Removing rotors?

[bluecobra]

I recently purchased a 2006 Z4M Coupe. The only thing it needs is brake pads. It has Brembo calipers front and rear as well as the 2-piece rotors. So I was going to take the rotors off and inspect them. I removed the calipers and the screws that hold the rotors on, then I beat on them with a rubber mallet, but they are not budging.

The car was a northern car so there is a little rust but not any worse than I have seen before. Any other ideas or tricks other than more of the rubber mallet??

Thanks

[inTgr8r]

Since you removed the rotor hub bolts all you can do is give them a wack.
I've used a block of wood on the rotor and then hammer the block with a mallet.

BTW congrats on the new car.
Sounds like you scored with a BBK on the car.

[bluecobra]

After looking at them a while I don't think the rotors need replacing. So I'm gonna put the new pads on and move forward. The fronts have a slight lip forming but nothing too bad and the rotor thickness is still fine for use.

[DataStream18]

Hit harder they'll come off but spray some WD40 around the center and let that sit for a few minutes to work its magic. Then ONLY if you are replacing the rotors give it the ole one two whack! I just did mine and that worked like a charm. I replaced the rotors so I just used a hammer on the rotors, hate the sound but it works!

[BMW Maniac]

Is there any special tools/hints to removing the front rotors? Done this plenty of times on my 97 M3 and 91 325i and looking at the realoem diagrams, it doesn't seem like it, but just wanted to make sure.

Also, on realoem, it says that after 4 years, you should replace the retaining spring, but it doesn't list that part. I think it might be the anti-rattle clip, but again, anyone know if this is it?

I only have 45k miles on the car. When replacing the rotors, I usually always replace the pads, but is it necessary? Adds another $110 dollars to the cost for pads!

[Finnegan]

Originally Posted by inTgr8r

Since you removed the rotor hub bolts all you can do is give them a wack.
I've used a block of wood on the rotor and then hammer the block with a mallet.

BTW congrats on the new car.
Sounds like you scored with a BBK on the car.

This. A nice 2x4 and a heavy steel mallet works really well. Used this on my buddy's M3 when we did a full brake job (rotors, pads, fluid).

BMW Maniac, that's the anti-rattle spring. I wouldn't bother replacing them unless you lose one, but that's just me.

As for the pads, it's probably a judgement call. The old pads will be worn to follow the old rotor surface. But a few hundred miles will cure that. IMO it comes down to how much pad you have left. If it's less than 30-40%, I'd replace, simply because you've got the wheels off and it's easy to do since you're set up for it when replacing rotors. (IIRC new front pads are 14mm new, and rear are 12mm new.) If you don't plan on taking the car to the track, Akebono ceramics get a lot of thumbups around here, and there's none of the OEM pad dust.

[BMW Maniac]

Any experience with the Bosch pads? You can get them for $51 on www.rmeuropean.com.

This is for a street setup.