Is it difficult to change rotors?

[Liszt]

Hello,

I got in on the group buy and have Bradi and EMC rotors coming to me some time next week. I don't want to spend a lot of money getting them installed, but want to be careful I don't mess anything up. I feel totally comfortable changing them myself but the PDF service manual I have on my computer says I need special tools, a "disc brake pison expander" and a "front hub remover and installer." I'm guessing I won't need the hub remover, but will need the pison expander. The manual also talks about removing the driveshaft and testing the the brake torque. Is this involved with changing the rotors? Is it good pratice?

All I'm guessing needs to happen is removing the guide and lock pins and then suspending the caliper with a zip tie, then tapping the rotors with a rubber mallet and taking them off, putting the new ones on, and that's it.

What are you thoughts, anything tricky I need to watch out for?

Thanks a bunch,

L

[pinoyesv6]

that expander tool. its like 5 dolalrs at pep boys, 20 dollars at sears or u could just use a big c clamp to push the piston back in. i have a tutorial somewhere. try searching for it, im sleepy

[NRG]

Not too hard to do.............the trickiest part is that you remember to prop the caliper up with something once you take it off so you don't yank on the brake line which is a BIG no no.....

[TJC]

Hey Liszt, it all depends on your old and replacement rotors. If your old rotors are rust-welded, then you may need to use some penetrating rust loosening lubricant like PB Blaster or the like if a rubber mallet isn't good enough. There are also 2 small holes on the hub to help you push the rotor outwards if you have the right thread bolts.

As for pushing back the pistons in the brake calipers, this only needs to be done if your new rotors are thicker than the old ones or if you are fitting in new brake pads at the same time. And if you are, make sure you have a bottle of brake fluid also as you should be bleeding the brakes after installing new pads.

[Liszt]

Oh, I see now. The pison expanders help retract the pads back toward the caliper walls. If I do need to use one of these things how do they work? Will the piston stay further back after declamping it when seated on the rotor, or will it go back to where it was before? Of course the new rotos will be some micrometers larger than the old worn ones.

Thanks again,

L

[TJC]

yes, any kind of pressure makes the pistons receed into the calipers. only pressing on the brake pedal makes pressure that forces the brake fluid to push the pistons out. as far as pushing the pistons back in, the brake expander tool is the best way to do it but I've heard it done with big c-clamps, channel wrenches, and any other method you can get pressure onto the pistons, lol. FYI, make sure you use the old pad (or a thin block of wood) in btwn the tool and the piston you are pushing in so you don't damage them.

[Strahan]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Liszt)</div><div class='quotemain'>I need special tools, a "disc brake pison expander" and a "front hub remover and installer." </div>

C-clamp and rubber mallet To expand the piston I put a small flat piece of wood across both pistons then C-clamped it and slowly closed the clamp until the piston was recessed. Be sure to have the brake fluid reservior open and close the clamp slowly.

The rotors can usually be knocked loose with a few taps from a rubber mallet to the edges or from behind. Mine were rusted too tight for that though so I took my little scissor jack and put the base against the inner wheelwell and jacked it up till it was pushing the rotor outwards. Pushed a little, moved it to the other side, pushed a little, back and forth till it broke loose.

[Fishboy55]

Yep, Ken has the process. No point in buying additional tools you won't need. A wood block and a C Clamp will work fine for pushing the calipers back in. Remember to remove your brake fluid resevoir cover when you retract the pistons.

The rears will give you a lot more trouble than the fronts. On mine, the fronts just pulled off, but the rears required intense tapping while rotating to brake them free of the E-brake, which contacts the inside hub of the rear rotors.

Once you put them all together, remember to break in the new pads and rotors. If they don't come with directions, what you want to do is go from 30 to zero in a slow stop about 10 times. Avoid panic stopping.

A couple of hints: Get some stop-squeek paste and put it on the outside surface of each pad before installing. This will ensure your new metallic pads don't sound like a school bus. Second, if you feel any sponginess in the pedal after the install, you'll have to beleed the system. But this shouldn't happen unless you do something to introduce air in the lines.

All in all, it's not a tough job at all.

Chip

[Liszt]

Thanks for all the info, I really appreciate your comments. One more thing. If I open the brake fluid reservoir in order to expand the pisons, that will introduce air into the lines right? So basically what I am getting at is if I need to use those clamps, I need to bleed.

L

[Reelax]

no... openning the brake resovoir is ok. this is how you fill the brake resevoir. jus don't do anynthing to get bubbles into the system.

[Fishboy55]

Yep, Reelax is right. You only remove the cap of the resevoir so that you don't have the system under pressure when you push the caliper pistons back in. That won't cause air in the system. You shouldn't have to bleed them under normal circumstances.

Chip

[Liszt]

Have my rotors they are neat. One last question I don't know which side the rotors go on. They have different directions of the slotting one clockwise and the other counter clockwise. Which way does the left front side go? Clockwise or counterclockwise?

Thx, L

[Liszt]

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