DIY - drilling out stripped brake rotor screws 

Your frozen screw removal method worked for me with a 2012 Honda CR-V rotor screw. Thanks!

Stripped rotor screw on a honda. Did your method and worked perfectly. Thank you for an easy fix.

Thank you for taking the time to share your tip with us! Upgrading the rotors on my '04 Mercedes W203 and the passenger side would NOT budge. Used your tip and I'm happy to report that my dual-vented, cross-drilled rotors are now on my Baby and performing just FINE, (withOUT the errant little seized up torx-30 installed)! :) Nice Job on the video...

you are like the bob ross of mechanics nice vid btw

Thank you for this video. Big thumbs up. You just saved my afternoon with this little trick!

Life saver brother. I stripped the screws on my prelude and just didn't know what to do. Used this method got on side done. Will try on the other side tmr.

Thank you for the advice here. I went to 2 local auto part stores, and then a Fisk Farm and Home, and Farm fleet, and couldn't find the center drill bit. So without the center cut/drilling, i just took a cobalt 1/4 in or 6.3 mm bit, lubed it up with PB blaster, started drilling and was able to zip the heads right off the screw (the first one was done in less than 30 sec) once I got to the 4th screw on the passenger side, the bit was getting a little worn and dull, so the last one took like 2.5 minutes. But thanks again, I was able to get the rotors off and replace them with new ones earlier today.

I hate these screw so God. Damn. Much. Always always always frozen.

As many of you know already. When putting the screws in, don't put them in tight. They actually dont help you aside from alight holes for you when you put the wheel bolts back in with the wheel in. So you can actually bolt back onto the hub

Great description and explanations for each step

Man great indepth video I was drilling drilling drilling until I seen you used that little bit then it was gravy after I changed up thank you

Great video, very useful. Thank you.

just did this for the 1st time & it worked! & want to say thank you!

When removing these screws use an impact hammer with a phillips head. It usually brakes the rust and makes the screw removable. Impact wrench works too but can sometimes strip the head. When reinstalling these screws i put anti-seize on the screws especially above the neck where it meets the rotor. Then they never fuse again!

Thanks for this great video! I have this problem on my Honda's rotors right now.

Great explanation Thanks, Hope it comes off in my MDX

Thanks man and a well made video!

Really nice vid did my rotor screws like you did and worked better then good. Did not have the center drill but used a 4mm and 6mm.

Worked great!! Thank you!

very nice work thanks for the tips

Nicely explained. Thank you.

I think you're missing the point. I'm suggesting you just drill the head off - this way you don't even get to the threads in the flange. Also, I've never had great luck with easy-outs - I've had them break more often than remove the stuck bolt.

Thanks for the video man!

@HunterCO1 yea i have been told that to, I second that. 2 yaers now and i never put the screws back in and everything works fine

Great video! And to replace mine on BMW Z4, I bought stainless steel replacements from Turner motorsports

Very nice. Thank you.

Yesterday i had a stripped out screw for a rotor, i saw your video and I use a drill to put the damned thing out, and guest what, THAT FKG WORK GREAT!!!!. as Well the like bottom on your channel. Make sure you advice that drill bit must to be in the center of the screw. Thank you for make my day easier. I apologize for bad words but i couldn't sleep thinking on how i will deal with that.

Thanks for your reply . I am wondering , too should that rotor just slide off when done? Don't most them do?

Great Info.

Just a quick note: I've found that Lucas hub oil make a REALLY GOOD cutting oil for drilling.

Will PB help get stuck ones loose?

great video . learnt a lot thank you . and respect it was a porsche ;)

You could use an extractor. I ended up to round an inbus (allen) screw on the brake rotor and was planing to extract it but it worked with a torx bit (hammered into the hex slot). Anyway for some heavy duty screws that broke, i used an extractor. easy and sure not to damage threads (but it does not work for small screws like M3, or M4.. an M6 is doable)

You don't even need those screws, they are only there to keep the rotor on during manufacture.

where can i get the drill bit and what settings?

Im not sure what the purpose of the screws are except maybe easing assembly at the factory, but many manufactures let the rotors wobble and tighten up with the lug nuts...

Easier way to do this. Small drill bit, drill part way or all the way through the screw (relieves tension on the threads), get a small easy out, tap it into the new hole with a hammer, put a crescent wrench on your easy out, turn counterclockwise. screw should come out no problem and you dont have to take the head of the screw off.

All mine are stuck in my car and s car I remove the spindle from, talk about s pain in the ass, I just use three different size of drill bits and keep drilling into it then I will reverse the drill real quick so the screw will screw out with the drill bit always works for me but takes about 5mins

I always use a impact screwdriver for screws like those

Those screws are nothing but an assembly aid for the factory. No one who knows that would replace them, so it doesn't matter whether the threads in the mating part are damaged.

