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Car Forum / Chevrolet / Chevrolet Corvette / August 2005

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77 rear brakes

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gorrilla - 17 Aug 2005 03:47 GMT
I've been having issues removing the rear rotors on a 77.  I'm not sure if
they are just very rusted on or if there is a step I'm missing.  Any help
would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
Barking Rats - 17 Aug 2005 06:11 GMT
> I've been having issues removing the rear rotors on a 77.  I'm not sure if
> they are just very rusted on or if there is a step I'm missing.  Any help
> would be greatly appreciated.

Have you drilled out the rivets holding the rotor to the axle?

Are you sure the parking brake shoes are retracted from the drum section
of the rotor?

Have you removed the caliper? ; )

If all of the above is affirmative, then try giving the rotor a whack
with a tubafor to break the rust hold between the parts in the lug area.

Here's waving to ya - \||||

Owen
___

'67BB & '72BB

-- not affiliated with JLA forum in any way -- alt.autos.corvette is
original posting --
___

"To know the world intimately is the beginning of caring."
    -- Ann Hayman Zwinger
BDragon - 17 Aug 2005 07:29 GMT
> > I've been having issues removing the rear rotors on a 77.  I'm not sure if
> > they are just very rusted on or if there is a step I'm missing.  Any help
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> "To know the world intimately is the beginning of caring."
>      -- Ann Hayman Zwinger

I just replaced the wheel bearings, and they had never been touched before
in my 77.  Had to send them to 3 different shops before someone had a press
large enough to get them off.  Everything came off hard as hell.

After two weeks, I was ready to use a sledge hammer if I had to.  If you've
done all the stuff mentioned above, then you'll probably have to hit it.

On other vehicles, I've used a lot of heat to get the rust to break loose.
But those were drum brakes, and I don't know if that is a technique to use
here or not.  Probably someone else knows, though.
Barking Rats - 17 Aug 2005 08:18 GMT
> I just replaced the wheel bearings, and they had never been touched before
> in my 77.  Had to send them to 3 different shops before someone had a press
> large enough to get them off.  Everything came off hard as hell.
>
> After two weeks, I was ready to use a sledge hammer if I had to.  If you've
> done all the stuff mentioned above, then you'll probably have to hit it.

Just to clarify for the OP - a press isn't necessary for rotor removal
but is for bearing replacement.

Here's waving to ya - \||||

Owen
___

'67BB & '72BB

-- not affiliated with JLA forum in any way -- alt.autos.corvette is
original posting --
___

"To know the world intimately is the beginning of caring."
    -- Ann Hayman Zwinger
BDragon - 17 Aug 2005 18:40 GMT
> > I just replaced the wheel bearings, and they had never been touched before
> > in my 77.  Had to send them to 3 different shops before someone had a press
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
> "To know the world intimately is the beginning of caring."
>      -- Ann Hayman Zwinger

Thanks, Owen.  I see how my wording could be misconstued.  Having raised the
idea, now I'm curious too about using heat to separate rusted parts in this
area.  Does anyone have experience or knowledge about that as a procedure?
gorrilla - 18 Aug 2005 03:25 GMT
>> I've been having issues removing the rear rotors on a 77.  I'm not sure
>> if
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
> "To know the world intimately is the beginning of caring."
>     -- Ann Hayman Zwinger
Thanks for the info.

I drilled the rivets out and took the caliper off ; )
The thing still wont budge.  Its not stuck like the parking brake is too
tight, plus the rotor turns quite freely.  I think the years of rust and
never being off just have it seized.  I think getting old smoke wrench out
might be the next idea.
Leave it to GM to rivet a rotor to the axle.  I wonder who I could write a
nasty letter to?

Thanks
Barking Rats - 18 Aug 2005 06:18 GMT
> I drilled the rivets out and took the caliper off ; )
> The thing still wont budge.  Its not stuck like the parking brake is too
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> Leave it to GM to rivet a rotor to the axle.  I wonder who I could write a
> nasty letter to?

You might try a couple "impact" methods before resorting to fire. Have
you tried placing a 2x4 on the pad surface and hitting that with a 2 or3
lb mini-sledge a few times? Maybe even put the car in gear so the axle
won't turn and then put a steel bar into a cooling channel on the
outside edge and give it a few solid whacks both forward and in reverse
directions.

As to why they are riveted, as I recall the explanation, it had to do
with the order of the parts hung on the chassis moving down the assembly
line. The calipers weren't placed on the chassis until a while after the
trailing arms and rotors were bolted on. The rivets held the rotors so
they wouldn't fall off.

Or it could have been that the trailing arm assembly supplier had the
responsibility to not only set the bearings and hub in the arm but to
supply the rotors as well. Riveting them on would assure all arms
arrived at the chassis with a rotor attached.

Here's waving to ya - \||||

Owen
___

'67BB & '72BB

-- not affiliated with JLA forum in any way -- alt.autos.corvette is
original posting --
___

"To know the world intimately is the beginning of caring."
    -- Ann Hayman Zwinger
gorrilla - 18 Aug 2005 12:29 GMT
>> I drilled the rivets out and took the caliper off ; )
>> The thing still wont budge.  Its not stuck like the parking brake is too
[quoted text clipped - 37 lines]
> "To know the world intimately is the beginning of caring."
>     -- Ann Hayman Zwinger
yeah, I've tried the all the impact methods short of renting a jackhammer.
I'll try a few more before actually burning the car down, but I'm afraid it
might come to that.
BDragon - 19 Aug 2005 23:44 GMT
> >> I drilled the rivets out and took the caliper off ; )
> >> The thing still wont budge.  Its not stuck like the parking brake is too
[quoted text clipped - 40 lines]
> I'll try a few more before actually burning the car down, but I'm afraid it
> might come to that.

Fire was the gods' greatest gift for a reason.
gorrilla - 22 Aug 2005 03:04 GMT
>> >> I drilled the rivets out and took the caliper off ; )
>> >> The thing still wont budge.  Its not stuck like the parking brake is
[quoted text clipped - 50 lines]
>>
> Fire was the gods' greatest gift for a reason.

Yeah, a little bit of fire went a long way.  I just heated up around the
flange area and soaked it with WD-40 and let it cool a little then it came
right off.  The cooling seemed to be the important part becasuse it still
wouldn't budge when hot.

Thanks for the input from everybody!
BDragon - 23 Aug 2005 05:32 GMT
Glad it all came together for you.

> >> >> I drilled the rivets out and took the caliper off ; )
> >> >> The thing still wont budge.  Its not stuck like the parking brake is
[quoted text clipped - 57 lines]
>
> Thanks for the input from everybody!
 
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