Can't remove rear rotor on 2003 E350

[emcee]

The caliper and axle are already removed (driver side). The rotor and hub assembly are loose but will not slide off. Can it be hung up on the parking brake? If so how do you release the tension on the brake cable?

I'm trying to replace the rotor.

It's a motorhome with dual rear wheels.

Thanks


edit: the parking brake shoes are definitely the problem. How do I collapse them?

[n2zon]

Originally Posted by emcee

The caliper and axle are already removed (driver side). The rotor and hub assembly are loose but will not slide off. Can it be hung up on the parking brake? If so how do you release the tension on the brake cable?

I'm trying to replace the rotor.

It's a motorhome with dual rear wheels.

Thanks


edit: the parking brake shoes are definitely the problem. How do I collapse them?

Most likely, the shoes are cocking as you try to remove the rotor/drum. (The rotor for the service brake, the drum for the parking brake.)

Behind the rotor (and its integral drum) is a backing plate that holds the brake shoes. In the backing plate, probably at the bottom, is a rubber plug, or just a slot if the plug is missing. Inside the slot, you should see a star wheel, edge-on. It's the brake adjuster.

Using a screwdriver, rotate the star wheel one way to tighten the brake shoes, the other way to loosen them. You will know if you are going the right way or the wrong way pretty quickly. Once they are loose enough, you should be able to remove the rotor/drum. It helps (a lot) to rotate it back and forth as you remove it.

In fact, that might be all you need to do now, though I've usually had to back off the adjuster a bit in practice.

[emcee]

Originally Posted by n2zon

Most likely, the shoes are cocking as you try to remove the rotor/drum. (The rotor for the service brake, the drum for the parking brake.)

Behind the rotor (and its integral drum) is a backing plate that holds the brake shoes. In the backing plate, probably at the bottom, is a rubber plug, or just a slot if the plug is missing. Inside the slot, you should see a star wheel, edge-on. It's the brake adjuster.

Using a screwdriver, rotate the star wheel one way to tighten the brake shoes, the other way to loosen them. You will know if you are going the right way or the wrong way pretty quickly. Once they are loose enough, you should be able to remove the rotor/drum. It helps (a lot) to rotate it back and forth as you remove it.

In fact, that might be all you need to do now, though I've usually had to back off the adjuster a bit in practice.

That was it. Found the rubber plug at the top of the wheel. There's only a few inches between the leaf spring and the hole though so I need to find the right tool to turn the adjuster. Screwdrivers won't work, homemade stuff is failing - maybe the specific tool from the parts store will do it. Thanks for the tip.

[F4Gary]

Something like this from O'Reilly's?


https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c.../w80630?pos=13

[n2zon]

The star wheel shouldn't take a huge amount of force to move. There's just a spring-loaded pawl keeping it from turning. Unless, of course, the threads are sticky (always possible) in which case that first little bit could be difficult.

If you have a torch (propane should do) and don't mine ruining a cheap screwdriver, you should be able to make an angled tool that will let you navigate past the leaf spring. You only need to move that wheel one tooth at a time.

[chunker]

Food for thought but a few years ago I bought a Jeep Wrangler to be a toad and it began life in Canada. I also couldn't get the rear brakes apart to adjust or replace parts and took it to a local shop. Basically the drum came off in pieces and the rear E brakes the same. While the frame and body was well protected from rust with protectants, vulnerable parts like brakes had rust bad.

The tool they used

https://shop.harborfreight.com/media...9/69240_W3.jpg

[standerson]

Last time I put brakes on my F150, we ended up using an air hammer to get the rear drums off.

Good luck.

[F4Gary]

If you can easily spin the rotor, it's not the e-brake shoes.

[TandW]

Originally Posted by emcee

The caliper and axle are already removed (driver side). The rotor and hub assembly are loose but will not slide off. Can it be hung up on the parking brake? If so how do you release the tension on the brake cable?

I'm trying to replace the rotor.

It's a motorhome with dual rear wheels.

Thanks


edit: the parking brake shoes are definitely the problem. How do I collapse them?

If you've got one side off there certainly should not be any tension arising from the brake cable.

[emcee]

Well I got them off. There was just no room to maneuver between the leaf spring pack and the access hole no matter what tool I used. Finally pulled the rotor off far enough so that I could access the star wheel through the gap between the rotor and the backing plate. Passenger side just slid off.

[TandW]

This is good news. Perseverance wins! Care to share what sort of coach you are working on?

[F4Gary]

Originally Posted by TandW

This is good news. Perseverance wins! Care to share what sort of coach you are working on?

Read his signature.