Can't get the rear rotors off.

I will try to give you a heads up on this job. The hard part is the emergency brakes hidden inside the rear rotors. You need to get slack from the self adjusters on the brake cable where the cable spools up under the dash on the emergency brake activator. Once you get a little slack, then you can shove the emergency brake levers to their neutral position. This will create slack inside the emergency brake drum and allow you to remove the rear rotor like you normally would for a front rotor. Otherwise the emergency brakes will create problems for removing the rotors.

If you have only worked on front rotors, the rear set is more difficult due to the emergency brakes. Get high quality replacement linings for the emergency shoes. Get new pins and mounting springs to secure the linings to the housing.

You may find some good Youtube videos for this repair. Or you may be better off to do the fronts yourself and take it in for the rear set. Realize there are more parts to buy for the rear since there are 2 sets of brakes back there. I do not like this system because it is not durable and the drum portion rusts to the point of uselessness. If you find a company to give a lifetime warranty for this repair you would be ahead.

The linkage could need to be adjusted. Or the brake shoes inside the rear drums are worn out and need to be replaced. If you accidentally drive the brake on. It doesn't take long to wear those brake shoes out. You can normally smell them when that happens. On today's vehicles they are actually designed with 3 different brake systems. Front brake disc and rotors, rear disc and rotors, and inside the rear brake rotor their is a small brake drum where the emergency brake shoes are located. The only purpose for the shoes and drums is emergency brake only (normally). Hope this helps.

What did they sell you ?

If you have rear Rotors, there is a complete drum inside the Rotor for the Emergency brakes. The Star wheel is an adjustment wheel for slack on this part. You need to turn the star wheel to let the Rotor slip off.

Also, block your wheels, disconnect Battery, then put Gearshift in Neutral. Turn the wheel and you can work the Rotor off. You may have to use Penetrating oil on the outside of the Rotor and the center "Ring" of the axle. Oil and turn the Rotor, 1 stud at a time.
Hit the rotor between the studs and the center of the Axle.

What you are trying to accomplish is getting oil into the stud holes so that it runs into the rotor and loosens the rust bond.

When you reassemble the parts, buy some Antiseize compound and smear it on the axle so the rotor can not rust together again.

This advice and the star wheel instructions also holds true for drum brakes too!.

didnt state what brake is causing problem and if it is constant or only under braking---if a disc brake than need to remove caliper and examine pads for proper seating and damage also piston is not seized or cocked slightly and need to check rotor -not warped as well as caliper bolt pins not bent or rusted --on a rear disk check parking brake behind at rear inside of rotor if binding can adjust brake cable------if rear drum check adjustment-retaining springs and drum for warp out of round

How to replace the rear brake pads on a 1995 through 2001 Ford Explorer The system utilizes a drum-in-hat type rear brake rotor. The integral drum allows the use of a drum-and-shoe type parking brake system. All other components are similar to their front disc brake components Remove the two bolts on either side of the brake hose with the rubber boots. Do not remove the four bolts where the axle ties in. The two bolts to be removed require a 10mm socket/wrench. Loosen the pads from the caliper Rotor Removal In order to take the rotors off (replace with new or have them machined), it is best to loosen the emergency brake shoes. To do this, behind the rotors, in the back there is a rubber plug, remove that and you can use a screw driver to engage the teeth of the adjusting screw, turn it clockwise to loosen, usually 10-20 teeth. Usually this means turn it downward. After this, it may still be difficult to get the rotors off without tapping them. Use a rubber mallet and hit them from behind. Before really whacking the rotor, make sure you have loosened the adjusting screw enough. It may take heavy swings of the rubber hammer to do this. It will eventually break loose. Parking Brake You might want to check the parking brake while you are here. To remove:

• Remove the rear disc brake rotor.

• Remove the outboard return spring.

• Remove the adjusting screw spring.

• Remove the rear brake shoe hold-down spring and pin.

• Remove the brake shoe adjusting screw and nut.

• Remove the front brake shoe hold-down spring and pin.

• Remove both parking brake shoes and the inboard return spring.

• Check the parking brake lever for excessive wear and replace as necessary.

To install:

• Position the front parking brake shoe to the backing plate and install the hold-down pin and spring.

• Install the rear parking brake shoe with the inboard return spring.

• Position the brake shoe adjuster screw and nut on the shoes and install the rear shoe hold-down pin and spring.

• Install the brake shoe adjuster spring.

• Install the outboard return spring.

• Adjust the parking brake shoes and install the rotor, caliper and wheel.

• Lower the vehicle and tighten the wheel lug nuts to 100 ft. lbs. (135 Nm).

ADJUSTMENT

• Measure the inside of the drum portion of the rear brake rotor

• Remove the rear disc brake rotor.

• Using Brake Adjustment Gauge D81L-1103-A or equivalent, measure the inside diameter of the drum portion of the rear disc brake rotor.

• Subtract 0.020 in. (0.508mm) from the first measurement, adjust the brake shoes to that size

• Adjust the parking brake adjuster screw until the outside diameter of the parking brake shoes measures 0.020 in. (0.508mm) less than the drum measurement.

• Install the rear disc brake rotor.

Reassembly Reassembly is easy. Put new or machined rotors back on by sliding them over the lugs (they should slide on easily.) Loosen bleeder valve (having a catch bottle handy is good). Push calipers in slowly (using a c-clamp or large channel lock pliers), close bleeder valve. Put on pads. Lubricate metal clips with small amount of anti-seize. Re-adjust the emergency brake by turning the opposite direction from loosening. Refill the brake master cylinder

This vehical has drum styal park brake shoes on the inside of the brake rotor so make sure the park brake isn't set and you can turn the rotor. If you can't turn the rotor you will have to look into this first if the park brake is set or sticking you won't get the rotor off if thats ok try spray with penting oil helps a little. I use a 4 or 5 lb sluge hammer and hit the rotor kinds close to the wheel studs about 5 times then hit the outer edge from the back side also works on the outerside. Don't be afread to hit hard I never broke one.

you have the handbrake inside the the rear brake disk its all in one with the disk

Caliper mounting bracket bolts 125 ft, Caliper guide pins/bolts 26 ft, Brake hose to caliper 35 ft. Wheel lug nuts 100 ft. Wheel speed sensor 115in lbs*** This is for disc rear brakes Teves system. You do know that the rear disc is a Rotor/Drum. The parking brake shoes ride on the inside.

Parking brake is operated by a cable and not the caliper. Your car has disc brake pads for squeezing the rotor to stop, the parking brake has drum type brake shoes that push out on the inside of the rotor. Changing the disc pads only requires squeezing the piston back in like usual.