I'm doing an overhaul of front and rear brakes on my 1996 Maxima SE. Replacing the front rotors was pretty straightforward (thanks to great instructions from www.motorvate.ca).

Now I am working on the rear brakes, had no real problem removing calipers and torque members, but the rear rotors won't budge, even using a deadblow hammer (fairly gently) on them.

Can someone experienced with this job tell me how to remove the rear discs? Is there some kind of pin or bolt holding the rear rotors on, or do they float freely like the front rotors do? Do I have to remove the hub cover?

I did look in the FAQs and stickies. There is a link for rear brake installation, but unfortunately it's a dead link. Could not find the Haynes manual in my local bookstores, either.

Thanks for your help.

 

2X4 and big hammer

 

Yea man you gotta whale on those things they will come off.

 

I just completed replacing all four rotors and calipers on my '95 Maxima GXE. There are two threaded holes in the rotor (near two of the wheel studs). I bought a metric grade 1 bolt from the local hardware store (I believe it was a 12mm) and screwed it into one of the holes until the rotor "broke" free. The holes were rusty, so I sprayed some rust remover (penetrating oil) into them before trying to thread the bolt. It worked very well, and seems a lot more civilized than a "hammer and a 2x4" (even that sounds like an excellent way to vent some frustration).

 

i jsut did mine, and i also used a hammer cause they was freakin stuck on...lol hit it a few times,then turn the rotor, and hit in again, then hit up center alittle to free things up a bit, and it should budge man. hit it hard, the rotor going to **** anyway right?(i think u said u remove the caliper? that should be removed 1st before the beating begins!

-rafal

 

Spray PB blaster into the two holes near your stud holes in the rotors. wait a few minutes and pound them with a rubber mallet. If that doesn't work, you can take the 12mm bolt from the caliper slide pins and screw it into those holes you lubricated with PB and this will force the rotor off of the hub. The PB blaster usually does all the work if you just wait a few minutes though. good luck.

 

Thanks everybody for your suggestions. I will try the PB Blaster in those bolt holes and let it soak in overnight. If the rotors don't come off easily with the deadblow hammer tomorrow, I'll try using the bolt method to force the rotors off the hub.

 

The bolt method is the best. That is why that hole is there!

 

well I had this same problem and found that first by letting PB blaster works its way in and then heating it up with a torch the next day and then hitting it with a hammer really hard worked great.

 

When I say wait for the PB to work, I mean a few minutes. PB works fast relatively and in about 5 minutes you should be able to smack the rotor and rotate, then smack and rotate, etc. If your still having trouble getting it loose, then bust out the bolt method. Oh and be shure to put some anti-seize on the hub just in case you need to take them off again i.e; replacing studs ;/

 

disregard what more than half the people said, use those bolt holes and put a bolt into it and then tighten the bolt and itll pop loose. forget the PB blaster garbage people keep saying, theres a reason why those holes are there.

 

Yeah your right mansurxk. PB didn't work for me and it's garbage. Oh wait a minute. it did work and in about five minutes. What are you talking about? Sure you can use the bolt method but to label PB as garbage? Sometimes those holes' threads aren't in the best of condition. They are rusty, so yo know what you do, use PB blaster. There are no negatives using it. But I'm sure your right, it's garbage...?

 

Well, I finished overhauling the rear brakes today.

I tried the PB Blaster and rubber mallet first, but it just wasn't working for me so I decided to try the bolt method.

For anyone who has to do this job in the future, I can recommend based on my experience that you remove the rear rotors using a 12mm bolt in one or both of the holes provided for this purpose. The rotor just popped right off the hub, no problem at all. It was really easy.

BTW, the caliper slide pins are 14mm and too large diameter to use for this. Like Timay said it was 12mm, so I "borrowed" a 12mm bolt from my other car temporarily to do this job and it worked very well. Also applied anti-seize to the hubs so hopefully the rotors will be easier to remove next time.

Thanks again everybody for your help. I saved a bunch of money doing this job myself, and used better quality components than the brake shop would.

 

he tried PB blaster and a mallet, dindt work, the bolts worked, its a case to case thing, but i think 9 outta 10 times, its easier to use the bolt method, because itll pry apart the hub. i had the same problem, i said it was garbage beacuse people were saying to waste time using the mallet. i did it for like 15 minutes to no avail, so i figured out waht the bolt holes were for and it dindt even take me 30 seconds to screw that bolt in.