact driver sets I have used normally come with a couple of phillips heads. One is too large and the other grips the Honda phillips head pretty well. If you have the correct bit, put it in the driver and make sure the driver body is in the correct rotational direction- they are reversible. Hold the driver body hard up against the screw with one hand while twisting slightly counter clockwise and then hit the driver with a hammer with your other hand. That has worked pretty well for me.

[RotaryGreg]

you didnt mention that this is happening under braking at those speeds....if its not happening while you are on the brakes, a noise like you describe coming goign by swerving in one direction is often a wheel bearing....just FYI.

as for the tool, a little bit of heat and a good impact driver always works for me. like rds02sir said, give the rotor a good whack on the face where the screw is with a hammer before using the impact driver. sometimes it jars it enough to make a difference. be careful not to hit the studs though......im a small guy so when i do this i really have to give up accuracy to make a hard hit.....take your time and you shouldnt have any misshaps.

good luck mate.

[ttttrigg3r]

whoa whoa can someone clarify what this screw is or have pictures? I have a brake diy coming up and i've never done brakes before. Didnt know there was a special tool for brakes except the piston compressor clamp

[15000rpms]

Thank you every one for the help. My brother was able to get one screw out and the other was stripped so tomorrow morning I'll have to get screw reversing tool to drill the screw and pull it out.

Thank You all again. Disc brake removal=brute force, flame, and impact screwdriver.

[RotaryGreg]

whoa whoa can someone clarify what this screw is or have pictures? I have a brake diy coming up and i've never done brakes before. Didnt know there was a special tool for brakes except the piston compressor clamp

where the rotor is sandwiched between the rim and the hub, there is a machine screw on each rotor holding them in place. they are recessed into the hat of the rotor so that they dont interfere with the rims mounting surface. large pilips head on them.

they usually arent on with any major torque but over the years and with all the heating and cooling experienced by the brakes they can be difficult to remove. sometimes a large philips screwdriver and a hammer (tapping, or hitting the screwdriver with a hammer while applying counter clock-wise rotation to the screwdriver with your otherhand) can do the trick.
however, I see your car is an 02 from your fuelly sig, so i doubt that will suffice. a decent impact driver shouldnt be overly expensive though....cheaper than paying someone to do your brakes for you, thats for sure.

worst case scenario you can drill it out and just not worry about it. they dont actually do anything. it seems like they are there for the assembly line. Also, many cars dont have them at all. Its not as if the rotor can go anywhere with the wheel torqued in place over it.

[ttttrigg3r]

wow thanks for that. It looks like something u need to do to replace rotors. I only have to replace pads, but it looks pretty stupid to put screws there if the wheels go right on it to keep rotors in place.

[Jharobikesr2]

Check the dust covers on the back of the brake rotors? I once hit something while driving and it did the same thing that your are experiencing. Just make sure that its not touching your rotors.

[powdbyrice]

whoa whoa can someone clarify what this screw is or have pictures? I have a brake diy coming up and i've never done brakes before. Didnt know there was a special tool for brakes except the piston compressor clamp
you dont need any special tools... c-clamp, but thats about it... but that's hardly special. i changed pads/rotors for the first time about a year ago. much easier than i thought. check out the DIY on k-series.


Thank you every one for the help. My brother was able to get one screw out and the other was stripped so tomorrow morning I'll have to get screw reversing tool to drill the screw and pull it out.

Thank You all again. Disc brake removal=brute force, flame, and impact screwdriver.
disc brake removal certainly doesn't require brute force or a flame! you just need to know the tricks.


you didnt mention that this is happening under braking at those speeds....if its not happening while you are on the brakes, a noise like you describe coming goign by swerving in one direction is often a wheel bearing....just FYI.

as for the tool, a little bit of heat and a good impact driver always works for me. like rds02sir said, give the rotor a good whack on the face where the screw is with a hammer before using the impact driver. sometimes it jars it enough to make a difference. be careful not to hit the studs though......im a small guy so when i do this i really have to give up accuracy to make a hard hit.....take your time and you shouldnt have any misshaps.

good luck mate.

that's what ephatchers suggested to me as well (bearing), but fortunately it was just the wear indicator on the brake pad.

forget the impact driver. for me it was a fat waste of time and effort and i live in cali (ie no road salt/corrosion). just drill the top of the screw off, then use a screw extractor if you really want. http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00966202000P?prdNo=11&blockNo=11&blockType=G11

[RotaryGreg]

disc brake removal certainly doesn't require brute force or a flame! you just need to know the tricks.

forget the impact driver. for me it was a fat waste of time and effort and i live in cali (ie no road salt/corrosion). just drill the top of the screw off, then use a screw extractor if you really want. http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00966202000P?prdNo=11&blockNo=11&blockType=G11

heres the thing, if you didnt brake the philips bit on the impact driver trying to remove these, you didnt hit it hard enough to say its a waste of time.

