I'm having a devil of a time....I need to replace one of the studs on my LF wheel/rotor because it was cross-threaded and snapped off. I can get the calipers off, and the pads, but I can't even begin to loosen the bolts on the backside of the rotor that hold that mounting bracket on there. I've put thread unlocking stuff on there, and tried heat, but I can't budge them. Are they reverse threaded? Do they even need to come off. It sure looks like it since the hub is attached to the rotor and I can't get at the studs from the back it looks like without taking the rotor off. I thought I'd replaced these rotors before, but I can't budge ANY of the 4 bolts there. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Greg

 

Knock out the slide pin's no need to take off the caliper bracket.

 

what the heck are the slide pins and where are they? Are you sure I don't have to remove the 4 bolts and the caliper bracket? It looks like even without the pads the rotor only has about 1/2" of wiggle room to come off, and with the hub nut removed, the post for the axle sticks out much further than 1/2"....I don't see how it's feasible to get the rotor off of the axle without removing the caliper brakets.

Thanks,

Greg

 

On the top of the caliper as well as the bottom there should be 2 peices of metal V shaped with rubber in the middle. Knock these thru the caliper will come off leaving just the rotor.

 

I think you are thinking of a different wheel assembly. There are 4 bolts that hold the caliper bracket to the car, and they have to be removed in order to get the caliper bracket off. I looked and there are no slide pins or anything of that nature.

Are you saying that there's a way to get the rotor off without taking off the caliper bracket? You do know that the caliper bracket comes all the way around to the front (outside) of the rotor, right? Like I said, there's only about 1/2" wiggle room with both sides combined, plus I have to make it over the axle threads with the rotor and even if I knock the SOB loose, I'm still not going to have enough clearance....looks like this bracket just has to come off...it's a solid one-piece...there is no way to detach it except for these four bolts methinks. Anyone?

Greg

 

94 - 95 the style changed I may be wrong if so you will have to heat or spray the bolt end's or use a breaker bar to get them loose.

 

anyone else?

 

so nobody's got any more keen advice on how to get these bolts off....I can't really fit a breaker bar in there with the wheel well and all

 

the pins are just to take change the brake pads. To take the Calipers off, there are bolts. This is how my 90 Ranger is. I replaced them about 6 months ago, so I know. But didn't have a problem removing the bolts that much. Have you tried WD40, or something similar? You may need to invest in a socket wrench that has a bending head. If I remember, I think they were a little tough, I used WD40 and then used a hammer to hit against the handle of a socket wrench. I know after that job, I had some nice cuts on my hand.

 

I got it done!!!! -- - - - -- - - but not so much. In the process of hitting the rotor/hub with a hammer, I might've/sortof hit the threads on a few of the other studs.

Looks like all 5 have to be replaced now. Well, they were already worn pretty good. I've had those wheels off more times in 50K miles with an impact (and really jamming them on) that they were about due now that I'm almost at 160K and the factory studs still in....but boy did I have a devil of a time, especially with those 15mm bolts holding the caliper braket in place. Had to really crank on them after days of sitting in the bolt loosener stuff.

I was thinking about making a tutorial on doing this (especially since it took so long and there are so many "quirky" tips --> not to mention the fact that I have to do it again anyway), but I still don't know what you guys were talking about as far as pins and such....there were no pins at all. I should do a photo tut. What do you guys think? It could be a decent timesaver.

Greg
Sinking Spring, PA