How To Change The Rotors On A Car

Download Article

Brake rotors are metal discs that are attached to the axles of a vehicle. When the driver pushes the restriction pedal, the restriction pads press on the rotor, creating friction, which forces the wheels to plow slower. That friction also causes the disc to wear out, and to need resurfacing (turned). But, the brake rotors may demand to exist replaced due to damage or excessive wear below a specified limit, how soon depending on miles driven and driving weather (oestrus, clay, sand, rocks, road salt, etc.).

1

Put on protective gloves. Before performing any work on your vehicle, equally you're gathering all the tools you'll need, it'southward a wise idea to find a pair of sturdy work gloves. Vehicle maintenance can exist a messy job, so you'll want to protect you hands from grease and crud before working on the vehicle. These gloves tin also protect your hands in the event of an blow.
2
Raise the vehicle with a lift or jack on solid level footing. Loosen the lug nuts a little earlier lifting a wheel, if using a jack (the ground holds the wheels from turning while using your lug wrench). Block the other wheels to forbid the vehicle from rolling when lifting only one wheel, or only one finish of the automobile, at a fourth dimension. Yous may need to release the parking brake for the wheels y'all are servicing. Using manus tools and a hand-operated jack(due south) works fine, just using a power impact wrench and/or a hydraulic automobile lift such as professionals utilise is easier. See wikiHow's guide on how to change a tire for more information on lifting a vehicle with a jack.
- Jack simply confronting a thick and sturdy metal part of the vehicle's undercarriage (if the jack presses into thin metallic or a plastic molding, information technology could punch through, warp/curve or crevice such surfaces).
- Circumspection: Support the vehicle on heavy duty jack stands subsequently lifted in example a jack were to slip (a hydraulic bottle jack or floor jack might lose pressure and lower unexpectedly). A scissor/piano accordion jack might bend or break under stress.
  Danger: A jack or jack stand up tin can amazingly easily be leaned over past pushing (including by paw) on the vehicle, and it can easily autumn. You could movement a car sideways on purpose by jacking upwardly on side of the car with canteen jacks and pushing until the jacks lean and fall over.
Advertisement
3
Remove the vehicle's wheel. The components of the brake, including the rotor, are mounted behind the bike itself, and so, to access them, the wheel must be removed. To do then, just unscrew the lug nuts and pull/lift the wheel off, exposing the hub, rotor, and calipers.
- To go on rails of the lug nuts (and later, other important nuts and bolts), many mechanics like to remove the vehicle's bike embrace/hub cap and utilize it equally a sort of "dish" to contain these small parts. Just be conscientious not to impairment the hub cap on the ground.
iv
Remove the calipers. The brake calipers are usually held in place by one or two bolts that are threaded in from the rear of the caliper. To achieve these bolts, y'all'll probably need a ratchet with an extension. The bolts may have standard hex heads, or they may be Allen-head/hex-primal type bolts.
- Later on the bolts and whatsoever spring clips holding the caliper in place take been removed, have the caliper off and hang it out of your way with string or wire, taking care non to put tension on the restriction hose. You lot may need to wedge and pry with a screwdriver or tap with a wood cake and hammer to dislodge and remove the caliper from the rotor and caliper bracket.
- Notation that if you remove the caliper from the brake line, the brakes will brainstorm to leak fluid out and get air in the lines, and will need to be bled later on the repairs to remove the air.
5

If necessary, loosen and remove the caliper mounting bracket bolts. In some vehicles, the brackets that the caliper was secured to can prevent removal of the rotor. If so, use a wrench or ratchet to unscrew this bracket'southward bolts and remove them. Then, remove the bracket itself. These bolts may take a thread lock cement on them and come up out hard.
6
Remove the brake rotor. Sometimes, this tin be as uncomplicated as merely pulling it off. However, if the rotor hasn't been replaced in a long fourth dimension, it may be stuck by corrosion, dirt and rust to the bike hub and be difficult to remove. You may need to tap it with a hammer and a wooden block to loosen it. Property a block of woods confronting the rotor and striking the wood, do not strike the rotor directly. Penetrating oil is helpful for loosening the corrosion and rust
- As well, some wheels will have rotor and hub assemblies where the axle bearing retaining nut and grease-packed bearings must be removed. These are in the center of the hub or knuckle on the axle or spindle. You may, for example, need to remove a metal dust cap, cotter pin or un-clinch a keyed flange and/or castle nut, and bearing to permit the rotor to be removed. Be careful to not get dirt in the begetting.
- Subsequently the rotor is removed, clean the hub surface of any corrosion or debris and then the new rotor tin sit flush on the hub surface.
seven