i work in a garage in southern ontario...we get rust and corrosion about as bad as anyone aside from some parts of quebec and i've had some very stubourn ones before. typically, i wail away until it comes off.

the ones i know wont work are the ones where i shatter the philips bit in the process. but you cant say its a waste of time until you got to that point. otherwise, you were just tapping it and hoping to the driver to do all the work. im not trying to be offensive or anything. just trying to share my every day, on the job experience. Impact drivers are a god send. they work 90% of the time for me. I dont really recall the price of them but it cant be so much that its not worth a try compared to drilling the bolts out...thats such a hastle....

also for the record disc brake removal often requires brute force. i've hard rotors so rusted on that i've had to wail on the edge of the rotor until it brakes away from the hat, then use an air chisel to split the hat to remove it from the hub. if thats not brute force i dont know what is.

people should be ready for this sort of experiecne when they are doing their own brakes, thats why im saying this. not trying to be a negatvie nancy or anything. lol

[Twisted-X]

I payed $20 for an impact driver at the local hardware store, but Northern Tool has 'em for $12.

http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/15825_lg.jpg

Personally for all the time, effort, bloody knuckles (if you miss) it would take to use one I'd just take 5 minutes and drill the head off like I (and others) was saying. Doesn't take all afternoon and you're not sore because of it. If you're worried about whats left of the screw: spray some PB-blaster on it, take a dremmel and make the end of the stud look a little like a flat-head screwdriver, then take a pair of vise grips and turn that B*$%.

[oneglory]

i got an impact screw driver from harbor freight and it took only 2 medium whacks with a dead blow.

[15000rpms]

because one thread was stripped because I tried using a drill bit at first. DON'T USE DRILL BITS. I'm taking all morning to drill that screw out. The first screw exactractor snapped as I turned it. I'm just taking a lunch break before drilling some more. I'm like about to give up and just put the 5 lug on.

[27rocks]

I have yet to run into any problems doing this while using a impact screwdriver. All you guys are doing it wrong. If its in there good get a solid hammer and hit the shit out of it. It will come loose i promise. Also if your a little vagina about holding the screwdriver while hitting it with a hammer better let someone else do it because thats how you strip heads.

[RotaryGreg]

because one thread was stripped because I tried using a drill bit at first. DON'T USE DRILL BITS. I'm taking all morning to drill that screw out. The first screw exactractor snapped as I turned it. I'm just taking a lunch break before drilling some more. I'm like about to give up and just put the 5 lug on.

shit mate. i think you are going about it wrong. the guys talking about drilling it out mean to use a bit big enough to drill the head off it, not to get an extractor in there...those things only make things worse.

and yeah, 27rocks has it right, you cant be a "vagina" about it. you've got to hit it hard and with a serious hammer. having bloody kncuckles and all that is your own fault for not being able to work a hammer.

I usually tap it lightly with the hammer then recoil and give it a good whack. it like lines it up for you or whatever...

good luck with the drilling

[15000rpms]

shit mate. i think you are going about it wrong. the guys talking about drilling it out mean to use a bit big enough to drill the head off it, not to get an extractor in there...those things only make things worse.

and yeah, 27rocks has it right, you cant be a "vagina" about it. you've got to hit it hard and with a serious hammer. having bloody kncuckles and all that is your own fault for not being able to work a hammer.

I usually tap it lightly with the hammer then recoil and give it a good whack. it like lines it up for you or whatever...

good luck with the drilling

I'm not a vagina because I have excellent accurancy. At first I didn't know about the tool, I used the drill and it stripped it. Finally around 2 today, I drilled deep enough and used the bigger extractor screw and got it out. Next time it won't be hard because I'll be using the screwdriver torque thing. The real problem was the stripped screw.

Thanks all again. Problem solved.

[RotaryGreg]

I'm not a vagina because I have excellent accurancy. At first I didn't know about the tool, I used the drill and it stripped it. Finally around 2 today, I drilled deep enough and used the bigger extractor screw and got it out. Next time it won't be hard because I'll be using the screwdriver torque thing. The real problem was the stripped screw.

Thanks all again. Problem solved.


lol, i didnt mean any offense by the vagina comment. i was paraphrasing 27rocks. also, i work in a garage so semi-offensive comments like that are thrown around on an hourly basis. typical manly hazing. you know the drill. lol. glad to see you got it done. hopefully others can benefit from what went on here

also, just to add another trick to this, sometimes you can use a punch to remove them if you dont have an impact driver or broke yours (beleive me, it happens). hit the set screw with the punch right near the edge to create a dimple or pocket, then use the punch on an angle in this dimple in such a fashion that you will unscrew it (counter clockwise). i've seen this work plenty of times as well. usually once you get them to turn about a quarter turn they come out without a fuss. i hate drilling things out, especially on my own car. its always always always my very last resort.

