Put the lug nuts on the studs and tighten them down against the rotor. Might have to clean the threads first. If they can' t reach add washers until they do. This takes pressure off the screw heads and will cut breakaway torque by half, whatever method you use.
just want to say Thank You to Eric the car guy i am a mechanic and sometimes i dont have all the answers and you helped me out quite a bit of times .You helped me and also sent me away with a smile and feeling good about myself when at times i felt like a complete loser cause i couldnt figure out a certain car problem.I really appreciate your help Eric .Thanks Xavier (another car guy)
Thank you so much Eric! I don't have an air hammer but I used a conventional hammer drill with a sharp point! The screw was seized like you would not believe! I struggled for 3-4 hours until I decided to search for help and found you! Thanks again!!
you have been literally the best thing on TH-cam since its inception. I've looked up your videos numerous times when in a pinch and you have saved me more money and time that i can think of. stay dirty Eric!
10 years later you're still the man eric. While hammer on hammer action is dangerous, it's more powerful than hammering on the end of the screw driver like I've typically done. Worked for me.
Save your self a lot of headache, Drill them out, you do not need those screws, because the rotors are held by the lug nuts, those screws are used to hold the rotor during manufacture, most cars don't use them at all, when installing the rotor use one nut to hold it in place until you install the bracket over the rotor, then remove it and install the wheel just like every other car out there common sense, I like your videos Eric
Eric - huge thanks from me! Got a set of 20 year old rusty rotor screws off a 2000 insight today with your method + drilling a center hole with a 7/64 bit. Made the cross a bit smaller (went from a 3 to a 2) but they came out!
Many thanks, to think I almost had to pay Midas nearly $400 simply because I couldn't remove the retaining screws without stripping them, your video totally saved my rear, not too mention pride.
All praise to ErictheCarGod. haha Here we are 10 years later and you have just saved me a heartache from hell as usual. I'm out doing a rear wheel assembly, caliper replacement, rotor replacement and brake line replacement and my rotor screw got stripped. So I came to your channel and thought let me try this hammer trick. And it worked in about 30 seconds. I was ready to shut down and wait to start back tomorrow. Without a clue I might add. Thxs again.
After trying only the impact screwdriver for a while with no success on my 05 Accord, I found this and used the ball peen trick and it worked like a charm. A couple whacks on each bolt was enough to loosen them for the impact screwdriver. Thanks a million
Omg thank you, my boyfriend and I had been trying for hours to get those off. We tried everything, when we looked at your video we were able to get them off.
Thanks for all the great help! Wish I had watched the one on Honda rear brake drums first - those springs are a real pain. One safety tip though: Striking hammer faces together is very dangerous! I did that (even though the label on the hammers said not to) and one chipped. The piece sliced through my hand & severed the nerves on one side of my index finger. Had to have the pice surgically removed. Maybe use a drift or ??? Thanks again for the great tips & keep 'em commin'!
Thanks for this! Doing my first brake work and came across these screws - they were driving me crazy. Took some time getting them off with an impact driver / liberal PB Blaster, but it worked! I put the screws back into the new rotor since I wasn't sure whether they were needed, but only snugged 'em. :)
I was skeptical, but was stuck removing the screws on my daughter's 2003 Civic rotors. Tried the 2 hammer trick, worked like a charm! Saved my very long day, thanks!
Oh my god, thank you so much dude. I was thinking I was screwed (no pun intended) but this saved my Saturday afternoon brake job. Definitely subscribing.
Used this technique after PB blaster, impact driver, impact drill, all didn't get the screw out. My next step was going to be to try to drill it out, as others have suggested. Glad I was able to get it out! Thanks Eric! I've enjoyed your videos for years as I had a 2006 Ody (until it got rear-ended).
Thank you sir! Double hammer worked like a charm. Just lifted my element and took the wheels off to find 3 of my rotors had seized screws. I thought i was gonna have to put the wheels back on to go get the proper tool, this video saved my day.
Great tip Eric. :) another tip for these screws is to install the lug nuts with backing washers. This helps to take pressure off the rotor to screw-seal/pressure. Has worked for me 9 out of 10 times. :) I lived in the north all my life and rust sucks.Your method plus mine would work 10 out of 10 times :)
Actually your tip is the great one. I thought I was the only one saying this (see my recent comment) but yours is the first time I have seen somebody else note this method.
Same lol. I used 1 open ended lug nut to hold the new rotor on until I put everything together. Then took the lug nut off an put the tire on. The Tork bolt is the stupidest thing ever.
I dont have fancy tools, so when i did this job i drilled the screws out. Those screws are installed at the factory, as the disc is already on the hub as a unit, then installed on car. Never had issues from those screws not being there any more.
Eric-Thank you SO much! I actually have an air hammer and used a chisel tip because I didn't have the tip you mentioned. It freed 3 stuck screws in about 2 seconds each. At first I thought it had just bounced off and wasn't going to work but then saw that the screw was loose. I had sprayed them and pounded on them but completely stripped the heads using a screwdriver. Your video and suggestions totally solved my problem. Love your videos!
Just found this. Wish I would have seen it before I drilled out the screws on my front brakes. Worked like a charm on all four screws on the back brakes. Thank you!
I have watched a lot of Eric's videos and learned a lot. This is one that people should ignore. As somebody that works on Japanese motorcycles a lot the impact driver he showed at first is the better choice. Japanese also use a screw that takes a bit that looks like Phillips but is a tiny bit different. The right bit is JIS. Saves a lot of headaches having a set of JIS bits if your working on Japanese stuff.
Thank you so much for this tip!!! man this screw was stubborn I used a torch with your hammer technique and is came out without issues. The head was so stripped I was ready to drill it out, this tip saved me hours. I think a torch is also a big help.
Having worked on Honda motorcycles for over 30 years, I can tell you that these are not Philips screws. They are actually JIS B1012 crosshead screws. (Japanese Industrial Standard). The right driver can make all the difference.
You are absolutely correct, Sir. That being said, I haven't used them on my 12 year old Ridgeline, since the first time that I did my brakes. I absolutely hate rotor screws. I can swap a caliper faster than it takes to remove a rotor screw.
