hey guys I'm trying to replace my rear brakes and rotors, not the first time i change brakes, but the first time i can't remove a rotor. i removed the brake caliper and mounting bracket and theres nothing obstructing the rotor and i have hammered it a couple of times and nothing. is there anything that i am doing wrong?

 

The first time my son replaced the brakes on a car, he could not get the rotor off. I suggested he rent a large pulley puller. I had him tighten the pulley puller on about as tight as he could get it then - standing out of the way, give the rotor a little "tap"! Everything came flying off!

 

Try some pb blaster around the hub and a rubber mallet

 

Some rotors have a threaded hole in the hub area to use a bolt to pry it off. Youll need to find a bolt with the proper thread, screw it in the hole, then you can use a ratchet to break the rotor loose. Not sure if our rotors have this though.

 

Do you have your parking brake on? I believe the rear disc brake rotors also incorporate a drum brake for the parking brake. The drum pads used for the PB are probably preventing you from removing the rotor.

Check out the PB section of the FSM.
http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Maxima/

 

Yup, This could be the issue!!! The back of the rotor is also a drum with brake shoes for the emergency brake. Make sure when you put the new rotors on you line up the emergency brake adjuster with the hole in the rotor hub...

 

Completed full pads and rotors today on daughters 09.


Release emergency brake, and take a rubber mallet to the rotor surface.


A couple GREAT bangs should loosen up the stud rust.


If that doesn't work, then spray PB Blaster / Liquid Wrench around the studs, and rotor center - wait a few minutes, then give a few GREAT bangs....


Update us on progress

 

Great timing on this thread. I did a brake job on my 2010 yesterday. I replaced the pads/rotors on the front and was going to get the rotors on the rear turned and replace the pads. Well, after finally getting the caliber and bracket off (had to remove the aluminum drag link) I stopped at removing the rotor. The rotor has a little rubber plug that you can remove and for some reason I thought that it might be an access hole to an adjuster that needed to be slacked off (like the good old days of drum brakes) before the rotor could be removed. Not knowing for sure, I aired on the side of caution and just slapped new pads on it.

If the rotors aren't mechanically held on then I may just get in there and replace or turn the rotors but I'm not terribly concerned about it because mine didn't have any bad wear - it was pretty even and somewhat shallow.

 

On my 2012 I just banged on it untill it popped loose. I did spray some pb blaster. I did notice the hole in the rotor with a rubber plug.. someone said that is supposed to line up with something? For what? to adjust the parking brake... ooops. I may not have done that right.. I guess I never tried the parking brake..

 

Oops.. I think I forgot to do this.. is it a big deal?

 

Only if you need to adjust your emergency brake...

 

No. You don't have to line it up. The rotor spins, the adjuster is fixed behind it.
You just spin the rotor till the hole is lined up.
People are just messing with the noobs.

 

DUH! that makes sense.. Threw me for a loop since this was the 2nd time I have ever done brakes..

Thanks