Trying to remove the rotor but the top lock nut (axel nut) is stuck
These nuts are drift nuts, meaning you have to unbend them from being held into place. Use a hammer and old screwdriver to straighten out the flanges. Once there, use a socket wrench with a cheater bar to break the nut loose, I use a piece of pipe for about a 6 foot cheater. Leftt loosey on both front wheels. If you still can't loosen it, go by a mechanic somewhere and give him $5 to break the nut loose with an air wrnech, then tighten it up not as tight, then drive home and continue your task. If your task is to replace the rotor, the job is not simple, as the rotor and bearings and steering knuckle are pressed together, and kind-of needs a mechanic to pry them apart and re-install them...good luck...Chris
SOURCE: 2005 Mountaineer Rear Emergency Brake Shoes stuck on inside Rotor
Well, you will have to wiggle and pry the rotor until it comes off. I just did this on a 2003 mountaineer and it was a bear. At least one side was very hard. It turned out the rotor inside was so bad that the shoes could not get past a lip on the outer edge of the parking brake effective surface. I had to pry and hit until it came off. Once removed I noticed that the shoes were shot, I mean, the braking material was completely gone. This is where the fun began. Removed the springs and removed the hold down clips. The hold down clips were stretched and were not effective by the way. Removing the shoes was not too bad. Installing the new ones is difficult as the wheel hub is in the way. Carefully install the springs and adjuster. Once you get past that then you have to deal with the hold down clips. It happens that the top pin where the clips attaches to is fairly accessible from behind so you can support it while you install the hold down clip. Again, it is doable but very difficult as the hub is in the way and the room is barely enough. Once you do the upper, the bottom one is the bear, the hole to access the pin from behind happens to be underneath the CV joint and it is not easily visible. I had the worst time installing this clip. If you do not then the shoes will rub against the rotor. Not good. Anyways, it is not easy, I do not know what they were thinking with this system. Removing the nut in the center will only allow you to remove the cv joint, you will have to deal with the wheel bearing if you want to remove the hub. Good luck, and I hope this helped.
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