Brake rotor retainer screws. Why me?

Damnit all to heck, guys. These torx head retainer screwson the brake rotors. Do these freaking things EVER come off without stripping the head out?

Is it just me? My batting average with getting these things is like 50% if I’m lucky. And then it’s wailing and gnashing of teeth when the damn head strips.

Is there a secret like always hitting them with the torch before even trying to remove them? Rattle them with the air hammer? Apply a delectable marinade of garlic, Italian artisan vinegarett, and Knock-er-Loose lube and refrigerate for 24 hours? Throw me a bone here.

Doing brakes for the teachers who live next door. Hyundai SUV and ho-lee-chit did they need it. But the first retaining screw stripped as soon as I looked at it.

And NO, I don’t put them back.

I started using an impact screwdriver like this one and haven’t had one strip out since.

https://a.co/d/8Z9i1ay

Impact driver like mentioned above or invest in some MAC RBRT bits

Yup, hit em with a torch. There’s usually red loctite on the threads. They will pop right out.

I get about 800-1000 miles on pads with my SXS (I ride them hard) and I red loctite the pins in each time just like the factory does.

Those impact screwdrivers you hit with a hammer that Brian G posted are worth their weight in gold when working vehicles or any metal-to-metal screws that might’ve been subject to corrosion, weather, etc. Used to work in a salvage yard and those were the ticket to freeing 99% of old screws.

Torch. I’ve had a small oxygen / acetylene set up for a long time. One of the best tools a do it yourself person can have. If you get a torch set, make sure to also get a very small welding tip. Great for concentrating heat in a small spot.

Impact drivers are great also.

Smack them with a brass punch and they generally screw right out.
If not, drill the head off with a 3/16 or 1/4 bit, they are soft and drill right out, you can screw the remains out with your fingers.
I do not reinstall them, they are there to keep the rotor from falling off during assembly at the plant.

I now realize I can’t read. I thought you were talking about caliper pins that some caliper designs use. The rotor pins get drilled out and thrown in the trash and no replacements added.

Okay thanks for the tips guys. Questions.

For you guys using an impact screwdriver (meaning the type you hit with a hammer) I have one of those but where are you getting the 5/16 in HEX drive bits in a torx configuration to fit these? My impact screwdriver only came with standard phillips and slotted bits.

Or by impact driver are some of you meaning the actual electric quarter inch hex impact driver?

Sheldon, just hitting with a punch seems to work? That almost seems too easy. I would never be that lucky would i?

I figured heating them would probably work but I was hoping for a simpler solution because of course once you get them red hot then you have to slow everything down to cool them off.

Thanks guys I knew there would be good answers on here.

Yes, smacking them with a hammer and punch with a solid hit is more than enough to shake the bond loose that exists between the taper head of the screw and the rotor, never once has that failed me.
The only time I have found them with loc-tite was when someone was there before and thought for some reason that was a good idea, and this across a very broad spectrum of brands and models foreign and domestic.
That said, there are times when the torx part is rusted out and wont accept a bit, that is when I drill them and as I said those screws are soft enough they drill very easily.
No need for heat that I have ever ran across.

A couple of seconds with an air hammer on the bolt or rotor works also.

Just hit it with a punch and dead blow. It hasn’t failed me.

It was YEARS ago, but I think I bought my impact kit from the Snap-on guy. I honestly can’t remember if it had torx bits in the kit. I no longer have it… when I left to go to college I gave it to a co-worker as they were very valuable at the yard and I no longer had a use for it.

I just know that it was VERY rare to find a screw which that thing couldn’t knock loose.

A dab of valve grinding compound on the torx bit will help it grab a little better.

Ya gotta heat ’em up hot enough to soften the loctite, then let them cool down so the screw can shrink back to its original size. Toyotas are notorious for using loctite on their original assemblies. I once broke 3 impact sockets trying to loosen the bolts holding a front control arm in. It took at least 10 minutes of constant heat on the head of a 6″ long bolt for the heat to reach and soften the loctite. And even then a 6′ pipe was needed for leverage.