Replace brake discs Smax

creedp

Just wondering if anyone replaced their smax brake discs and how did you get then off? I failed to get mine off and had to bring to garage who removed them after a struggle involving liberal use of an angle grinder.. is this normal?

mk7r

Were the discs just rusted to the hub? This is usually a sign they haven't been changed in quite a while and a big enough hammer and they will pop off.

RandomViewer

Front or rear?

creedp

Front discs on an smax. Hadn't been changed for a while and a sticking caliper had actually worn the inside of the driver disc quite badly. Yes they were rusted but not too badly. I eventually took a full size hatchet to the driver side to no avail. When I took the car to a tyre / brake centre he said this is a common problem on Fords and after lashing in with a lump hammer a few times he broke out the disk cutter and cut a wedge in to hob part of disc and eventually released it with a hammer and chisel. A pig of a job! He smeared the hub with copper grease and said it probably won't be as bad the next time!

mk7r

creedp wrote: »

Front discs on an smax. Hadn't been changed for a while and a sticking caliper had actually worn the inside of the driver disc quite badly. Yes they were rusted but not too badly. I eventually took a full size hatchet to the driver side to no avail. When I took the car to a tyre / brake centre he said this is a common problem on Fords and after lashing in with a lump hammer a few times he broke out the disk cutter and cut a wedge in to hob part of disc and eventually released it with a hammer and chisel. A pig of a job! He smeared the hub with copper grease and said it probably won't be as bad the next time!

It sounds like it was just stuck, I have never had to cut one to get it off, it sounds like they ran out of hammer sizes copper grease is not a great idea on the whole hub as friction is what holds it to the car... Ford's are no better or worse than any other model for it.

nogoodnamesleft

Liberal use of a hammer to shock the rust holding it to the hub flange. Getting a angle grinder seems a bit messy.

There are disk pullers available now also though that would make it a bit easier. When I changed the brake disks on mine (BMW) I applied some brake grease to the hub flange (after I had thoroughly cleaned the surface corrosion with a wire brush and some sand paper) I also added a dab to disk retaining screw to make it a bit easier the next time.

creedp

mk7r wrote: »

It sounds like it was just stuck, I have never had to cut one to get it off, it sounds like they ran out of hammer sizes copper grease is not a great idea on the whole hub as friction is what holds it to the car... Ford's are no better or worse than any other model for it.

Does the lack of friction matter much when wheel is bolted to the hub? On the size of the hammer I eventually gave the hub a right lashing with a full size axe and it didnt budge so short of a sledge hammer I'm not sure if anything would have shifted it. However I'll most certainly defer to those who have far more experience at the job.

creedp

nogoodnamesleft wrote: »

Liberal use of a hammer to shock the rust holding it to the hub flange. Getting a angle grinder seems a bit messy.

There are disk pullers available now also though that would make it a bit easier. When I changed the brake disks on mine (BMW) I applied some brake grease to the hub flange (after I had thoroughly cleaned the surface corrosion with a wire brush and some sand paper) I also added a dab to disk retaining screw to make it a bit easier the next time.

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=524280&stc=1&d=1598374871

Some job in cleaning that hub!

mk7r

creedp wrote: »

Does the lack of friction matter much when wheel is bolted to the hub? On the size of the hammer I eventually gave the hub a right lashing with a full size axe and it didnt budge so short of a sledge hammer I'm not sure if anything would have shifted it. However I'll most certainly defer to those who have far more experience at the job.

Yes... the wheel bolts don't hold the wheel on as such, they create a clamping force and its the friction that holds the wheel in place. A smear around the small flange sticking out is grand but I wouldn't be coating the whole hub.
Sometimes a large sledge is required but a decent air hammer usually works a treat.

nogoodnamesleft

creedp wrote: »

Some job in cleaning that hub!

I didnt want to have to do it a second time in the event of disk runout so I made sure it was spotless .

creedp

mk7r wrote: »

Yes... the wheel bolts don't hold the wheel on as such, they create a clamping force and its the friction that holds the wheel in place. A smear around the small flange sticking out is grand but I wouldn't be coating the whole hub.
Sometimes a large sledge is required but a decent air hammer usually works a treat.

OK so not the best thing to have done! Could this result in a mechanical failure or will I just leave it be and not repeat the next time around?

mk7r

creedp wrote: »

OK so not the best thing to have done! Could this result in a mechanical failure or will I just leave it be and not repeat the next time around?

It will likely be ok, just wouldnt repeat