# Rotor removal, blast from the past **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [August 12, 2021, 3:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rotor-removal-blast-from-the-past/178676 "2021-08-12T15:09:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SteveCBT](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/stevecbt/32/3192_2.png) [@SteveCBT](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveCBT)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 3:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rotor-removal-blast-from-the-past/178676/1 "2021-08-12T15:09:05Z")
I am working on my 2016 Dodge Caravan’s rear brakes. The rotors did not want to budge, smacked a few times with a hammer, no go. Normally I would have spent a few hours beating on them, but instead I used a nut and bolt to easily pop them off. Took more time to find the bolt/nut in my random hardware bin than it did to get them off. Thanks to @meanjoe75fan , have not seen any posts from him in a long time, but if he is out in the interweb somewhere, Thanks. > [@2012 Toyota Rav4 front rotors](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-toyota-rav4-front-rotors/92706/27): > > I got a rusty rotor off by putting a bolt through the caliper bracket. You then thread a nut on, and tighten it, towards the head of the nut. This then acts as a jackscrew on the rotor, allowing a tremendous mechanical advantage. When the rotor finally gave way, I saw sparks(!) come off of the hub. I had to cut the bolt in half to remove, as the force had significantly mushroomed the bolt end. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 3:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rotor-removal-blast-from-the-past/178676/2 "2021-08-12T15:39:19Z")
> [@SteveCBT](#): > > Normally I would have spent a few hours beating on them, but instead I used a nut and bolt to easily pop them off. My wife’s 1987 Honda was the first time I ever saw a Rotor with threaded holes that were meant to help take the rotor off by threading a bolt in there. My 07 wife’s Lexus, my 98 4runner and now my 15 Highlander all have threaded holes and they use the same bolts I bought back in the 80’s. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 3:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rotor-removal-blast-from-the-past/178676/3 "2021-08-12T15:46:28Z")
Bolt trick is good for wheel bearings too. ---
**Author:** ![weekend-warrior](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/weekend-warrior/32/26122_2.png) [@weekend-warrior](https://community.cartalk.com/u/weekend-warrior)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 5:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rotor-removal-blast-from-the-past/178676/4 "2021-08-12T17:09:39Z")
I always put some anti-seize where the rotor goes on the hub. ---
**Author:** ![tcmichnorth](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tcmichnorth/32/25126_2.png) [@tcmichnorth](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tcmichnorth)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 5:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rotor-removal-blast-from-the-past/178676/5 "2021-08-12T17:29:13Z")
Me too. Wish the last guy did sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![BoboTheClown](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bobotheclown/32/25526_2.png) [@BoboTheClown](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BoboTheClown)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 6:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rotor-removal-blast-from-the-past/178676/6 "2021-08-12T18:41:14Z")
That’s the only way to get some brake drums off for servicing drum brakes. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 12:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rotor-removal-blast-from-the-past/178676/7 "2021-08-13T00:03:42Z")
> [@BoboTheClown](#): > > That’s the only way to get some brake drums off for servicing drum brakes. I discovered this too, or maybe somebody here told me, when removing the Corolla’s rear brake drums for a brake inspection a few years ago. The repair manual doesn’t mention this, but there’s a threaded hole that goes through the drum, and all you have to do is thread the appropriately size bolt into that hole and it pushes the drum right off, slick as a whistle. IIRC I had to rotate the drum to a certain angle so there was something behind for the bolt to push against.