brake disc removal

[docc]

I had heard the brake discs are put on well. And with good reason; you wouldn't want them falling off. Seems like there is probably red Loctite involved.

 

With fresh rotors in hand I tried to loosen the old discs. Even got a fresh SK 5mm drive with good sharp edges. Which only sliced into the fastener that much easier. Added some (propane) heat. Put the wheel back on before I screwed it up entirely.

 

Now what?

[Greg Field]

Doc:

 

Here's what has always worked for me for getting them out without ruining the screws or paint.

 

First get the tools you'll need at hand: tight-fitting allen socket, ratchet wrench o-handle, mapp-gas torch, and a BFH.

 

For each of the screws do all of the following steps before moving to the next screw:

 

1) Fire up the mapp torch and adjust to a fine flame tip

2) hold the flame into the allen recess of the bolt for 1 minute or as long as you can stand it.

3) Insert the allen key on a long extension of T-handle.

4) WHack the extension or T-handle smartly to break loose the screw

5) use the socket wrench or T-handle to turn out the screw.

[Dan M]

I had heard the brake discs are put on well. And with good reason; you wouldn't want them falling off. Seems like there is probably red Loctite involved.

 

With fresh rotors in hand I tried to loosen the old discs. Even got a fresh SK 5mm drive with good sharp edges. Which only sliced into the fastener that much easier. Added some (propane) heat. Put the wheel back on before I screwed it up entirely.

 

Now what?

 

I was afraid of hurting the wheel finish with a torch but evidently Greg does it without incident. I used a heat gun aimed at the bolt head for about a minute and a half and they unscrewed easily. The key is applying the heat for a long enough period of time to soften the thread locker. The wheel acts like a heat sink so be patient.

[jrt]

Docc, have the allen heads been buggered up already?

 

If so....what do you guys (Greg, Dan) do about that? Drill and tap?

[docc]

I only messed with one bolt long enough to see it wasn't going well. I did have visions of screw extractors.

 

I'm not familiar with 'mapp.' Is that propane or is propane not hot enough?

[raz]

I only messed with one bolt long enough to see it wasn't going well. I did have visions of screw extractors.

 

I'm not familiar with 'mapp.' Is that propane or is propane not hot enough?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAPP_gas

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propane

 

I hope propane will do fine since that is what I bought (in a cheap spray-can size bottle). Maybe it just takes a bit longer.

I have the feeling I should replace all the screws regardless of how it goes, but they are not cheap

[docc]

Josh set me up with the replacement screws and warned me that taking the old ones out wouldn't be pretty.

 

Looks like the MAPP gas gets 14% hotter (5700F vs 5000F) so I gues it will just take applying the heat longer, maybe 2 minutes instead of a minute and a half.

[Dan M]

Docc, have the allen heads been buggered up already?

 

If so....what do you guys (Greg, Dan) do about that? Drill and tap?

 

If they are not too bad - even if the allen turned partially in the hole, hitting them squarely with a hammer will close up the hole some. Once the hole is shrunk (don't over do it) you'll have to pound your allen socket back in. The fit should be good enough to remove the bolt but be sure you heat it enough to loosen the thread locker or you will just round it out again.

If it is rounded beyond using that approach, then there are two more things to try. Cutting a slot with a hacksaw or panel cutter then using an impact driver with a large screw driver bit. If all else fails, drill with a slightly larger drill bit (21/64") just until the head of the bolt comes off. You'll leave a few threads showing to grab with a visegrip after the rotor is out of the way. Again no matter how you do it, heat it enough to soften the locktite or things will just get worse.

 

MAPP gas seems too hot for the wheel or rotor carrier finish. I don't know what temp my heat gun gets to but I'm thinking is isn't more than 2000F. You'll do much less damage with lower heat and more time to loosen this stuff. Again, Greg does it without incident, just don't over do it. Mapp won't hurt the metal, I'd just hate for you to blister the finish.

[jrt]

Yeah, sounds like a pain in the butt and about what I expected. I've used the vice grips and the hacksaw methods before (not with loctite involved). Still, not much fun.

 

I think the deal with either propane or mapp is that you need to focus the flame onto the bolt head, rather than flaming over the wheel.

 

Good luck, Docc.

 

Oh- hey, something occurs to me. I'm used to thinking about plumbing torches. WHat about using one of those tiny food-grade burners they use to make desserts?

[Greg Field]

If you bugger up the hex, find the appropriate Torx bit and pound it into the recess. That always gets 'm, but the screw is ruined.

 

I use mapp for thermal shock. You need to pour the heat onto the head and get it flowing down the shank to melt the loctite. Keep the heat off the wheel. Adjust the torch for a thin flame. Then, the whack the T-handle with the hammer, which seems to physically shock the bolt loose.

[Josh]

disc removal

I had heard the brake discs are put on well. And with good reason; you wouldn't want them falling off. Seems like there is probably red Loctite involved.

 

With fresh rotors in hand I tried to loosen the old discs. Even got a fresh SK 5mm drive with good sharp edges. Which only sliced into the fastener that much easier. Added some (propane) heat. Put the wheel back on before I screwed it up entirely.

 

Now what?

 

Hey Docc,

 

I've used SK hex socket bits at work before and all had the ball end. If your bits do, avoid these like the plague. I would consider them ultra light duty. DO NOT USE THEM TO REMOVE STUBBORN FASTENERS. The ball will break off in the bolt head and then your really screwed! The ball is next to impossible to remove from bolt head . I've also had the hex shank shatter on these things(SK). They have cost me a lot of time and my boss a lot of money. I'll never use them again.

 

Similar to whats already been said...disc removal

 

Good luck!

[docc]

This is not a ball head. Looks like it has a good fit and certainly fresh sharp edges. I had attempted the heat but probably didn't keep it on long enough or hot enough.

 

So, going back in, you think Red Loctite again or blue is OK?

[Dan M]

This is not a ball head. Looks like it has a good fit and certainly fresh sharp edges. I had attempted the heat but probably didn't keep it on long enough or hot enough.

 

So, going back in, you think Red Loctite again or blue is OK?

 

I'd say blue is fine. I've never had such things loosen before factories started using loctite on them. Seems the risk managers are mandating thread locker on all these brake parts in this litigious society.

(Of course someone here will write about their friend's rotor instantly coming loose at speed with no prior warning causing a horrific crash)

[Josh]

This is not a ball head. Looks like it has a good fit and certainly fresh sharp edges. I had attempted the heat but probably didn't keep it on long enough or hot enough.

 

So, going back in, you think Red Loctite again or blue is OK?

 

I used blue.

[emry]

I always have used an impact driver. Rarely ever had a problem. When I did manage to round one out, A quick blast of heat, Mapp or Oxy/Act and then used a sharp chisel to turn the bolt.

This is the only impact that I have found that worked well. The one that you have to turn and hold just does not cut it. http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P6...amp;dir=catalog