90 Camry Brake Rotor removal

[ledlung]

Hi Folks,

Trying to fix a loud thumping in the front passenger side wheel area in a 1990 Camry I'm fixin up. I figure (hope) it is brake related. It varies with speed of car. Interestingly, it isn't there when car is driven after sitting for a while. But once you touch the brakes, it starts. Doesnt do it in reverse, tho.
So I figured the right front rotor, being in bad shape anyway, would be replaced. Got caliper and torque bracket off, but now I'm stumped. The rotor sure looks like it's held on by the axle bolt and it won't budge.
Haynes book shows the rotors as having three holes into which bolts can be screwed to push rotor off hub, but this car's rotors do not have those holes.
This got me to wondering if there are any versions of 1990 Camry that had rotors held on by the axle bolt. I've heated this thing, sprayed it with WD40, whacked it with a hammer but it won't break free.
At NAPA, I bought a new rotor and it does have the holes into which the removal bolts can be screwed. So ... if no Camrys had rotors held on by axle bolts, then maybe the rotors on this car were replaced at one point with aftermarket ones that don't have the holes. (Actually, I haven't checked the driver side rotor to see if it, too, lacks the holes.)
I just don't want to keep hammering on something thats held on by a big axle bolt.
Thanks for any advice.

[luvmybeater]

I work for CARQUEST and our parts lookup shows that the rotors for ABS equipped '90 camrys did not have the removal holes, the non-ABS ones do. So that means (to me anyway) that either someone before you put the wrong ones on or NAPA sold you the wrong ones. I'd say that if the measurements (diameter, rotor thickness, overall height, hub diameter, etc, etc, etc) are all the same that you can use them... have fun!

[ledlung]

Thanks for the reply. I don't know if this car has ABS. It was given to me by a friend who didn't feel like fixing the broken timing belt. I see no ABS light when I turn the key, so I assume it doesn't.
Either way, it appears (from what you're saying) the rotor is not held on by the axle bolt and is held on only by he lug nuts, right?
I suppose you can't tell from the CarQuest picture, tho.

[atobe]

it's held on by the caliper since you have to remove the caliper to take out the rotor

[ledlung]

Originally Posted by atobe

it's held on by the caliper since you have to remove the caliper to take out the rotor

no. it's not held on by the caliper. but, yes, you do have to remove the caliper to take off the rotor.

[atobe]

hmmmm weird i take off my caliper and i can pull the rotor straight off fronts and rears..

[atobe]

http://tril.shineautoproject.com/camry/ check here d/l the files

[ledlung]

Thank you! The manual clearly shows the rotor does just slide onto the hub. Guess I just need a bigger hammer.

[luvmybeater]

yeah, if brute force doesn't work, you're not using enough!

I once had a corolla that needed an acetylene torch to get the brakes off of! yikes!

[timebuilder]

You actually DO need a hammer.

First, spray some penetrant where the center hub meets the rotor. That's what's holding it. I like PB Blaster.

Now, take a nice steel faced hammer and strike one to three sharp blows on the rotor between two adjacent studs.

Don't hit the studs, because you will cream the threads.

The idea is to compress the rotor against the hub assembly, and have that energy come back out against the rotor, helping it to move away from the hub.

You may have to try this in a couple of places on the rotor, and DO wear those saftey glasses and watch those fingers. Once it "jumps" a little, you can grasp it with both hands and wiggle it offf the hub.

I try to position the rotor at the bottom of the rotation, so as not to send the striking energy into the steering assembly.

[Mike Gerber]

I have seen some cheap rotors on other cars that do not have the tapped holes for easier rotor removal. My next door neighbor bought some cheap rotors for the rear disc brakes on a 97 Mitsubishi Diamonte that did not come with the drilled holes. Before installing them, we used the old rotors as a template holding them hub to hub, marked the locations for the holes, and then center punched, drilled and tapped our own holes. Worked like a charm.

As far as a your removal problem, do what timebuilder suggested. Use some good penetrating oil like PB Blaster (not WD-40 for this application) around the rotor to hub area. Let it soak for a while and then beat it off. I will eventually come off.

Mike

[timebuilder]

Just remember, don't beat on the area where the pads make contact, lol.

[marc780]

I've seen plenty of stuck drums but very few stuck rotors, usually a good beating pops em off. Even if the rotor lacks the threaded holes, at worst you could use a 3 jaw puller. From harbor freight they're cheap (puller) just a few bucks.

Im a cheap rotor fan, to me its expendable just like the pads. Considering the heat and pressure they get it's a wonder they last as long as they do and they are as cheap as they are now (image is a rotor from kragen auto parts). It takes the hardest beating of any part in the car except for the exhaust valves, so i just use em til it's broke and then just change it rotors.
Im not one to bother with turning the rotors either, so long as a cheapo replacement is available! You have to waste your time hauling dirty rotors, getting the auto parts to check it and do it, and most of the time my rotors could not be turned anyways. And even if they can turn them, they are just taking away metal the rotor needs to heat sink. Not only that, sometimes they turn the rotors wrong! (Improper finish makes a "Zzzzzzzzzz" sound from brakes when you press the pedal!) Bah who needs it.

[monito]

what size bolts do i use to remove the rotor? or does that vary according rotor brand?

[atobe]

there is no bolts holding on the rotor... it just slides out when you move the caliper out of the way..