Buy a 1/4 drill bit and #3 philips or the JIS. You may get lucky and you can get it out with the bit. If not, you have the drill. Smack the crap out of the screw before attempting. Don't listen to people who say all you need is the JIS. Not true. Screw can still break. There is no guaranteed way.

In a different situation with a blind screw hole the old heat and a reverse rotation bit is your friend!

Omg what kind of drill bits are you using? I've been using a hammer drill and regular drill on 2005 Acura TL rotor screws for six hours and one of my titanium bits actually melted even with silicone lube. I broke all PH3 bits on a brand new impact driver. This is the 3rd day I've been trying to change these brake rotors.😔

why on earth would the car maker give you 3 rotal holding screws?? 1 is enough to hold the rotar until you put on the wheel bolts.

I hate this little thing with all my core

Good video and procedure. Burnt your fingers a little when you touched that removed screw head didn't ya? LOL.

If you have a mig welder just keep hitting the head of the screw with the mig and build up some weld, put a pair of vice grips on the build-up and back out the screw. Be careful not to weld the face of the screw to the rotor face or your SCREWED.

Oxygas cutting torch, don't worry about replacing screws and call it a day. Fast, effective and easy solution.

I used an electric impact driver, worked great. I left them off.

Just take any bit smaller than the circumference of the screw head, drill dead center until you see it smoke a bit, then grab a screwdriver and a rubber band place the rubber band on the end of the screwdriver and turn it. It will come off really easy. The heat from the drilling and the grip from the rubber band it comes off with almost zero effort.

I wonder what would you recommend to prevent the same situation in the future? Would it be OK to use Anti-Seize on the rotor screws?

This helped me a lot with a similar issue on an Accord. I don't hope that I have this issue with a Porsche in the future, but I hope I have this issue with a Porsche.

If these bolts are used for safety during factory assembly, WHY, WHY, WHY, do you HAVE to put them back???

What about a regular impact drill?

Put a thin coat of high temp grease on the face of the rotor that chemically welds to the hub so this can only happen to you once. The grease wont move to the rotors if its a thin coat...think about it...most pads require high temp grease on their metal side to limit squealing. And a anti-seize on the caliper bolts, especially if they are flange type.

Man, I was trying to include pics of the stuff that I have, but I couldn't. So anyway guys, quit screwing around. Get Urselves a Snap-on PH 1038, and that'll get them out everytime. No farting around. Just get the job done. If U've got air, and a zip gun, as well as a good spring steel wrench like a Snap-On, U'll get the job done in a heartbeat. Also, goto use a Snap-on brand #2 bit, and U'll be in the home stretch where no one else could possibly be. Costs a little bit, but gets the job done almost everytime. If U're doing this professionally, don't mess around, just get 'er done! The right way. People come out here from 100's of miles around for a reason. I get the job done. And make short order work of it. I don't mess around. U only get so much life to live. How do U want to spend it? Chasing U'r tail, or getting on to the next job. :) I have a big box of centering bits for my lathe, but I wouldn't waste my time w/them on something as simple as this. If U do screw up the screw, just drill off the head w/a drill bit about the same size as the head of the screw, it will come right off. Rotate the rotor to the next stud set and drill a new hole in the hub that U can tap and put a new screw into. I generally don't try to reuse the original screw holes, b/c the hubs are hardened, and generally U'll wind up breaking off a good tap, and wind up having to drill and tap a new hole in an alternate stud location anyway. Always only use good Vermont American, Craftsman, or good German taps to thread any holes U need to in the hub, b/c Ace/Hanson taps, Snap-On taps, and all the other tool dealer's taps are just surface hardened carborized junk. The Vermont American ones, Craftsman ones, or German ones are a little bit softer, and not so hardened, and ductile so that they don't snap off as easily.

I use a "glancing" blow when hitting drums... they bounce right off.

just a little heat.. (Takes a flamethrower to it). There we go, no more screw issues, including no more car LOLOL. But in reality thanks for the video :) now i have no more stuck rotors :D

What size but did you use? I have gotten most out but the stubborn head is still too attached. I think my bit is too small

Hi, do you recommend putting new screw back on after the removal of the old ones? I ask this because as you know there are lots of rotors out there that are not screwed on as are tight anyway & the wheel keeps it on tight & safe? Thanks

just had to do this myself on my honda. 3 of the 4 screws on the front rotors stripped. the phillips head just crumbled. i was pissed, but they drilled out pretty easily. got the rotors off. now i have to drill out the rest of the screws, which is not so easy. from what i read the screws aren't really necessary and almost always break given enough time. they basically just to hold the rotor in place as you put the wheel on. lots of cars dont even have them. pain in the ass....

Those screws like to stay on Porsche 959 and Ferrari F40, even if I used the best impact gun (ATG Gold W7150 1K Kim X) or impact driver available. Drilled was the only answers and never put those screws back in the rotors. Those rotors screws are only installed at factory for safety for the workers.