[15000rpms]

lol, i didnt mean any offense by the vagina comment. i was paraphrasing 27rocks. also, i work in a garage so semi-offensive comments like that are thrown around on an hourly basis. typical manly hazing. you know the drill. lol. glad to see you got it done. hopefully others can benefit from what went on here

also, just to add another trick to this, sometimes you can use a punch to remove them if you dont have an impact driver or broke yours (beleive me, it happens). hit the set screw with the punch right near the edge to create a dimple or pocket, then use the punch on an angle in this dimple in such a fashion that you will unscrew it (counter clockwise). i've seen this work plenty of times as well. usually once you get them to turn about a quarter turn they come out without a fuss. i hate drilling things out, especially on my own car. its always always always my very last resort.

there was no offense. No problem. It's just a saying. Yeah, the associate even told me that the bits break easy and mine did. I hate drilling too, but that was my last resort. I should do a DIY cuz it's only a couple of steps.

[Twisted-X]

I really had no trouble drilling the head off of both my front rotors, but I was using a hardened drill bit I borrowed from the maintenance man at work. :mredface:

As for 27Rocks "vagina" comment, it was probably directed at me as I made the "bloody knuckles" comment. I think we've both been around long enough to realize that name-calling doesn't really help anyone...

[EP3CHRiS]

impact screwdriver.

I just did my brakes 2 weeks ago and used the impact screwdriver, i found it the best way, just don't slip and take your hand out!:mconfused:

[REBUILT CIVIC]

that's what i used and it was shit. didn't even budge

did u use it correctly?

[ImportCustomx]

this should be in suspension

[oneglory]

this should be in suspension

Nice. I like your thinking.

moved.

[Drew1d]

I sprayed mine with PB blaster (holding a rag underneath so only the screw was wet). I tapped the rotor with a small hammer. Using a large Phillips screwdriver I clamped vice grips around the shaft and it came out fine.

I find the most important thing is the right size screwdriver. Anything too small will strip the screws and not turn anything. If your hammer driver is too small, welcome to stripsville....

[15000rpms]

did u use it correctly?

noo. My brother said that you have to turn it counterclock wise and push in at the same time while hammering it. Correct? I just put the driver in and started pounding. I roared, "this is a joke!"

[Ba82Ep3]

Whack the rotor with a 2.5lb hammer at the 12 and 6'o clock positions. Get a hammer drill and chuck up the phillips bit (#1) from that weak ass hand tool you guys are talking about. Set the clutch on the hammer drill and squeeze the trigger... easy as pie!

If you need to drill the screws out, the bit needs to be slightly bigger than the threads of the screw. The idea is to drill the head off so you can get the rotor off. THEN get the screw out of the hub. Inserting extractors into a center drilled hole actually spread the screw or bolt tighter into the hole and make it even MORE difficult to get it out.

[introvert]

I usually use an impact wrench.. But found out that the WD40/Slick50 directly on the screw + heavy duty screwdriver (http://www.wihatools.com/300seri/312serie.htm) with a wrench at the base worked for me and was even easier. You probably just need some WD40 on the screw.

[oneglory]

Whack the rotor with a 2.5lb hammer at the 12 and 6'o clock positions. Get a hammer drill and chuck up the phillips bit (#1) from that weak ass hand tool you guys are talking about. Set the clutch on the hammer drill and squeeze the trigger... easy as pie!

If you need to drill the screws out, the bit needs to be slightly bigger than the threads of the screw. The idea is to drill the head off so you can get the rotor off. THEN get the screw out of the hub. Inserting extractors into a center drilled hole actually spread the screw or bolt tighter into the hole and make it even MORE difficult to get it out.

wait, you're saying a hand tool that requires manual strength is the "weak ass tool" compared to one that uses a motor? I'm confused by this.

[Ba82Ep3]

wait, you're saying a hand tool that requires manual strength is the "weak ass tool" compared to one that uses a motor? I'm confused by this.

LOL Its funny because i am SOOO anti-power tool. That hammer drill is like the ONLY power tool i will use on a regular basis wrenchin on a car. Im sure if i did it for a living, it would be different... but that particular hand tool is the only hand tool i have that i HATE.

[27rocks]

I really had no trouble drilling the head off of both my front rotors, but I was using a hardened drill bit I borrowed from the maintenance man at work. :mredface:

As for 27Rocks "vagina" comment, it was probably directed at me as I made the "bloody knuckles" comment. I think we've both been around long enough to realize that name-calling doesn't really help anyone...

It wasn't directed towards you or anyone specific, so don't get your panties in a bunch. I was just implying don't be scared to swing the hammer... and don't worry i've had my fare share of bloody knuckles working on cars you're not alone on that one.