Being anal doesn't help here. If they're stuck, it doesn't matter which tool you use because you won't be using it normally and the head will be deforming to fit. Do you have an impact rated set? No, you almost certainly do not. Decades of work on vintage Japanese motorcycles teaches you that sometimes the right tool is the one that actually works.
top tip.. once you get the f**king screws out DO NOT replace them even with new ones.. as ,csig1001 said they're only there for assembly, the wheel studs hold the rotors in place normally
The only thing I can imagine is there is a small amount of play around the hub bolts so your rotor won't be perfectly centred. I doubt that would have much affect though
to keep screw head from getting beat shut, slip a copper penny between the screw and the ball on the hammer, the copper will form to the screw head and still transfer the impact to the screw. worked for me.
Thanks for the tip. The last time I had to replace the rotors all the screws broke loose with my impact tool except the last one. The bit broke off square in the screw head and would not come out. I ended up grinding it out, screw, rotor and all. I plan to try the two hammer trick today.
Thanks Eric. Your trick even allowed my Harbor Freight impact tool, which I think is made from a hard wood, to remove the rotor screws on my Odyssey. Thanks again.
+DANNY TAGGART Absolutely true or at least that is what every on line source I checked was saying when I first ran up against this problem. Dill 'em out and forget about them.
Silly me. I just drilled all mine out with a 1/4" bit and did not re-install new ones. This Honda is the first car (in 25 years) I've owned that had screws holding the rotors on..I just went along with common practice in the industry and let the wheel/lug nuts hold the rotor in place.
Thank you for saying what I was thinking the whole time. The skills presented to remove them have value. I'd never put them back. They aren't necessary. I've heard they help on the assembly line. Something to think about. . . take them out long before the first brake job. :)
DE Nichols Your useful post reminded me of something my ASE certified 'shade tree mechanic' told me a few years ago. We were working on my old Toyota truck and were having issues removing some corroded screws and a spent O2 sensor that had become one with the chassis, fyi. While cussing Toyota under his breath, he basically said if car manufacturers would just simply spend about $5 more per car on *STAINLESS STEEL* fasteners, removal of said fasteners would be a piece of cake. He went on to say that the stainless fasteners need not be installed throughout the vehicle. The car makers could save a couple bucks by just installing SS screws/bolts in those areas exposed to extreme heat/cold, moisture, road spittle, etc (undercarriage, engine/exhaust areas, etc). But that would be logical and it would also decrease the time a tech would need to work on a vehicle brought into the stealership for service, and thus decreasing profits for said manufacturers. Well, it was a neat thought but from these last couple of sentences, we know that it will never be a reality. Follow the money is what I always say. Matter of fact, just simply using that stuff (anti seize) Eric mentioned on the threads of even the cheapest fastener will greatly increase it's chances of not being a stubborn (& often adding just way too much time to a project) fastener when it comes time to unfasten. **(cost varies of course from vehicle to vehicle, but the point is that the cost up front is quite minimal to the HELL you'll save a future mechanic from experiencing trying to remove these bastards)
Fred Baker Here's an argument for the mechanic. Great comment by the way. They don't get paid more per job because of rusty screws/bolts. We get paid based on how the job goes as if every fastener was brand new. So dealerships with service departments would make MORE money because they'd have better turn over. Mechanics would more frequently have moments of not being underpayed due to hours on broken/rusted in fasteners. There are a lot of rusted fastener situations that I can get out of before it becomes a problem thanks to penetrating lubes and impact guns that shake the problem apart....but despite all these techniques, they are still money lost.... ;) except when someone comes over to the house and I'm charging by the hour. I work way faster when being paid to be fair, probably a tad too fast.
Fred Baker Started a second comment. Stainless steel threads are a bit thicker so they would have to have different torque.They are a nice solution to stripped aluminum block situations. They can be a go to before rethreading up to a bigger size....if only I could ever find them. I mean seriously. M6 is COMMON and I can't seem to find it in stainless steel. You'd think that'd be easier than finding M7, but it isn't.
This worked for me, just now, on a 2014 Civic sedan. 24 oz Ball Pein, 2 lb Engineer’s hammer, and an impact screwdriver from Harbor Freight did the trick. Thanks!
I've spent all day fighting with a Honda Civic front rotor screw. I've tried everything, I ended up drilling through it. If I might have seen this just a few hors ago...
Put the heat around the screw not on it. He expands, so the hole itself moves a smidge and helps loosen. Heating the screw would expand it, and make it tighter
Broken impact wrench bit here. Broken part stuck in the screw head and wouldnt come out. This video showing the impact air tool with pointed tip to turn the screw saved me. Was able to get the screw out without breaking it using the air tool with pointed tip. Thanks bud. I appreciate it.
Thank you for this video! I was about to give up and just take the car to a mechanic shop but using the pneumatic hammer gun knocked those screws right out. Great tip!
The retaining screws are used during assembly in the factory to keep the rotors in place. They do not have to be reinstalled. The wheel assembly keeps the rotor in place.
all you do is drill the heads off and forget about those screws. they were only there to hold the rotors in place when it was going down the assembly line at the factory. the wheel and lug nuts is what actually hold the rotor in place
Exactly, I never put these fucking screws back on. Mine are torx and I just stripped out my D/S when I tried to replace the rotor. P/S was a breeze. I don't ever put these back on. I've seen cars that got the lil retainer washers on the lugs and they are a bitch too but no where near as bad as the shitty torx screws. Whoever thought this was a good idea deserves a gunshot to the ass
Thanks for posting this video Eric. I've broken two bits already and the screws haven't even budged. I was ready to give up and take my car to a mechanic. I did invest in a nice air tool system so I will be taking my air hammer to it this weekend. Thanks!
