1980 Rear rotor removal

[Tim T.]

ALOHA,
Can't get right rear rotor off. Left side came off with a few taps with hammer.
Bubba suggests a BIGGER MALLET. That isn't working either. Any tips? Thanks

[Joe L.]

Re: 1980 Rear rotor removal

Tim----

You are sure that the rivets have been drilled out, aren't you? Otherwise, corrosion of internal components may cause these to "stick". I would not expect that in Hawaii, but it's possible. You might have to use a slide hammer.

[Tim T.]

Re: 1980 Rear rotor removal

Joe,
Where would rivets be? I see no difference from left side. Please excuse me if i am missing the obvious to you more mechanically inclined fellows. Thanks

[Geoff C.]

If you do not locate these 5 rivet or the holes

The original rotors have been previously removed and replaced. If there are no rivet holes, that really is no big deal except to NCRS. Some rotors (i.e. fronts) have no rivets and they could be placed on the rear without using the rivets. I believe the only difference between a front or rear 1965-1982 rotors is:
Front Rotors have 5 holes for wheel studs while
Rear Rotors have 5 holes for wheel studs interspersed with 5 additional holes the rivets.

Then again if yours rear are loaded with rust and crusty, maybe you just cannot see them.

Geoffrey Coenen

[Michael H.]

Re: If you do not locate these 5 rivet or the hole

If the front rorors aren't attached with rivets, like the rear, how are they held in place?

[Geoff C.]

OOOPS - CRS

There is a difference in holes. I hesitate to even say now, because I'll probably get in deeper.

Here goes: there is one extra hole in the rears. Sometimes or often, I CRS and don't see these with regularity anymore. But I'll ask my wife to check them tomorrow.

You are Right! The fronts are mounted to the hubs. But it is not necessary to remove the rivets, to remove them from the car, unless the rotors need to replaced.

I know some folk don't re-rivet the rears. They must rely on the wheel lug nuts?

Geoffrey CRS Coenen

PS Where is that Edit key?

[Geoff C.]

JOE are U there? HELP me out *NM*

[Michael H.]

Re: OOOPS - CRS

That would be correct. The rear rotors have a pair of adjusting holes for the parking brake and front rotors do not. All production rotors were originally riveted to the hub.

[Geoff C.]

Brain Phart It will happed to U 2 *NM*

[Michael H.]

Not To Worry Geoffrey...........

.....It happens to me too. If I go to another room for more than three items, I have to bring a note.

[mike cobine]

Talk to someone who has done it this decade

While these guys may have forgotten more than I know, this is a case of forgetting.

All four are held on with rivets originally. The fronts usually still have them since you don't have to remove the rotor to grease the bearings.

The rears are often drilled out so you can get to the emergency brake and it makes doing rear bearings easier.

However, with age, they often rust hub or spindle to rotor. I just pulled mine off the '79 a month ago due to a broke wheel stud. In my case, I had drilled slightly off-center on a rivet and some still was there. But even after drilling it all out, the rotor wouldn't budge. I'm trying to remember, but I think it is a 1/4 inch hole.

I squirted in Liquid Wrench around each stud and the center hub of the spindle, turned the axle, and squirted more. There was some discussion with a large copper hammer and even a propane torch, however, the cheap torch wasn't worth much. Eventually it did crack slightly, and then I could wedge a screwdriver to spread it more.

So first step, be sure the rivets are all drilled out completely. There are five, one each halfway between each stud.

Second, use lots of penetrating oil.

Then use wood on the rotor and apply some persuasion.

Good luck.

[Tim T.]

Re: If you do not locate these 5 rivet or the hole

ALOHA FOLKS,
I am happy to report that rotor is now at the machine shop. RIVETS!! what a novel idea. Many MAHALOS, Friends ALOHA, TIM #5308

[Joe L.]

Re: JOE are U there? HELP me out

Geoffrey------

The original rotors used for all 1965-82 Corvettes, front or rear, were made from the same casting. However, there were differences in the final machining to produce the front or rear rotors, EXCLUSIVE of the fact that the fronts included riveted hubs and the rears included (for PRODUCTION only) riveted spindles.

As far as GM PRODUCTION and SERVICE goes, both the front and rear rotors had the 15/32" holes for the 5 wheel studs and the 3/8" holes for the 5 rivets drilled in the "hat" section. The counterbores for the rivet heads were also machined to a depth of about 1/8" centered on the rivet holes.

For the rear rotor, the 2 additional approximately 3/4" holes were drilled at 180 degress apart and chamfered. These are, of course, the holes used for adjusting the parking brake star wheels.

In addition to the above, however, there was at least one other machining operation difference (besides the finish maching to size of the parking brake drum for the rear rotors) bewteen the front and rear rotors which actually affects the interchangeability of the rotors. I believe that either the front rotors (rotor only, of course; not complete assembly with hub) can be used on the rear or the rear used on the front. However, I've forgotten which. Ken Carter described this to me once, but I've forgotten it. Especially about things like this, Ken knows what he's talking about.

Many aftermarket SERVICE rotors sold these days, including those sold through Delco, no longer have the rivet holes or the rivet counterbores. That's because, in SERVICE, rotors are rarely re-riveted to the hubs or rotors. It's just those that are afflicted with "Corvette Dementia" that usually do this (although it really is a good thing to do and NOT just for cosmetic reasons). So, I guess the manufacturers have figured out that there's no sense in performing these additional machining operations when it ends up being superfluous. Strangely, many of the Chinese-made parts DO have the rivet holes and counterbores while the US and Canadian -made rotors usually do not.

In the GM parts system, when these parts were available (which, as you know, they no longer are), the fronts were sold ONLY with attached hub. The rears were sold only as the rotor alone.

[Geoff C.]

Re: JOE are U there? HELP me out

Thanks Joe, and thank Jos too.

Are you and Ken speaking again? Deb told me he called her recently. He is a nice fellow and so are you.

Geoffrey Coenen

[Joe L.]

Re: JOE are U there? HELP me out

Geoffrey------

I haven't seen Ken in quite a few years, now. Actually, my main problem in going out there is that I know that he will expect that my car will have been long-completed by now. I just couldn't bear to tell him that it's not finished yet. Plus, I used to spend an awful lot of time out there BS'ing with Ken. If I started going out there again, that would end up starting all over again and then I'd have even less time to finish the car.

So, I've been figuring that when I get the car done, I'll drive it out there. In other words, the next time I go out there, I better be driving that car!