Audit grease seals and bearings, if your vehicle has a rotor with a grease packed bearing in the hub assembly, since removing the hub will likely impairment the grease seal, and replacing the wheel bearings including bearing races can be insurance confronting a potential failure afterwards.

ane

Clean off oil or protective coatings from the rotor. Use a special brake cleaner solvent and a clean dry cloth to wipe any blazon of rest off the new rotor. Oil, bearing grease, improper solvents or coatings may impairment or impair the performance of the brake pads. Practice not use or make clean dingy brake pads if they are oily or greasy -- they must be replaced.
2
Place the replacement rotor over the wheel studs. Put your new rotor on over the cycle hub. You'll need to thread the wheel studs through the corresponding holes on the rotor. Push the rotor back into its place around the cycle hub.
- At this point, depending on the verbal structure of your bike, you should replace the castle nut and/or cotter pin on the hub assembly. If you lot aptitude the previous cotter pin to remove it, you may demand to supervene upon information technology with a new one — these are very cheap.
iii

Equally necessary, replace the caliper mounting brackets, if you lot previously removed them. If y'all disassembled your vehicle's caliper mounting brackets to access the rotor, you'll need to replace them now. Re-align the brackets and secure them in place with the bolts you originally unscrewed. The bolts should have a thread locker put on them if was used in an earlier installation.
4

Use a C-clamp or caliper compressor to compress some caliper pistons. Caution: Some caliper pistons really screw in and this kind accept grooves and notches in their top face to do so. Next, the caliper with pads and spring clips must exist put back in its proper spot over the rotor. Unhook or untie the caliper from its out-of-the-manner location, and so carefully compress the caliper pistons with a C-clench or a specialized tool called a caliper compressor. When the pistons are completely compressed, the caliper should fit over the rotor. Note that many vehicles may require the bleeder valves to exist opened slightly to allow the pistons to compress back into the calipers since forcing brake fluid back through the lines tin can damage internal cheque valves or antilock restriction mechanisms.
v

Re-install the caliper. Ensure the caliper slides are cleaned and lubed with caliper slide grease and has suitable brake pads, then place the caliper over the rotor in the position you originally found information technology in. Line up the bolt holes and reinstall the bolts you removed to take the caliper off of the rotor.
vi
Install the vehicle'south wheels. Congratulations, you're nearly washed. All that's left is to reinstall the wheel and lower the vehicle to the ground. Advisedly lift the wheel back into its original place over the lug bolts. Spiral the lug nuts back on over the bike bolts.
- Slowly and carefully lower the vehicle to the ground. If you're using a jack, remove information technology from under the vehicle and put information technology away. Don't forget to give the lug nuts an extra tightening when the wheel is on the footing.
- Refill the brake fluid then pump up the brakes using quarter strokes to keep from bottoming out the master cylinder shaft till the brakes are difficult. Recheck fluid level and top off as needed. Drain the brakes if any of the brake lines were opened.
7

Test the rotor earlier driving. Information technology's a wise idea to ensure the new rotor is working properly before driving abroad. In a safety location, start the vehicle and allow it to whorl forward. Pump the brakes a few times. Button downwardly on the brake pedal and let it rise slowly. The brakes should function properly, with no loud squeaking or vibrations — the one-time is a sign of worn-out brake pads and the latter of a warped rotor. Do a normal road exam and brakes should cease normally without any noises or pulsations.