I just tried this out and it worked! Thank you so much i thought i was going to have to drill the screw out, you just earned yourself a new subscriber!
thank you eric that little ending advice made my night. had a bad day and then had even a worse day when i got home from school and tried to work on my car
They are used on several vehicles. Honda might be Phillips but Torx is another more common screw. The screw is simply a retaining screw that is installed at the assembly line to prevent the rotor from falling off the axle before the calipers are installed. I simply call it a OSHA screw, in probably about 90 percent of the cases the screw is NOT reinstalled. For home brake robot replacement the risk of rotor falling significant height is low. The screw is used to prevent the rotor from falling on assembly line workers from normal height. Picture a rotor falling even waist height directly on your toe....even with steel toed boots it will still get your attention. This screw is removed during brake rotor replacement and again with most home brake rotor replacement the screw is usually NEVER replaced. The calipers, wheels and lug nuts support the weight of the rotor. Don’t worry about stripping the head off and wasting time finding a replacement screw. If yours are in good shape then re use by all means and +2 on the anti seize!!
In all my experience I've learned the easiest way to remove those pesky rotor screws are.... Get your torches out... Heat them til they're cherry red, .. Let them cool down and they unscrew out no problem
Another way is to drill an 1/8 of an inch through the center of the screw. Then use the correct screw driver for Japanese cars. J.I.S #3. If you own a Japanese car. Do yourself a favor and get a set of Japanese Industrial Standard screwdrivers. These drivers look like Phillips but they are very different. You will save yourself many headaches.
I hate Honda cars full stop! They are made so as to make maintenance by its owner impossible. Honda want you to take it to a main dealer, where you will be charged extortionate prices.
I tried all sorts of things including hardened drill bits which took forever. After I finally did get a nice hole drilled, the screw remover tool snapped and got stuck in the hole which made drilling even tougher. I finally purchased an inexpensive air hammer and after a few minutes trying to get the hang of it, the screw started moving and eventually got it unscrewed. Great tips!!!
Thanks Eric, I struggled with my Honda Element rotor screws for 45 minutes before I came in watched this video. One quick trip to Advance Auto for the Imapct Screwdriver and they were out in 2 minutes...
Mine were easy and rusted,first I sprayed liquid wrench on the screws and let them sit for about 5 minutes. Then I used my ryobi 1/2 inch battery powered impact drill with the right bit and I had no problems. I hope this helps.
I've always found the hand-held impact driver (like Eric is using in the video) to work quite unexpectedly well, since it combines the inward hammer force with a simultaneous turning force. (You can't emulate this with just a fixed wrench and a hammer). Even with a crosshead screw that has just started to be damaged, with the bit starting to 'cam out' of the slots, at which point further attempts to unscrew it are just going to make it worse, going and getting out the impact driver has often saved the day. Extremely useful on such things as starter motors and motorbike engines which have small steel bolts stuck in aluminium housings, and you really don't want to be faced with trying to drill one of those out.
Just mention one point Eric - it's bad practice to hit hammer heads together as they are hardened metal and small pieces of sharp metal can shatter off
haha - no, they won't 'explode' or 'shatter into a million pieces,(think someones being watching myth busters), but just the same as striking any other hardened metal, they are liable to chip off small very sharp chards (hence the warning labels to wear safety glasses). You should be very careful when snubbing health and safety advice, you could cause someone to lose an eye!!!
Not snubbing health and safety here. It takes a lot of force to fracture or chip harden steel. It's not glass. Not wearing ppe and taking shortcuts are the most common cause of injury in this field. Of course you could always put the lug nuts back on and use just the hammer being careful not to hit the stud/lug nut hard enough to damage it, but it is still the same risk in the end.
I agree this is very dangerous, I am a carpenter have seen guys do this many times with no shatter except the one time when a shard flew off and stuck in his partners chest.
That's true for carpenter hammers, which are hardened with the expectation that they will only strike soft metal nails. Ball peen hammers (like other metalworking hammers) are not as brittle as they are designed to strike metal.
Thanks Eric. I have a 2004 Honda Civic and the stupid screws were rusted in and wouldn't break loose. I bought an inexpensive impact hammer and the ball peen hammer. Using your method I got them right off! Thanks for the video! You saved me $300 bucks.
alright whats the first rule of using hammers? NEVER bang two hammers together, It is hardened steel and can shatter sending shards of steel flying which is, needless to say, HIGHLY DANGEROUS
And to the "low impact" response, some metallurgy for you. When steel is hardened it puts a lot of stress in the steel, think of it kind of like a kinetic battery, and if it breaks/shatters it can do so with far more force than what you were using to swing the hammer.
Another great vid Eric. Did you know the core of the tool has a curved spline such that impact produces a rotational force at the head? This means theres no need to apply that force with your hand...just focus on holding the tool steady & hitting it square on. You're welcome.😀
Eric, you saved me with this video today. Couldn't get the damn screws out with the impact driver. Bent the bit as well. You double hammer method was magical. Once I saw the puff of white powder the screw loosened up right away after I hit it with the impact driver again. Thanks again.
They are a good idea to hold them but instead of philips heads, they should have made the screw heads as hex or torx style to take them out easily. I like Toyotas since they are easier to work on than Hondas.
You don't know the half of it! Owned a '72 CB350...the ENTIRE engine case is held together with STEEL phillips head screws in an ALUMINUM case. GUARANTEED to be impossible to remove w/o an impact driver today. It's like nobody at Honda has ever seen an Allen wrench...
When changing the brakes on my girlfriend's 05 Sonata, I had the same problem. I had a screw extractor that fit perfectly, so I just drilled the standard hole into the center and the extractor pulled them out easily. I've never tried the hammer method, but will definitely keep it in mind.
Thanks EricTheCarGuy! Worked perfectly on a 2010 Mazda CX9 front rotors...and my hammers didn't explode either. My impact driver was breaking bits and I always use heat as a last option. 5-6 strikes then had to tap my screwdriver so it would open up the slots I just smushed together...screw backed right out. Note: this is on a southern car that has been in very little northern, winter, salted road, environments.
