The trouble with Powerstop rotors

[bet on black]

have you soaked them with a penetrating spray like PB blaster or similar? (NOT WD40)

[flyr6105]

Repeated shots of PB over the course of a week.

[bet on black]

keep soaking and pounding. they can rust to the hub, and it takes a lot to break them loose. anti-seize on the backside of the rotor where it meets the hub helps to avoid this next time.

[flyr6105]

I am not going to say "if", but "when" I do get them off, I will be sure to use plenty of anti-seize. Does anybody have a preference to anti-seize brand? Would lithium grease do the same?

[arctictraveller]

Heating could help too. Geting the stuck part as hot as possible will expand the metal and possibly loosen it. Once it's hot, shocking it with carefull blows from a BFH might break it loose.

[JWA]

Originally Posted by flyr6105

I am not going to say "if", but "when" I do get them off, I will be sure to use plenty of anti-seize. Does anybody have a preference to anti-seize brand? Would lithium grease do the same?

My personal preference would be this: https://www.amazon.com/Permatex-7713...pSrc=srch&th=1 Typically I use this on Ford Modular Motor spark plug threads but since its already laying around no reason to not use it for other things as well.

The aluminum-based anti-seize would work just as well for less money, same brand Permatex though: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FW7VGE...ding=UTF8&th=1

As a word of caution don't use any anti-seize formulation on parts that need to move by design, caliper slide pins for example. It tends to become "gummy" which doesn't affect its efficacy stopping the rust welding process but would cause issues if used in the wrong application.

HTH

[TomsBeast]

Sorry about the rust trouble Arctic

Funny thing is, Powerstop didn't start out as a premium brand. If I remember right, I bought and installed a set on a Civic, and a Toyota Sienna about 5 years ago, I think through the RockAuto mail internet auto parts house. I was impressed, because they had this flashed nickle or zinc or something on the entire rotor, after a few days it wore off of the brake pad friction surface, but it stuck around the edges, wheel face, inside the holes, etc. But I'm in California, no salt, those cars never saw the Sierras in winter, and both are 'down the road' as they say.

From your pictures, I would 100% agree that the rust built up in the holes and slots, small rust chunks sluffed off and became embedded in the pads, and made a real mess of the rotor faces, game over.

It may be as you suggest, that they use a high carbon, low chromium mix (or something, I know just enough about metallurgy to be dangerous, lol) then they flash plate on a coating on to keep them looking good. Cheap low corrosion resistant cast iron, then make up for it with a coating.

In the past 4-5 years, the Powerstop name is EVEYWHERE. All the cable car shows, SEMA, the race track, internet banner ads and target marketing, you name it. They may be riding the wave of increased sales as a result, then reducing the quality to cash in on the years of brand marketing.

[arctictraveller]

[QUOTE=TomsBeast; Cheap low corrosion resistant cast iron, then make up for it with a coating.QUOTE]

I don't remember any coating, but that doesn't mean their wasn't one. brake performance was good from the beginning, and only decreased when it sat and rusted. Currently, Summit will not replace them until I ship them back and they inspect them which will take several weeks. Powerstop on the other hand agreed to replace the rotors and pads, but discovered they only had the same design rotors in stock and since I didn't want to run them again we settled on a different type made in Germany, but they won't have any until July. They did send me new pads, so I installed them with a set of stock rotors and will see what happens in July. I'll probably have a new set for sale then. Meanwhile, I'm back on the road again.

[flyr6105]

BFH and PBB - 2, stuck rotors - 0. Finally got the rotors off. It was a good weekend. I have removed all of the steering gear and am in the process of putting new new tie rod ends on. Having a bit of trouble with the front bumper. The black straps capturing the mount bolt heads have broken and the only way to secure the funny shaped bolt heads is to use vice grips. This worked on all but the last one.

[arctictraveller]

Originally Posted by flyr6105

the only way to secure the funny shaped bolt heads is to use vice grips. This worked on all but the last one.

Are you having fun yet?