Can't get the rear rotor off

[Old-Duckman]

2004, E85:
I have never done rotors with the E-Brake inside the rotor before, am I missing something?
Yes, the E-Brake is off. I have everything off but the disk. (including the screw that holds the rotor to the hub).
The rotor spins easily.

I have put some penetrating oil in the area between the rotor and the hub.
I have tapped the hub while pulling on the rotor.
I have tapped the disk from the back side.

I read on Pelican Parts that you might have to loosen the e-brake through a hole in the disk. I looked and I don't think mine is like theirs. A hole did line up with an allen screw at about 12:00 position (up top) I put in a allen key and turned it and felt spring pressure push it out toward me. I pushed it back in to its original position (didn't want something loose and floating around in there if I couldn't get the rotor off).

Am I just being too gentle ? The hammer I am using is copper and no matter how or where I have been tapping I saw no movement of the rotor coming off. If I saw some movement I would assume I was getting there but it didn't move a bit that I could see.

 

[Jl-c]

You put a flat blade screwdriver through the wheel bolt hole and de-adjust the handbrake which releases the brake disc to come off. Look for a serrated wheel ( end of cylinder ) with a torch whilst rotating the hub. It is usually at about the ten o'clock position.

 

[Jl-c]

 

[Old-Duckman]

Thanks, I found it and backed it off till I felt no drag but it still isn't moving. Do I just have to back it off more or? I'm considering taking a torch to the disk (right around the hub mating area to expand the disk a bit...bad idea ?)

I will go back out and loosen the adjuster some more and see what happens.

Thanks for the quick replies as I am in the middle of the job at the moment.

 

[Old-Duckman]

GOT IT OFF !!
No fire used.

Thanks again !

 

[Smartbear]

GOT IT OFF !!
No fire used.

Thanks again !

The issue is usually despite there being no drag, the drum gets a wear lip on the outside of where the shoes touch, it’s this lip that stops the drum from being removed easily until the shoes are backed off further
Rob

 

[Old-Duckman]

GOT IT OFF !!
No fire used.

Thanks again !

The issue is usually despite there being no drag, the drum gets a wear lip on the outside of where the shoes touch, it’s this lip that stops the drum from being removed easily until the shoes are backed off further
Rob

Yes there was a bit of a lip, not too bad but I can see how it would interfere.
They were the original rotors, well at least they have the BMW stamp and they had quite a lip on the disk section, they were worn pretty good. The car has 54K and they look like they did it all. The front had been replaced when I bought it. The rear did pass the yearly safety inspection but I doubt they would have next year. Plus I planing taking my 92 YO mother to visit a friend of hers in the near future. 400 mile round trip and didn't want to worry about the brakes. There will be other things to worry about!

 

[kis]

I’m sure you have a few thousand miles after your sensor is activated. So you would have been fine! But agree it’s always best to keep on top of all the mechanical bits! Even if it’s just for piece of mind!

 

[Old-Duckman]

I’m sure you have a few thousand miles after your sensor is activated. So you would have been fine! But agree it’s always best to keep on top of all the mechanical bits! Even if it’s just for piece of mind!

After doing the job, I agree I could have gotten more miles out of the brakes. I did not measure the rotor thickness, they are stamped "Min. 17.4". I'll probably measure them tomorrow, just out of curiosity.

But I calculated the cost of the brakes over the 16 year life span of the car...$7.69 USD per year.
$123 divided over 16 years. I can't complain.

Calipers looked good, exposed rubber parts in good shape, no tears no leaks. I'm glad I didn't buy new calipers. The steel lines some mentioned to check out were near perfect, I saw no rust, in fact much of their length still had black paint on them. I don't think this car has seen many salt covered roads and it won't see any under my stewardship.