@@hdwblade Yes, put jackstands under the car once its jacked up!, Take out the 1/2" screws and throw them in a trash can. Make sure they go in, or you might get one lodged in a tire and cause a leak and give you another headache! LOL.. Seriously now, Look at how much stronger your lugs and lugnuts are in comparison to those short phillip head screws. Do you actually think they are there for safety? Like others say, they are for assembly line use to hold a rotor snugly in place until the rest of the assembly is installed (Lug nuts)
thanks Eric the car guy help me accomplish another tesk I couldnt do on my own.impact driver took a minute to get used to,but boy was I relieved when I saw one of those screws finally move.I'm sure the ball peen hammer Shirley helped.been watching your videos for almost 3 years and you have help me fix many Hondas.my new one is a 2003 Honda Element:)
Thank you very much for this video. A co-worker needed her rotors replaced and we could not get those screws out. I even drilled into the screw to use a screw extractor and it broke. By using the my air hammer I was able to get the screw off. Thank you so much!!!!!!
THANKS-YOU ETCG!!! Even though I put anti-seize on them two years ago, I could not budge those screws with anything. I broke my impact driver trying to get these screws off. Luckily I had an air hammer and was able to bludgeon them loose. I've learned my lesson those screws are never going back in!!!
Sometimes you can get a stubborn screw or bolt to break loose by tightening it. Sounds counter-intuitive, but if it won't unscrew at first, you can try to tighten it just a bit to break the bond. It may not work every time, but it's worth a try. Thanks for this double hammer tip.
Hammer and punch for the win, it didn't even take "forever" unless that means a few minutes. I bought a number 3 Phillips for next time because I probably only needed the punch because I stripped the screw head using a number 2. Thanks for all your videos, but today I really needed the information in this one.
Thanks, Eric - I owe you one! The ball peen trick worked like a charm when the screws wouldn't budge, with an impact screwdriver and jis bit! I reinstalled new screws with some anti-seize on the threads, just tightening to snug. THANK YOU!
Thank you for your help. I don't have the same tools you do, but you inspired me. I was able to use a cheapy socket extender and about ten hits each screw got them loose.
Thanks for great video! I am soon going to be needing this advice for my honda accord. ive had many problems with those rotor screws. Sometimes ive drilled them out
Uggh... doing my GF's Honda rear brakes right now. Just got a warning ticket for having car pointed wrong way while I was watching video! Ha! Hope I can now get that dang rotor off!!! .. Just found your channel couple days ago. REALLY HELPFUL!! THANK YOU!
Thanks brother! If I had known this trick of using the chisel air tool before!!! I was had this happened to me often with hondas! I appreciate your help man!
Ended up using a left handed cobalt drill bit and an extractor, which finally did the trick, but I still don't think it would have come out had I not done all these other tricks to loosen it up. Thanks!
Put the lug nuts on the studs and tighten them down against the rotor. Might have to clean the threads first. If they can' t reach add washers until they do. This takes pressure off the screw heads and will cut breakaway torque by half, whatever method you use.
Dude. THANK YOU. Can you post your venmo or something so i can send you like $3
Lmao about to pay the man. Love it. I would too if I was having an issue and someone helped solve it
Omfg THANK YOU! This worked so well!! I didn't even need to try anything in the video, just this. 🙏🙏 Real pro tip
This is the way! Everyone needs to this absolutely first. Just tried it out and worked like a charm. Thank you man
Do you have to do all lug nuts or like 3 ? Lol just ask g cuz I don’t know if I have that many washers 😂
just want to say Thank You to Eric the car guy i am a mechanic and sometimes i dont have all the answers and you helped me out quite a bit of times .You helped me and also sent me away with a smile and feeling good about myself when at times i felt like a complete loser cause i couldnt figure out a certain car problem.I really appreciate your help Eric .Thanks Xavier (another car guy)
Thank you so much Eric! I don't have an air hammer but I used a conventional hammer drill with a sharp point! The screw was seized like you would not believe! I struggled for 3-4 hours until I decided to search for help and found you! Thanks again!!
you have been literally the best thing on TH-cam since its inception. I've looked up your videos numerous times when in a pinch and you have saved me more money and time that i can think of. stay dirty Eric!
10 years later you're still the man eric. While hammer on hammer action is dangerous, it's more powerful than hammering on the end of the screw driver like I've typically done. Worked for me.
How dangerous is hammer on hammer on a scale of 1-10(H)? I would say 1 or 2 if person is an idiot
Save your self a lot of headache, Drill them out, you do not need those screws, because the rotors are held by the lug nuts, those screws are used to hold the rotor during manufacture, most cars don't use them at all, when installing the rotor use one nut to hold it in place until you install the bracket over the rotor, then remove it and install the wheel just like every other car out there common sense, I like your videos Eric
Save yourself a lot of headache, dump the Honda JUNK !
do you have instructions for how to drill them out? Thank you.
@@girlonlaptop get a drill and drill the top til it falls off then pull the rotor off and use vice grips to unscrew the stub
hey, these people think there brake experts there on there own!
Derek1978 what bit
Eric - huge thanks from me! Got a set of 20 year old rusty rotor screws off a 2000 insight today with your method + drilling a center hole with a 7/64 bit. Made the cross a bit smaller (went from a 3 to a 2) but they came out!
Thanks for posting Eric. You brought the impact driver back to mind. Over the last decade, I had totally forgotten about it. God bless you.
Eric's got the best videos by far. Thanks for this tip, it has been driving me crazy trying to get them off!!
Many thanks, to think I almost had to pay Midas nearly $400 simply because I couldn't remove the retaining screws without stripping them, your video totally saved my rear, not too mention pride.
All praise to ErictheCarGod. haha Here we are 10 years later and you have just saved me a heartache from hell as usual. I'm out doing a rear wheel assembly, caliper replacement, rotor replacement and brake line replacement and my rotor screw got stripped. So I came to your channel and thought let me try this hammer trick. And it worked in about 30 seconds. I was ready to shut down and wait to start back tomorrow. Without a clue I might add. Thxs again.
After trying only the impact screwdriver for a while with no success on my 05 Accord, I found this and used the ball peen trick and it worked like a charm. A couple whacks on each bolt was enough to loosen them for the impact screwdriver. Thanks a million
Omg thank you, my boyfriend and I had been trying for hours to get those off. We tried everything, when we looked at your video we were able to get them off.
Thanks for all the great help! Wish I had watched the one on Honda rear brake drums first - those springs are a real pain.
