Originally Posted by mrheeltoe

How To Remove The Rotor Screws From Your Honda/Acura’s Brake Rotors



I hate these screws. Most European cars don’t even have them, but for some reason the Japanese feel the need to equip their cars with them. The reason they are there is to hold the rotor securely to the hub of the car once the wheel is removed. If you look at how the whole assembly of hub/studs, rotor, wheel, and lug nuts fits together, you will see that these screws serve no purpose once the wheel is installed. The screws exist merely as an unnecessary assembly aide.

Their function is so superficial, in fact, that they are made out of what must be the softest metallic substance on the entire car. Under any load from the brakes, I can imagine these screws’ heads popping off instantly. Alas, they are on the car holding the rotor in place and must be removed in order to change rotors (another insufficiently designed component of the Honda/Acura braking system, but that is another blog topic...) The process of removing these screws appears to be as simple as grabbing a phillips head screwdriver and giving them a twist.

Unfortunately, life creates it’s own interesting moments when it is realized that even a very minimal amount of unseen corrosion or galvanic action LOCKS these bad boys in place, causing the screws to strip with ease. Once these guys are stripped, you need to grab a drill and bore out the heads to get them off. I have done this drilling more often than I have had the miraculous joy of actually removing the screws properly. I never want to do it again.

Let’s say, I were to stop writing here. One might no doubt search their favorite message forum and read all of the wonders of a tool called an impact driver. This tool is a sort of screw-driver with a spring-loaded twisting action that works when the handle is hit with a hammer. The idea is, the hammer forces the driver into the screw while the spring action twists the screw just enough to break it free. Much of the time, and impact driver is the perfect tool for the job. But I content this method is no sure-fire way to unscrew these screwy screws without possible need for the drill.

Problem one with the driver is, not everyone has one, and not everyone who changes brakes every 2-3 years wants to buy one. In order to get one that works reliably, you’ll need to spend enough money that you might well have paid someone to do your brakes for you. I’ve used cheap ones, and broken them almost instantly. Bonus…before they broke, they stripped the screws.

Problem two, even with a good driver there exists an estimated 10% chance you’s strip a screw anyway because the screws are just that bitchy.

So here is my SURE FIRE, WORKED EVERY TIME I DID IT WITHOUT FAIL way of removing the rotor screws from your brake rotors. It involves two simple tools nearly everyone has in their tool box.

Originally Posted by roastbeefrichie

nice write-up

Originally Posted by MrHeeltoe

The method, unconventional as it is, is not idiotic. I personally think buying $20 tool to remove screws that really should not exist and will be thrown away is idiotic.

You must have a pretty big ego.

Originally Posted by bsmith100

So taking a sharp tool like a chisel and pounding on it with a hammer is your solution? Have you considered how dangerous that could be if the chisel would slip?


The bill you get from the emergency room will cost way more than the $20 bucks you saved because you were too cheap to buy an impact driver.

Originally Posted by Blazin Si

I thought those screws were only there to hold the rotor to the hub while the car is on the assembly line. I've always drilled them out.

I have an impact driver with my air tool set. Next time I come across this problem, I'll give it a try.

Originally Posted by bsmith100

So taking a sharp tool like a chisel and pounding on it with a hammer is your solution? Have you considered how dangerous that could be if the chisel would slip?


The bill you get from the emergency room will cost way more than the $20 bucks you saved because you were too cheap to buy an impact driver.

Originally Posted by sde780

I just take the biggest screwdriver bit I have, put it on my drill, and run it in reverse. Worked everytime so far. Just gotta press hard and it spins it loose in 2 secs

Originally Posted by sde780

I don't even put them back, there's no use for them at all

Originally Posted by Trey