How to Remove a Frozen Brake Rotor

The word "frozen" is used often in the automotive repair industry and is often misunderstood. For example, depending on where you live, it is not uncommon to have rotors frozen to the hub of the vehicle. It doesnt mean that all it needs is to thaw out. It means that rust, corrosion, and oxidation have fused the rotor to the hub. Before you try to remove "frozen" rotors, prepare for the job, or else you will almost certainly damage the rotor. The following steps show how to remove a rotor correctly and reuse it, and to remove and replace it.

Instructions

Remove and Reuse a Frozen Brake Rotor

1

Put on the safety glasses since youre trying to remove something stuck on a vehicle by rust. With the vehicle on the lift, or on jack stands, and the wheels and calipers removed, make sure there are no retaining rings on the lug studs of the rotor, or retaining screws holding the rotor to the hub.

2

Spray a liberal amount of lubricant on the hub of the rotor where it seats around the hub bearing. Check to see of there are small bolts holes on the hub face of the rotor. If there are, you can try to thread in bolts (usually 2), but the width and thread pitch of the bolts will vary. Once youve found the correct bolt(s), thread them in until they bottom out against the hub. Tighten the bolts alternately about three times each then switch to the other using the ratchet and a socket, and as the bolt tightens, it will pull the rotor away from the hub. If the rotor is "frozen" badly, chances are it will strip out the bolt or bolt hole threads and youll have to try another method.

3

Spray more lubricant onto the rotor and hub bearing seam. Strike the rotor with a large rubber mallet. Strike it on the plate of the fin from behind and from the front alternating strikes. You can light the torch and heat the seam and hub face of the rotor and the edge of the hub of the rotor and continue to strike it with the mallet. The hotter the rotor gets, the lesser the chances are of saving it.

4

Use the slide hammer with a rotor removal adapter. This is an L-shaped adapter that screws onto the end of the slide hammer and sits down behind the rear fin plate of the rotor. Slam the slide hammer and move it often to shock the rotor from the hub and eventually remove it.

5

Since the rotor was "frozen" to the hub, clean the face of the hub and the edges where the replacement rotor will sit. Use a medium-grade sandpaper, or better yet, a pneumatic die grinder and a coarse sanding disk. Clean it thoroughly. Apply a light coat of a high temperature anti-seize lubricant on the seam of the hub bearing where the hub of the rotor will sit over and along the edge of the hub bearing which will be seated against the inside hub plate of the rotor. This is where the rust and fusion generally occur, and this lubricant will help future extractions of the rotor so such measures will not have to take place.

Remove and Replace a Frozen Brake Rotor

6

Spray the hub of the rotor where it seams to the hub bearing and strike the plate fin of the rotor with a 2-pound sledge hammer. Strike it from behind and from the front and move the rotor by turning it to hit a different spot. This usually works as long as youre hitting it with enough force to shock it from the hub.

7

Light the torch and heat up the hub face, around the lug studs, and on the side of the hub of the rotor and get it very hot. Once its heated up, turn off the torch quickly and continue to strike it with the sledge hammer. This is in some extreme cases, but continuing to do this usually works. You may have to heat the hub of the rotor a few times and continue to strike it with the hammer.

8

Plug in the pneumatic impact hammer with a stud removal bit to start if you still have not been able to remove the rotor. You can alter the bits around as you begin to work the rotor off. Start by impacting the flat of the hub of the rotor where it seats against the hub bearing. This will help vibrate the rust fusion apart. Next position the impact hammer so that its contacting the inside plate fin of the rotor and pushing it outward. Again, turn the rotor to alternate the position. This is the last straw kind of step, but will work as long as you remain diligent. Caution needs to be applied on this procedure so you do not incur damage to the hub bearing beneath the rotor.

9

Since the rotor was "frozen" to the hub, clean the face of the hub and the edges where the replacement rotor will sit. Use a medium-grade sandpaper, or better yet, a pneumatic die grinder and a coarse sanding disk. Clean it thoroughly. Apply a light coat of a high temperature anti-seize lubricant on the seam of the hub bearing where the hub of the rotor will sit over and along the edge of the hub bearing which will be seated against the inside hub plate of the rotor. This is where the rust and fusion generally occur, and this lubricant will help future extractions of the rotor so such measures will not have to take place.

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How to Remove a Door Window in a 2001 Ford F 250

The 2001 Ford F-250 Super Duty pickup is the mid-sized truck in Fords non-commercial F-Series fleet. Ford offered the 2001 F-250 with three different cab configurations: standard, super cab and super crew. If the door window glass incurs a scratch or chip, youll most likely need to replace it. An auto glass company can buff out surface scratches that arent deep enough to catch on your fingernail. Anything deeper than that requires window replacement. Always use caution when handling auto glass as the sheer weight of the glass if dropped and broken can deliver life-threatening lacerations in the blink of an eye.

Instructions

1

Open the F-250s window fully. Pry the sail panel trim off the F-250s door. The sail panel is the triangular trim piece located at the leading upper-edge of the door panel, on the backside of the doors A-pillar.

2

Pry the window and lock switch off the door panel using the trim tool. Disconnect the body harness from the switches and then set the switch bezel aside.

3

Pry the courtesy-light lens off the bottom trailing-edge of the door panel using the trim tool. Remove the hex-head screw behind the window switch bezel and the courtesy-light lens using the socket wrench and 7 mm socket.

4

Lift the door panel off the door by hand. Unplug the courtesy light from the body harness before moving the panel away to a safe location.

5

Lift the window to the top of the window frame --- you may need to temporarily reconnect the window switch to raise the window electronically. Secure the window to the top of the frame using packing tape. Unbolt the window glass from the window regulator using a socket wrench and 8 mm socket.

6

Support the window glass with one hand while removing the packing tape with the other. Lower the glass far enough to grab the top of the glass with both hands from the outside of the F-250. Tilt the glass forward and lift it up and out of the F-250s door through the outside of the window.

7

Set the old glass down in a safe location. Tilt the new glass forward and slide it down into the door from the outside. Tilt the glass back into the door, so it sits level and then raise it to the top of the window frame.

8

Secure the new glass to the top of the door with packing tape. Bolt the new glass to the window regulator using the socket and wrench. Remove the packing tape.

9

Reconnect the window switch temporarily and lower the window down into the door. Disconnect the switch. Slide the door panel onto the door.

10

Reinstall the two door-panel retaining screws with the socket wrench and 7 mm socket. Snap the courtesy-light lens into the door panel.

11

Plug the window and lock switches into the body harness, and snap the window switch bezel back into the door panel. Reinstall the sail panel by snapping it back into place. Clean the new window glass with a cotton rag and automotive window cleaner.

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