One safety tip though: Striking hammer faces together is very dangerous! I did that (even though the label on the hammers said not to) and one chipped. The piece sliced through my hand & severed the nerves on one side of my index finger. Had to have the pice surgically removed. Maybe use a drift or ???
Thanks again for the great tips & keep 'em commin'!
Thanks for this! Doing my first brake work and came across these screws - they were driving me crazy. Took some time getting them off with an impact driver / liberal PB Blaster, but it worked! I put the screws back into the new rotor since I wasn't sure whether they were needed, but only snugged 'em. :)
I was skeptical, but was stuck removing the screws on my daughter's 2003 Civic rotors. Tried the 2 hammer trick, worked like a charm! Saved my very long day, thanks!
Oh my god, thank you so much dude. I was thinking I was screwed (no pun intended) but this saved my Saturday afternoon brake job. Definitely subscribing.
"If you're having a bad day, don't worry about it - tomorrow will be better.", Thanks ETCG! :-)
That really meant something to me. I really appreciate that last part. Fucking rotor screws.
Used this technique after PB blaster, impact driver, impact drill, all didn't get the screw out. My next step was going to be to try to drill it out, as others have suggested. Glad I was able to get it out!
Thanks Eric!
I've enjoyed your videos for years as I had a 2006 Ody (until it got rear-ended).
Thank you sir! Double hammer worked like a charm. Just lifted my element and took the wheels off to find 3 of my rotors had seized screws. I thought i was gonna have to put the wheels back on to go get the proper tool, this video saved my day.
Great tip Eric. :) another tip for these screws is to install the lug nuts with backing washers. This helps to take pressure off the rotor to screw-seal/pressure. Has worked for me 9 out of 10 times. :) I lived in the north all my life and rust sucks.Your method plus mine would work 10 out of 10 times :)
Never herd that but will keep that in mind!
Actually your tip is the great one. I thought I was the only one saying this (see my recent comment) but yours is the first time I have seen somebody else note this method.
Also as many people have pointed out what he is doing here is actually dangerous.
i am having a bad day. i just want to replace my rotors!!!!!
Me too. Darn screws are rusted on. Hahaha I guess a number of us just ran into the same situation.
Yup. I ended up drilling my screw out.
Me too. Drill them out for the next poor bastard that has to change the rotors... which might be you.
Gotta have a torch. Just heat them up and they come right out. Struggle otherwise.
You just need a drill and that's it
Thank you so much, this video worked for me 13 years later. You're still helping people with this video.
Bro I usually use a impact driver,but was at home and didnt have one. This video LITERALLY just saved my ass. Thank you brotha. Truly
Drilled my old screws and never installed new ones and I haven't had any issues thus far!
Same!!
Same lol. I used 1 open ended lug nut to hold the new rotor on until I put everything together. Then took the lug nut off an put the tire on. The Tork bolt is the stupidest thing ever.
Have been stressed out enough so far and found this comment, and I will try soon.
Most cars don't have them, I don't ever plan on using them again
Same here.
I dont have fancy tools, so when i did this job i drilled the screws out. Those screws are installed at the factory, as the disc is already on the hub as a unit, then installed on car. Never had issues from those screws not being there any more.
Condemned those screws. I hope there'd be no issues.
Eric-Thank you SO much! I actually have an air hammer and used a chisel tip because I didn't have the tip you mentioned. It freed 3 stuck screws in about 2 seconds each. At first I thought it had just bounced off and wasn't going to work but then saw that the screw was loose. I had sprayed them and pounded on them but completely stripped the heads using a screwdriver. Your video and suggestions totally solved my problem. Love your videos!
Just found this. Wish I would have seen it before I drilled out the screws on my front brakes. Worked like a charm on all four screws on the back brakes. Thank you!
Why must auto manufacturers screw with us??
Smooth Operator i see what you did there
because they want to get rich
Smooth.
It was Phillips idea!
I have watched a lot of Eric's videos and learned a lot. This is one that people should ignore. As somebody that works on Japanese motorcycles a lot the impact driver he showed at first is the better choice. Japanese also use a screw that takes a bit that looks like Phillips but is a tiny bit different. The right bit is JIS. Saves a lot of headaches having a set of JIS bits if your working on Japanese stuff.
The double hammer method worked great on my '07 Honda Civic rear brakes. Thanks Eric!
Thank you so much for this tip!!! man this screw was stubborn I used a torch with your hammer technique and is came out without issues. The head was so stripped I was ready to drill it out, this tip saved me hours. I think a torch is also a big help.
you know Eric? there's always that one screw,bolt or nut that gets to me and out comes the torch. lol
Having worked on Honda motorcycles for over 30 years, I can tell you that these are not Philips screws. They are actually JIS B1012 crosshead screws. (Japanese Industrial Standard). The right driver can make all the difference.
you nailed it, Leopold, they are not Phillips head screws. a professional mechanic should know better than pound two hammers on the wrong tool,
vessel p3×150 JIS screwdriver
You are absolutely correct, Sir. That being said, I haven't used them on my 12 year old Ridgeline, since the first time that I did my brakes. I absolutely hate rotor screws. I can swap a caliper faster than it takes to remove a rotor screw.
Being anal doesn't help here. If they're stuck, it doesn't matter which tool you use because you won't be using it normally and the head will be deforming to fit. Do you have an impact rated set? No, you almost certainly do not. Decades of work on vintage Japanese motorcycles teaches you that sometimes the right tool is the one that actually works.
@@VeritasEtAequitas ..and the right tool is again the ---> JIS screwdriver (like the Vessel p2 or p3×150)
Thank Eric, I stripped my screws on my 2000 Accord and the pneumatic hammer with a point worked perfectly!
Keep filming. Jim B. Herndon VA
First shot at it at an almost stripped nut with the two Hammer method and it came out like butter. Thank you I'm glad I found this video
top tip.. once you get the f**king screws out DO NOT replace them even with new ones.. as ,csig1001 said they're only there for assembly, the wheel studs hold the rotors in place normally
+888johnmac Why is Eric replacing them if they are not necessary?
so they're not needed to be screwed back on, correct?
correct.. unless anyone knows better
Not unless your wheel falls off.