1
Remove brake pads from the caliper after disconnecting it from the rotor. If yous're not pressed for time, while you're replacing your rotor, you may want to complete some optional brake maintenance. This saves you the time and effort of having to repeat the process of lifting the vehicle, removing the bike, etc. subsequently. To check the condition of your restriction pads, expect for a small notch or groove — when this notch is worn downwards so that the face up of the pad is smooth, it's time to supercede your pads. To remove your old pads, simply slide them out of the caliper.
- Annotation that some types of restriction calipers hold the pads in place with a small retaining pin or jump, which will need to be removed before removing the pads themselves.
ii
Remove the caliper slide pins. The slide pins, which sit on the outer edges of the caliper, regulate the movement of the caliper. For polish, proper brake operation, it's of import to ensure these pins are well-lubricated. Remove the slide pins with a properly-sized ratchet or wrench.
- You may also need to remove a rubber boot on the slide pin to exist able to remove the pin from the caliper.
- Keep track of these pins — they will soon demand to be cleaned and lubricated.
3
Lubricate the backs of the replacement brake pads. To help preclude the mutual brake issues of noise and vibration during braking, use a film of sealant often provided with new pads on the pads earlier installing them. Though it may be obvious, it's important to be clear hither — only lubricate the back, not the front of the brake pads.
- Use only lubricants made especially for restriction parts — other lubricants tin can degrade over time or harm the brakes.
iv

Place the replacement brake pads into the caliper mounting bracket. Install the new brake pads in the caliper. They should hands slide in, though, if your original brake pads were held in place with a retaining pin, y'all'll need to supplant this at this betoken. Be sure to wipe away any excess lubricant from the pads.
5

Clean and lubricate the slide pins. Over time, the caliper slide pins can accumulate dust and grime, preventing them from sliding easily. Make clean the slide pins with a fresh rag, clearing away any debris, and lubricate them with a silicone-based brake lubricant.
vi
Lubricate the sliding plates for the brake pads. Finally, apply some lubricant to the brake pad plates. This volition aid them to move easily and decrease dissonance during braking.
- Your brake maintenance is consummate — your brakes should at present function similar a "well-oiled machine." You may now continue to replace your rotor or reinstall the wheel.

Advertizing

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your electronic mail accost to get a bulletin when this question is answered.

Submit

Restriction rotors are dependent on the make and model of your vehicle.
When y'all remove the caliper, secure it to the auto with a string or minor rope. Do not allow the caliper to hang from the restriction hose because it can break easily from the weight.
For cars with rotor/hub assemblies that contain the wheel bearings, replacing, lubricating, and torquing the bearings is critical for problem free operation. As a general dominion, the inner grease seal is ever replaced when the associates is removed, since it is easily damaged during removal.
Some caliper mounting bolts cannot be reused; if this is the case with your automobile, reinstall the brake rotors using new bolts. A vehicle maintenance transmission volition inform yous if your vehicle mounting bolts can be reused.
Supercede any bolts that are damaged after removing them.
It is recommended to supercede restriction pads with new rotors beingness replaced.

Do not allow whatsoever lubricants to remain on the brake rotor surface or the friction surface of the restriction pads when installing them,
Be aware that many restriction rotors have an integral sensor band to communicate with the antilock restriction system and the torque sensor in the manual. Damaging it, replacing a rotor not equipped with the same ring, or other modifications can cause the antilock brake system to fail or the traction control arrangement to engage, ultimately causing manual problems, trouble codes, or a wreck.
Practice non bulldoze the car until the brakes are working correctly.

Things Y'all'll Need

Replacement brake rotor
Right brake fluid for your vehicle
Protective gloves
Jack
Screwdriver
Wrench
Hammer
Brake cleaner
Rag

Most This Article

Article Summary X

Restriction rotors demand to exist replaced due to harm or excessive habiliment. They are located behind the wheels on your vehicle. To supervene upon them, first unscrew the lug nuts and so lift the bike off to access the brake rotors. Take the brake calipers off next using either a screwdriver or Allen key. Remove the brake rotor by just pulling it away or using a bit of penetrating oil if it is stuck considering of corrosion. Before you install the new restriction rotor, make clean information technology with a brake cleaner solvent to improve its performance. Once it'southward clean, fit the new restriction rotor over the wheel studs on the hub. To complete the installation, put the brake calipers and the wheel dorsum onto the vehicle. For more data about replacing brake rotors by our Mechanic co-author, like how to perform brake maintenance, read on.

Did this summary help you?

Cheers to all authors for creating a page that has been read 344,506 times.