Hi group,
Tonight I was foiled by either a pair of very stuck rotors or by some means of holding them to the hub that was not readily apparent to me.
This is a 2001 Jeep Cherokee. The rotors look as if they should just pull off the hubs once the caliper is removed. But try as I may, I could not get them loose with a three-jaw puller, nor could I see any means of holding them in place.
Is there something I missed, or are they just severely rusted in place?
Thanks!
Severely rusted in place. Cheap brake pads with high iron content will do that.
I thought it was pads made for racing applications that had high iron content. But anyway don't you suppose the iron in the rotor and hub plays some part in why the two rust together?
-jim
Check this out if you don't have an air hammer. These guys might not have one, or just didn't think about it.
--Vic
Thanks for that. I'll just try harder... I wasn't sure that they should be free.
BTDT 6 Lb dum-dum while maxed in the 3-jaw wheel puller. No dice - yet.
I didn't even think of that. I do have an air hammer handy. I'll give it a go.
The rock bottom cheapy pads are also high iron content.
Nope. The problem is more or less non-existent if ceramic pads are used.
The spindle, hub, rotors and calipers usually have higher iron content. Do you think the iron in the pads is the straw that breaks the camel's back.
Metallic pads can be cheap or expensive. Is it just the cheap one's that cause the problem?
And I suppose if ceramic pads are used and the rotors still stick to the hub, (which they certainly do) that is just an indication that somewhere out there there must be a set of higher priced pads?
How much time lapses between removal of the rotors definitely has something to do with it. And that could be related to the type of pads used. Not driving thru slush puddles with high salt content also helps a lot. Applying a little anti-sieze or grease around the center hole will definitely help avoid the problem on the next removal.
A lot of factory rotors fit tight on the OD of the hub. I don't know if this is one. If so, it might be easiest to cut it off.
I think it is the iron sloughing off the pads as they wear that causes the problem.
Iron is the metal in "semi-metallic" pads and has been for years, long before ceramic pads were on the market. I'm sure that the iron dust from semi-met pads can contribute a little to sticking the rotors in place, but then its just DUST by the time it gets near the hub. The iron in the rotor and hub will rust together just fine without added iron dust from the pads, given the right (corrosive) conditions.
It doesn't seem like it would be that easy for the dust to arrive where it needs to be. It is not as if dust will flow thru the cracks between closely matched mating surfaces like water will.
I thought the theory behind this idea was going to be that metallic brake pads are electrically conductive while ceramic are not (don't know if that is even really true, but it sounds good). That would mean there was a closed ground loop that the hub to rotor interface is part of and that leads to the corrosion.
-Jim
VERY common for rotors to rust on. Take a look at the design and it becomes REAL obvious. The hub bore is a very tight fit on a good rotor. However none of the wheels out there fit that way. There is always a small space behind the wheel where it fits to the hub and this lets water/dirt/brake dust all collect in there. Toss in some damp weather OR salt on the roads and you get a good rust ridge around the hub that locks the rotor on.
Easy way to stop it is to clean everything very well. Install the new rotor and use a THIN bead of silicone sealer around the hub center before you install the wheels. The silicone will keep water/dirt out of the interface and allow the rotor to be removed easier.
It's one of them and varies depending on the specific brake pad. You may also find copper or aluminum and god knows what else.
It's dust in Texas and other parts of the arid south, move out of that region and add some water and you've got an iron based cement that sets the stage for posts like the OPs.
And they rust together worse when swathed in iron powder + moisture.
What do you think it will do when it gets wet? Or doesn't it ever rain or snow where you are?
Actually, it doesn't even sound good.
You're right, Aarcuda...it doesn't sound good at all.
So obviously you don't have the slightest clue whether or not metallic pads are more electrically conductive than ceramic ones.
-jim
Vinyl. (You just gotta love usenet)
Are the seats cloth, vinyl or leather?
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