The only thing I can imagine is there is a small amount of play around the hub bolts so your rotor won't be perfectly centred. I doubt that would have much affect though
to keep screw head from getting beat shut, slip a copper penny between the screw and the ball on the hammer, the copper will form to the screw head and still transfer the impact to the screw. worked for me.
nice
Which side of the penny shold face the screw? Heads or tails?
Thanks for the tip. The last time I had to replace the rotors all the screws broke loose with my impact tool except the last one. The bit broke off square in the screw head and would not come out. I ended up grinding it out, screw, rotor and all. I plan to try the two hammer trick today.
Thanks Eric. Your trick even allowed my Harbor Freight impact tool, which I think is made from a hard wood, to remove the rotor screws on my Odyssey. Thanks again.
Don't put the screws back in..they are only there to make things easier and held in place when being assembled in the factory
DANNY TAGGART I agree with you Danny, I have replaced many a rotor and have never put the assembly line holding screws back in.
salceti I put an anti-seize on the screws (area under the head)
+DANNY TAGGART Absolutely true or at least that is what every on line source I checked was saying when I first ran up against this problem. Dill 'em out and forget about them.
Silly me. I just drilled all mine out with a 1/4" bit and did not re-install new ones. This Honda is the first car (in 25 years) I've owned that had screws holding the rotors on..I just went along with common practice in the industry and let the wheel/lug nuts hold the rotor in place.
Thank you for saying what I was thinking the whole time. The skills presented to remove them have value. I'd never put them back. They aren't necessary.
I've heard they help on the assembly line.
Something to think about. . . take them out long before the first brake job. :)
DE Nichols Your useful post reminded me of something my ASE certified 'shade tree mechanic' told me a few years ago.
We were working on my old Toyota truck and were having issues removing some corroded screws and a spent O2 sensor that had become one with the chassis, fyi.
While cussing Toyota under his breath, he basically said if car manufacturers would just simply spend about $5 more per car on *STAINLESS STEEL* fasteners, removal of said fasteners would be a piece of cake. He went on to say that the stainless fasteners need not be installed throughout the vehicle.
The car makers could save a couple bucks by just installing SS screws/bolts in those areas exposed to extreme heat/cold, moisture, road spittle, etc (undercarriage, engine/exhaust areas, etc).
But that would be logical and it would also decrease the time a tech would need to work on a vehicle brought into the stealership for service, and thus decreasing profits for said manufacturers. Well, it was a neat thought but from these last couple of sentences, we know that it will never be a reality. Follow the money is what I always say.
Matter of fact, just simply using that stuff (anti seize) Eric mentioned on the threads of even the cheapest fastener will greatly increase it's chances of not being a stubborn (& often adding just way too much time to a project) fastener when it comes time to unfasten.
**(cost varies of course from vehicle to vehicle, but the point is that the cost up front is quite minimal to the HELL you'll save a future mechanic from experiencing trying to remove these bastards)
Fred Baker
Here's an argument for the mechanic. Great comment by the way. They don't get paid more per job because of rusty screws/bolts. We get paid based on how the job goes as if every fastener was brand new. So dealerships with service departments would make MORE money because they'd have better turn over. Mechanics would more frequently have moments of not being underpayed due to hours on broken/rusted in fasteners.
There are a lot of rusted fastener situations that I can get out of before it becomes a problem thanks to penetrating lubes and impact guns that shake the problem apart....but despite all these techniques, they are still money lost.... ;) except when someone comes over to the house and I'm charging by the hour. I work way faster when being paid to be fair, probably a tad too fast.
Fred Baker
Started a second comment. Stainless steel threads are a bit thicker so they would have to have different torque.They are a nice solution to stripped aluminum block situations. They can be a go to before rethreading up to a bigger size....if only I could ever find them. I mean seriously. M6 is COMMON and I can't seem to find it in stainless steel. You'd think that'd be easier than finding M7, but it isn't.
hell yeah! 3 days of trying to get this thing off and your tip worked. so it works for these Cadillac rotor screws too. thanks bro!
This worked for me, just now, on a 2014 Civic sedan. 24 oz Ball Pein, 2 lb Engineer’s hammer, and an impact screwdriver from Harbor Freight did the trick. Thanks!
I've spent all day fighting with a Honda Civic front rotor screw. I've tried everything, I ended up drilling through it. If I might have seen this just a few hors ago...
Heat them up a little and they will come right out. Do it all the time. No more broken bits.
Put the heat around the screw not on it. He expands, so the hole itself moves a smidge and helps loosen. Heating the screw would expand it, and make it tighter
Broken impact wrench bit here. Broken part stuck in the screw head and wouldnt come out. This video showing the impact air tool with pointed tip to turn the screw saved me. Was able to get the screw out without breaking it using the air tool with pointed tip. Thanks bud. I appreciate it.
Thank you for this video! I was about to give up and just take the car to a mechanic shop but using the pneumatic hammer gun knocked those screws right out. Great tip!
The retaining screws are used during assembly in the factory to keep the rotors in place. They do not have to be reinstalled. The wheel assembly keeps the rotor in place.
all you do is drill the heads off and forget about those screws. they were only there to hold the rotors in place when it was going down the assembly line at the factory. the wheel and lug nuts is what actually hold the rotor in place
Exactly, I never put these fucking screws back on. Mine are torx and I just stripped out my D/S when I tried to replace the rotor. P/S was a breeze. I don't ever put these back on. I've seen cars that got the lil retainer washers on the lugs and they are a bitch too but no where near as bad as the shitty torx screws. Whoever thought this was a good idea deserves a gunshot to the ass
Thanks for posting this video Eric. I've broken two bits already and the screws haven't even budged. I was ready to give up and take my car to a mechanic. I did invest in a nice air tool system so I will be taking my air hammer to it this weekend. Thanks!
Try leaving the bits out and setting the hand impact driver to its center, locked position.
I just tried this out and it worked! Thank you so much i thought i was going to have to drill the screw out, you just earned yourself a new subscriber!
