Rear Disc Brake Removal., Almost but not quite.... Options

[Silver94CelicaOw...]

I need to take my rear drivers side brake rotor off to check what sound I've been hearing lately. I've noticed the buzzing/scraping sound I've heard lately gets louder when I brake, so I want to tear the rotor off and get in there to check everything out.

I took the wheel off then removed the brake pads from the caliper and unbolted the whole assembly so the rotor could come off. However, it feels like the E-brake pads are still pressing against the inside of the rear rotor even when the parking brake is disengaged. Now if i remember correctly, isn't there a star bolt that you can line up through the hole in the rotor to loosen the parking brake to get the rotor off?? If so can somebody explain to me how this is done?

I know that you can also thread two 12mm bolts into the rotor which push it away from the hub to get it off, but I dont want to damage the e-brake assembly at all. What do you guys suggest....thread the 12mm bolts to push the rotor off, or are you supposed to loosen the E-brake first using that hole in the rotor to get to the star bolt or am I mistaken?

Any help is appreciated guys.

Corey

[celicast3sgte]

you should have the 5 bolt holes for the lug studs then 2 smaller threaded holes oposing eachother those 2 holes are for you to use as leverage. you get a bolt with those threads about 2.5"-4" long and as u thread them in it will push the disc or drum (same method) away then eventually you can just remove it yourself.

[Silver94CelicaOw...]

Alright, sounds good. I had one bolt like you were saying, and the bolt that holds down the brake line to the shock is also a 12mm and tried using that earlier....but not quite long enough. I'll just run out to home depot or something tommorrow. Thanks man!

[K-ESD]

i had the exact same problem. i used good ol fasion brute force to get it to come off. but celica3sgte's way is the "right" way.

[Galcobar]

However, making sure the e-brake is not holding the rotor on is a good idea. If it's at all difficult to turn the hub, then the e-brakes are still partly engaged.

Fairly easy. There will be one, slightly larger hole than the pair for the 12x1.5mm back-off bolts. Align the wheel so that hole is at the bottom. You will then be able to reach through it with a flat-head screwdriver to turn the gear/bolt.

When re-assembling it, rotate the gear until the brake no longer holds the rotor, then back it off an additional eight stops.