Dude I tried this but i only had these stupid Hercules drill taps and the tap snapped off into the hole 🤦‍♂️

what type of drill bit cuts through that steel? anything special?

PB blaster works better when you can actually get it on the threads... And even then, it can *help*, but it usually doesn't *solve* a stuck bolt.

I had to do this on my 06 honda accord

What size was the center drill bit?

Are retaining bolts even needed to hold on a rotor seeing as it's also held on by the wheel?

Your voice is calling as hell.

A: I would just drill out the old bolts and retap a bigger hole and use a bigger bolt B: throw away bolts and not bother, or just have one bolt in place !

An impact driver is the other method. After applying lots of light oil, leave oil to sink in, then heat it up and whack it with the impact driver !

Are these bolt necessary?

thank you! really helpful while I was removing mine. it's a shame mine didn't come off as easily without the heat.

chisel and hammer work great and no risk.

@Lillie1986 No it wont

Clean the rotors with brake cleaners just for precaution if you use any lubricant! Don't wanna contaminate the pads

Well explained , not so easy to do! always a bastard job ! I have had my share..

What drill did you use mate and what power? I'm stuggling like hell with my 18v combi!

are those cracks in those rotors?

@SuicidalLooney, I second that. To many E numbers in that chaps diet.

There is another metheod shown by eric the car guy on this website.Take one ball been hammer with the peen side on the screw and smack that hammer with another hammer.Takes a few smacks with a hammer and you will have to hammer the screwdriver bit in.Screw comes out with no problems.I used this metheod on a Honda

Put some anti seize on replacement screw so you don't have it happen again.

@HunterCO1 Wow easy bro, relax, chill. no need for such abusive words... the guy only trying to give you an idea of a method that works, his method shows more than just how to get the screws out but it also shows how to not damage the thread.

That's why they call 'em "drum" brakes. You have to hit 'em.

Hitting a rotor including drum with a BFH is the only to get them off.A mallet won't do it

They actually DID manage to chip one hammer but concluded in their wisdom that it didn't count. ( I have actually seen it happen) Eric also hits brake drums with steel hammers to loosed them ! But I guess it's not worth explaining why you should not? particularly as he thinks they are made of STEEL !

Damn, you make that like so easy. My mk4 gti passenger rear rotor screw won't come out. I smashed the hell out of it with a hammer hoping to get the rust and gunk stuck between the threads shifted around enough for the threads to turn. But it's like it has been welded on from the heat from driving my car really hard. It has cross drilled and slotted rotors with the special ceramic, Teflon, and all the things in the pads and they make a lot of heat. I stripped the Philips pattern completely round. There's an easy out bit stuck in the screw and that won't turn even though the ends are squared. The Stanley easy out kit. I don't know what to do? I tried using a drill but it barely had enough torque to get the easy out to barely grip in there and now that's stuck because the screw won't come out and I don't want to break that in there. I just want to snap the screw head off. The front rotors never even had them which only made it the biggest pain in the ass to put the rim on and line it up with the holes in the hub because the rotor would spin with the rim while trying to line everything up. Took me two hours to put one front rim on, lol

Mythbusters busted that never hitting two hardened surfaces.The hammers never did what the myth was saying.

I’ve been a CNC Machinist 40 yrs. use a smaller left hand direction drill, this will prevent a drill bit from any possible damage when it also removes the entire bolt from hub. NOTE: use anti seize with copper, NOT aluminum in it and this won’t happen again, along with 82* degree flat head Allen bolts. Stupid Porsche owners!!!!!

thats why drilled rotors are best for track cars, NOT street cars. this will happen when you have hot rotors from normal break use, and water comes in contact with the rotors, Ie. Rain, puddles ect.. if you want performance rotors for street cars, BUY DIMPLED OR SLOTTED. NOT DRILLED.

the rotors fucked boss, all the holes have got cracks along em, well some of em do, did u drill em urself or they come factory like that?

If you'd used a JIS screwdriver instead of a Phillips or Torq, the head would not have been stripped. Wrong tools = bad results.

You do not need those stupid 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 !!

porche guys be like "this is how my mechanic does it" moving on.

Funny you don't need the screws the wheel holds on the rotor

And as I reminded Eric, engineers NEVER hit two hardened surface together like that !!! If you dont know why you shouln't dont do engineering type work.!

je veut pas être a la place de celui qui vas lui acheter sa poche

You have just proved my point. You obviously have no formal training and no understanding of Engineering.(or Physics) There are many methods for removing both which does not cause catastrophic failure under severe working limits.

Dreading this job.

Those weren't stripped. Just use an impact screwdriver. The type you whack with a hammer. Damn shame you guys don't learn the craft a little better before you start hacking on your cars.