Nothing a drill bit can't solve! Tend to just drill them out after the screw has stripped.
I drilled them out as they are not needed when replacing rotors. They are for assembly line..took 30 seconds.
thank you eric that little ending advice made my night. had a bad day and then had even a worse day when i got home from school and tried to work on my car
They are used on several vehicles. Honda might be Phillips but Torx is another more common screw. The screw is simply a retaining screw that is installed at the assembly line to prevent the rotor from falling off the axle before the calipers are installed.
I simply call it a OSHA screw, in probably about 90 percent of the cases the screw is NOT reinstalled. For home brake robot replacement the risk of rotor falling significant height is low. The screw is used to prevent the rotor from falling on assembly line workers from normal height. Picture a rotor falling even waist height directly on your toe....even with steel toed boots it will still get your attention.
This screw is removed during brake rotor replacement and again with most home brake rotor replacement the screw is usually NEVER replaced. The calipers, wheels and lug nuts support the weight of the rotor. Don’t worry about stripping the head off and wasting time finding a replacement screw. If yours are in good shape then re use by all means and +2 on the anti seize!!
In all my experience I've learned the easiest way to remove those pesky rotor screws are.... Get your torches out... Heat them til they're cherry red, .. Let them cool down and they unscrew out no problem
I don't have a torch. I KNOW THIS. I just don't have a torch and too broke to buy one right now. Send me yours bro.
you can get one from walmart for 15 bucks
Another way is to drill an 1/8 of an inch through the center of the screw. Then use the correct screw driver for Japanese cars. J.I.S #3. If you own a Japanese car. Do yourself a favor and get a set of Japanese Industrial Standard screwdrivers. These drivers look like Phillips but they are very different. You will save yourself many headaches.
Heat them first, then use an inverted computer-duster air can to FREEZE the screw head and it will come out.
i'd be very careful heating anything near the wheel bearing
I hate Honda's rotor screws. They never went back in when the new rotors went on!
so they don't have any use?
I hate Honda cars full stop! They are made so as to make maintenance by its owner impossible. Honda want you to take it to a main dealer, where you will be charged extortionate prices.
I tried all sorts of things including hardened drill bits which took forever. After I finally did get a nice hole drilled, the screw remover tool snapped and got stuck in the hole which made drilling even tougher. I finally purchased an inexpensive air hammer and after a few minutes trying to get the hang of it, the screw started moving and eventually got it unscrewed. Great tips!!!
Thanks Eric, I struggled with my Honda Element rotor screws for 45 minutes before I came in watched this video. One quick trip to Advance Auto for the Imapct Screwdriver and they were out in 2 minutes...
Mine were easy and rusted,first I sprayed liquid wrench on the screws and let them sit for about 5 minutes. Then I used my ryobi 1/2 inch battery powered impact drill with the right bit and I had no problems. I hope this helps.
Impact drill!! Never thought of that other than drilling holes in concrete! Thank you! You just opened a new horizon for me. 👍🙂
Those screws are the worst thing ever...like ever.
I came back to thank you for the tips. The one about hammering the dimple and working the screw around worked very well.
I've always found the hand-held impact driver (like Eric is using in the video) to work quite unexpectedly well, since it combines the inward hammer force with a simultaneous turning force. (You can't emulate this with just a fixed wrench and a hammer). Even with a crosshead screw that has just started to be damaged, with the bit starting to 'cam out' of the slots, at which point further attempts to unscrew it are just going to make it worse, going and getting out the impact driver has often saved the day. Extremely useful on such things as starter motors and motorbike engines which have small steel bolts stuck in aluminium housings, and you really don't want to be faced with trying to drill one of those out.
Just heat them a little with an oxy-acethylene torch before unscrewing them with a regular screwdriver.
That's what I do every time. Saves a lot of time and frustration
Same here. Heat them and then let them sit for a little bit.
Got to watch the wheel bearing and disc if it isn't getting replaced
Just mention one point Eric - it's bad practice to hit hammer heads together as they are hardened metal and small pieces of sharp metal can shatter off
Old wives tale. If anything brakes it will be the handle. Modern ballpein hammers won't shatter by human force.
haha - no, they won't 'explode' or 'shatter into a million pieces,(think someones being watching myth busters), but just the same as striking any other hardened metal, they are liable to chip off small very sharp chards (hence the warning labels to wear safety glasses). You should be very careful when snubbing health and safety advice, you could cause someone to lose an eye!!!
Not snubbing health and safety here. It takes a lot of force to fracture or chip harden steel. It's not glass. Not wearing ppe and taking shortcuts are the most common cause of injury in this field. Of course you could always put the lug nuts back on and use just the hammer being careful not to hit the stud/lug nut hard enough to damage it, but it is still the same risk in the end.
I agree this is very dangerous, I am a carpenter have seen guys do this many times with no shatter except the one time when a shard flew off
and stuck in his partners chest.
That's true for carpenter hammers, which are hardened with the expectation that they will only strike soft metal nails. Ball peen hammers (like other metalworking hammers) are not as brittle as they are designed to strike metal.
Thanks Eric. I have a 2004 Honda Civic and the stupid screws were rusted in and wouldn't break loose. I bought an inexpensive impact hammer and the ball peen hammer. Using your method I got them right off! Thanks for the video! You saved me $300 bucks.
12 yr old video and this worked for me this morning changing my rotors on my CRV. Thank you👍
these screws are put in as an aid on the assembly line.. Once they are out, toss them away. unnecessary..
alright whats the first rule of using hammers? NEVER bang two hammers together, It is hardened steel and can shatter sending shards of steel flying which is, needless to say, HIGHLY DANGEROUS
Really?
this is pretty low impact. wear some glasses, it's not a big deal.
And to the "low impact" response, some metallurgy for you. When steel is hardened it puts a lot of stress in the steel, think of it kind of like a kinetic battery, and if it breaks/shatters it can do so with far more force than what you were using to swing the hammer.
Another great vid Eric. Did you know the core of the tool has a curved spline such that impact produces a rotational force at the head? This means theres no need to apply that force with your hand...just focus on holding the tool steady & hitting it square on. You're welcome.😀
Thanks EricTheCarGuy, doing the front on a 2007 Odyssey tomorrow, thanks for the video.
