[dionysum]

I'm replacing my rear brakes on my 2002 Golf TDI GL. It amazes me how one little screw has messed up the whole operation.

Driver side, everything came out without a problem. Passenger side, not so much.

Like many people, my rotor screw started to strip. I used an extractor bit, which succeeded in fully stripping the head. Decided to drill off the head, which worked. But the remaining screw was too short and too soft to get a grip on. Tried drilling the screw out, and ended up with a nice hole all the way through. Tried extractor bit inside the new channel, which ended with the extractor bit breaking off inside the screw hole.

Used a punch to get the broken bit out. Tried a different extractor bit, but the remaining screw seems like it has just melted into the wheel hub.

Tried using the non-damaged rotor screw from the driver side to create a path, but all that did was damage the other screw (the metal is so soft).

So my question is, which option(s) do I try next:

I found some machine screws that fit the rotor hole flare and are almost the same length. Do I try to use those in place of the flimsy dealer replacement screws? It seems like the rotor screw doesn't take a lot of a pressure, but I don't want to think I've fixed the issue and end up in worse shape down the road. When the wheel is on, does the rotor screw matter since the lug nuts hold everything in place? Am I missing something here?

Do I drill out the old screw hole and try to create a new tap?

Is there a way to get the soft/melted/stuck old screw remnants (basically the thread and a small layer) out without damaging the hub?

At what point is it easier/better/safer to buy a new wheel hub? If I replace one side, should I replace the other at the same time? Are the right pullers for that job available at a place like Autozone?

Thanks for any help or ideas.

 

[Gruppe d]

It's just there to hold the rotor in place while you put on the wheels. If it's that bad, you could just not replace it. You could clean the threads by using a tap. They are always a PITA.

 

[chittychittybangbang]

It won't unbalance the wheel if you don't use the screw. The weight is close to the axis and it's very light.

Not having the screw in place could make it harder for tire shops to put the wheel on/off. Other than that, I wouldn't go to the trouble of replacing the hub.

 

[rmchambers]

If you aren't removing the calipers the rotor isn't going to come off anyway, screw missing or not.

 

[Seatman]

I've seen this a lot on so many cars. It's a common problem but just make sure to line up the screw hole on the disc/rotor with the broken stump of the screw otherwise you could end up with a bit of vibration through the pedal or from the wheel. The wheel bolts hold everything together anyway and as rmchambers says the caliper stops the disc falling off when you remove the wheel.

 

[certiff]

I've seen this a lot on so many cars. It's a common problem but just make sure to line up the screw hole on the disc/rotor with the broken stump of the screw otherwise you could end up with a bit of vibration through the pedal or from the wheel. The wheel bolts hold everything together anyway and as rmchambers says the caliper stops the disc falling off when you remove the wheel.

You'd think that VW could use corrosion resistant screws here or maybe some other way of holding it.