Can't remove rear brake backplate

[awmccready]

I'm trying to replace the right rear hub & bearing assembly on my 97 camry 4 cyl. It looked like a quick and easy job.

The head of one of the bolts holding the hub & bearing assembly stripped, so I hacksawed it off. This is the lower right bolt on the hub, if I am facing that part of the rear of the car.

Unfortunately, now I can't get a stud remover grip on the bolt stub, so I need to remove the backplate to get a grip (on the stub). I've applied PB Blaster several times to all visible points of the connection, and loosened the cylinder brake line bracket from the carrier assembly, but the backplate won't budge by hand or gentle taps with a hammer.

There is a plate between the backplate and the carrier assembly, but I can't tell whether that plate is part of the backplate or not. I have tried to pound a flat bladed screwdriver point in between that plate and the carrier assembly, with no results. I don't want to destroy the end of the carrier assembly or the back of the backplate if possible.

I have a propane blowtorch to apply heat, but have not done so, as I am very leery of applying it, particularly for fear of damaging the antilock brake sensor.

The backplate is fairly rusted and I have located an Internet source for it, if needed. I have also identified a pricey source for the carrier assembly.

Any ideas on getting the backplate off of the hub & bearing assembly or the bolt stub out?

Thanks.

[Stillrunning]

Originally Posted by awmccready

but the backplate won't budge by hand or gentle taps with a hammer.

The backplate is held on by the 4 bolts on the hub flange as well as rust. What ever you do don't attempt to remove the two bolts holding the parking brake cable to the back plate - they will twist off.

There is a plate between the back plate and the carrier assembly, but I can't tell whether that plate is part of the back plate or not.

They are spot welded together. Actually the back plate is quite robust while the rotor disk splash guard is flimsy.

The backplate is fairly rusted and I have located an Internet source for it, if needed.

I changed one of mine out couple of weeks ago.You can try heating parking brake mounting bolts but expect them to break. I was lucky with one and unlucky with the other, which I just drilled out and used a nut and bolt. I'd just drill out the broken hub bolt and use hardened nut and bolt if you can. Torque of hub bolts is not much so I'd use a torque wrench if possible.

[awmccready]

Originally Posted by Stillrunning

The backplate is held on by the 4 bolts on the hub flange as well as rust. What ever you do don't attempt to remove the two bolts holding the parking brake cable to the back plate - they will twist off.

I had already removed those two bolts, but luckily they didn't break. I will keep your advice in mind if and when I have to do the other rear wheel.

Originally Posted by Stillrunning

They are spot welded together. Actually the back plate is quite robust while the rotor disk splash guard is flimsy.

Encouraged by your sage advice, I pounded harder and was able to insert two paint scrapers and then a screwdriver into the resulting gap, after which the backplate fell off. THANK YOU!

Originally Posted by Stillrunning

I changed one of mine out couple of weeks ago.You can try heating parking brake mounting bolts but expect them to break. I was lucky with one and unlucky with the other, which I just drilled out and used a nut and bolt. I'd just drill out the broken hub bolt and use hardened nut and bolt if you can. Torque of hub bolts is not much so I'd use a torque wrench if possible.

I'm now trying to get the abs sensor out of the carrier/knuckle without breaking it and replacing it, as the carrier/knuckle shaft is also seriously pitted with rust as well as has the bolt stub stuck in it.

Unfortunately rockauto.com, which usually has great prices, has the brake cylinders (R & L), but doesn't seem to have the backplate or the carrier/knuckle, so my cost at http://www.1sttoyotaparts.com/oempartscat.html will be pricey, but nothing like the dealer's prices. I may give rockauto a call in case they can special order, but that's unlikely.

I got the hub & bearing assembly "O" ring from Advance Auto Parts for $2.

Now I have to find out whether the hub & bearing assembly needs grease of any sort. My manual says nothing about it, but there was some dried up white grease around the old bearing assembly end that I removed from the car.

Thanks again.

[Stillrunning]

Are your rear brakes drum or disc?

[awmccready]

Originally Posted by Stillrunning

Are your rear brakes drum or disc?

Drum.

[Stillrunning]

Originally Posted by awmccready

Drum.

OK, well in the days before discs we used to just rebuild the brake cylinders. There is no metal-to-metal contact in the cylinder, just cup seals. You may be able to get a brake cylinder kit (new seals) and use a cylinder hone with your electric drill to take the glaze off the cylinder wall. Just use a little brake fluid as lubricant as you do it. That will be dirt cheap.

[hardtopte72]

You can usually find a good shape knuckle assembly at a junkyard. I did a a few months ago when my uncle smashed up the Left rear suspension in my Gmas 92 Camry. I pulled everything in good shape from an ES300. You can probably find a good camry with ABS that doesn't have tons of rust from a local you pull-it. Or for the a little more than the part and shipping I could even pull one out for you next week sometime if you really need it as there are tons (literally ) of great condition wrecked Camrys in the you pull it down the street.

Also the hub should be a sealed unit. If the bearings have failed then it needs replacement.

[awmccready]

The bolt that holds the lower right rear lateral link arms to the cross member faces the wrong way to be removed, as directed by the Haynes manual. The gas tank is in the way.

So instead, I fairly easily hacksawed off the head of the frozen long bolt on the other end of the front lateral arm. Then I was able to remove the knuckle with the strut rod/trailing arm still attached. (I couldn't easily get at that strut rod's frozen bolt head.)

I installed the replacement knuckle, trailing arm, backplate, and hub & bearing assembly and am now in the process of installing the replacement wheel cylinder, brake shoes and drum. I'm still waiting on my replacement abs sensor to arrive, but have unplugged the old one behind the back seat and removed it. I found a new one for about $24 with shipping after a long Internet search.

To ensure easier access in the future, I am replacing all the bolts and nuts. I am also applying some dielectric (waterproof) grease to places on those items that won't interfere with them getting a good grip.

Next, I will install a new wheel cylinder, drum, and brake shoes on the left rear axle. Next spring, I hope to touch up the paint/rust proofing in that area.

That's a lot of parts and work, when I only started out to replace the hub & bearing assembly. That looked like and could have been a quick and fairly straight forward job.

As I said elsewhere, Toyota could have done a much better job on materials, shielding (from road salt & water), and placement. Perhaps the new model has some of those improvements. If not, Toyota should be cruising these forums for ideas from problems people have tackled with older models.

If I get stymied again, I will be back. Otherwise, assume I got it done.

Thanks for the help. I hope this helps someone else.

[awmccready]

I finally found the fence (the last part I had to remove) around my efforts to replace the right rear hub & bearing assembly. I hacksawed off the head of the long bolt holding the 2 lateral arms to the axle carrier/knuckle. I then removed the knuckle along with the still attached strut rod/trailing arm.

Had I known all of this when I started, I could have done this at the outset and saved weeks of work. I could have just removed the knuckle with the backplate, hub & bearing assembly, wheel cylinder, and brake shoes still attached.

I believe I could also have hacksawed off the bolt head holding the strut rod/trailing arm to the knuckle bushing, saving replacing the strut rod, depending on its condition.

I am posting this in case it may save someone else all this work due just to one of the bolts holding the hub & bearing assembly to the knuckle being welded by rust into the knuckle.

I may have the same problem again, if and when I have to replace the bearing on the left rear.