DRILL IT!!!!!!!! ALWAYS :)
🤣
Number one heat it up with a torch, then use a impact screwdriver it will come right out easy
Eric, you saved me with this video today. Couldn't get the damn screws out with the impact driver. Bent the bit as well. You double hammer method was magical. Once I saw the puff of white powder the screw loosened up right away after I hit it with the impact driver again. Thanks again.
Licensed ASE certified tech here, thank you for teaching me that hammer trick! Saved my butt just now. Subscribed!🤙🤙
how about not using the damn screws from the get go, not like the rotor will fall off the wheel!!!!
True its overkill to use those damn things. Honda uses a lot of these stupid screws.
They are a good idea to hold them but instead of philips heads, they should have made the screw heads as hex or torx style to take them out easily. I like Toyotas since they are easier to work on than Hondas.
no need to replace those annoying ass screws
99 ford escort uses them too...i,m fighting 2 of them now...the other side came out easy with a impact screwdriver but not the other side...
You don't know the half of it! Owned a '72 CB350...the ENTIRE engine case is held together with STEEL phillips head screws in an ALUMINUM case. GUARANTEED to be impossible to remove w/o an impact driver today. It's like nobody at Honda has ever seen an Allen wrench...
Not sure why Hondas do this, they are seized 99% of the cars i worked on...impact screw driver didn't do shit, i had to drill everyone of them out...
So they can charge you a thousand for the brake job at the dealership.
Just heat them with the torch. They unscrew real easy after that.
Hyundai does it too
When changing the brakes on my girlfriend's 05 Sonata, I had the same problem. I had a screw extractor that fit perfectly, so I just drilled the standard hole into the center and the extractor pulled them out easily. I've never tried the hammer method, but will definitely keep it in mind.
Thanks EricTheCarGuy! Worked perfectly on a 2010 Mazda CX9 front rotors...and my hammers didn't explode either. My impact driver was breaking bits and I always use heat as a last option. 5-6 strikes then had to tap my screwdriver so it would open up the slots I just smushed together...screw backed right out. Note: this is on a southern car that has been in very little northern, winter, salted road, environments.
Pro tip: remove these as soon as you can. Saves you time in the future when they're all corroded and you have to drill them out.
If you use anti-seize on the threads,they won't marry to the hub.
Can I do this safely? Without having to worry about it?
@@ddd228 Not true! Use anti seize on new screws and 500 miles later you're in the same boat! Been down that road! Pitch 'em for good!
@@hdwblade Yes, put jackstands under the car once its jacked up!, Take out the 1/2" screws and throw them in a trash can. Make sure they go in, or you might get one lodged in a tire and cause a leak and give you another headache! LOL.. Seriously now, Look at how much stronger your lugs and lugnuts are in comparison to those short phillip head screws. Do you actually think they are there for safety? Like others say, they are for assembly line use to hold a rotor snugly in place until the rest of the assembly is installed (Lug nuts)
This is definitely one of those "F%$# those engineers!" moments... screws like that on an item that ALWAYS get rusty... bad idea, plain and simple.
thanks Eric the car guy help me accomplish another tesk I couldnt do on my own.impact driver took a minute to get used to,but boy was I relieved when I saw one of those screws finally move.I'm sure the ball peen hammer Shirley helped.been watching your videos for almost 3 years and you have help me fix many Hondas.my new one is a 2003 Honda Element:)
Thank you very much for this video. A co-worker needed her rotors replaced and we could not get those screws out. I even drilled into the screw to use a screw extractor and it broke. By using the my air hammer I was able to get the screw off. Thank you so much!!!!!!
THANKS-YOU ETCG!!! Even though I put anti-seize on them two years ago, I could not budge those screws with anything. I broke my impact driver trying to get these screws off. Luckily I had an air hammer and was able to bludgeon them loose. I've learned my lesson those screws are never going back in!!!
Sometimes you can get a stubborn screw or bolt to break loose by tightening it. Sounds counter-intuitive, but if it won't unscrew at first, you can try to tighten it just a bit to break the bond. It may not work every time, but it's worth a try. Thanks for this double hammer tip.
Hammer and punch for the win, it didn't even take "forever" unless that means a few minutes. I bought a number 3 Phillips for next time because I probably only needed the punch because I stripped the screw head using a number 2. Thanks for all your videos, but today I really needed the information in this one.
Thanks, Eric - I owe you one! The ball peen trick worked like a charm when the screws wouldn't budge, with an impact screwdriver and jis bit! I reinstalled new screws with some anti-seize on the threads, just tightening to snug. THANK YOU!
Thank you for your help. I don't have the same tools you do, but you inspired me. I was able to use a cheapy socket extender and about ten hits each screw got them loose.
Wow well done my hubby struggle for an hour and i googled and saw your video hit and turn and wow it work 👏 👍
worked like a charm...2013 Ford Explorer; after getting past the swollen lug nuts!! Thanx Again Eric the CarGuy/FMC
Thanks for great video! I am soon going to be needing this advice for my honda accord. ive had many problems with those rotor screws. Sometimes ive drilled them out
I tried everything to get these screws out and your hammer trick did it perfectly! Thank you!
Uggh... doing my GF's Honda rear brakes right now. Just got a warning ticket for having car pointed wrong way while I was watching video! Ha! Hope I can now get that dang rotor off!!! .. Just found your channel couple days ago. REALLY HELPFUL!! THANK YOU!
Eric, you just saved me a big headache, my friend! Thank you!
great video. keeping it light while getting a frustrating job done...much thanks and a good day to you EricTheCarGuy
Thanks brother! If I had known this trick of using the chisel air tool before!!! I was had this happened to me often with hondas!
I appreciate your help man!
Ended up using a left handed cobalt drill bit and an extractor, which finally did the trick, but I still don't think it would have come out had I not done all these other tricks to loosen it up. Thanks!
Thanks for taking the time to put this together Eric
Did the two hammer method, and it worked perfectly. Thanks!