Looks like the each of the front & rear Calipers are bolted onto the hub with just two bolts. Is taking off the stock Caliper(s) as simple as removing the two bolts?? Then unscrewing center hub bolt to remove Rotor. And the reverse to install the new Rotor(s)?? Thanks for any advise and/or comments.

 

yes, you can remove the caliper by removing those two bolts. after that you DO NOT have to remove the center hub nut to removr the rotor. just a small phillips screw betwen the wheel studs.

 

my resident car guru said that you most likely CANNOT just change your rotors by removing the caliper (with those 2 bolts), taking of the old rotor, putting on the new rotor, and installing the caliper back. He said that the pads will most likely NOT fit over the new rotor due to the old rotor being thinner. Therefore I got the impression this change was not as easy as I thought since I am not educated on pads/calipers/piston.

My pads have about 1000 miles on them. What do you all think? This may also help areXseven with his procedure as well.

 

Rotor Replacement
Date: Mon, 22 Mar 1999 00:14:56 -0800 (PST)
From: Chris Layne (clayne@nervosa.sf.ca.us)

Difficulty:

Easy

Tools needed:

a. Impact driver with #3 bit (20 $ tool available at Grand Auto or most auto stores).
b. 14 mm socket.

Procedure:

Do fronts before rears.


Front:

1. Remove tire/wheel assembly from each side.
2. Setup impact driver to turn counter-clockwise. Make sure appropriate bit is being used, or else you will strip the retaining screws. If you do, you'll have to drill them out (not a big deal).
3. Use a hammer to apply force to the end of the impact driver as you twist it counter-clockwise. The retaining screw should come lose with a few whacks.
4. Remove both retaining screws.
5. Remove lower 14 mm bolt attaching caliper _assembly_ to knuckle.
6. Remove upper 14 mm bolt attaching caliper _assembly_ to knuckle. (these bolts are closer to the hub than the caliper swivel bolts).
7. Remove caliper assembly from knuckle and rest on lower control arm (LCA). Do not play with pads or pistons at this time, unless that was planned before hand.
8. Pull rotor off hub.
9. Place new rotor on hub (make sure to align retaining screw holes).
10. Insert 1 retaining screw into screw hole and tighten down with moderate force (so that you can remove it later). Do not install the other screw. (Because it serves no purpose. One screw works fine, in fact, zero screws work fine. They don't secure anything, the wheel mounting to the hub secures the rotor. But the main reason is to keep one in case you need to use it on the rear rotor to break it free from the hub.)
11. Slide caliper assembly back over rotor.
12. Reinstall upper and lower 14 mm bolts attaching caliper assembly to knuckle. Tighten bolts to factory specs.
13. Re-install tire/wheel assembly and torque lug-nuts to spec.

Rear:

1. Remove tire/wheel assembly from each side.
2. Remove lower 14 mm bolt attaching caliper _assembly_ to knuckle.
3. Remove upper 14 mm bolt attaching caliper _assembly_ to knuckle.
4. Remove caliper assembly from rear suspension and rest on LCA.
Do not play with pads or pistons at this time, unless that was planned before hand.
5. Attempt to remove rotor from hub (has no retaining screws). If rotor is seized to hub, spray WD-40 or other penetrant where the center of the rotor and hub join. Insert one retaining screw from front rotors into empty screw hole on rotor and tighten until rotor breaks free from hub (this screw will push rotor away from hub).
6. Place new rotor on hub.
7. Slide caliper assembly back over rotor.
8. Reinstall upper and lower 14 mm bolts attaching caliper assembly to knuckle. Tighten bolts to factory specs.
9. Re-install tire/wheel assembly and torque lug-nuts to spec.


Install time:

15-20 minutes per side, if you are doing just a rotor replacement. Swapping pads will add more time obviously.

Break-in:

1. Use brakes conservatively for first couple miles to make sure they actually work.
2. Find open stretch of road and progressively apply more braking power, until you are at a point where you are seriously using the brakes (i.e. ABS activation, serious g-forces). At this point, the rotors should be broken in, and you should feel a difference in friction takeup time (grabby-ness).

 

Great information guys. Now I know "I can do it". I had called Brake Check and they were going to charge $30.00 per Rotor removal/installation. So you guys just saved me 120 greenbacks. Thanks. -Jimmy

 

Mahjik, I have read that procedure many times, however, per my previous post I was told it is not that simple (?).

 

no, it really is that simple. you just might have to depress the pistons a bit. there happens to be a whole thread on it currently:

https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/replacing-brake-rotors-pads-caliper-spreader-question-268816/

don't let anyone tell you different. the caliper comes off very easy, at worst you'll need to whack your ratchet to get the bolts started. good write up mahjik, if thats not in the archives it should be.

if you don't already have a manual go here
http://www.iluvmyrx7.com/1994_factor...ice_manual.htm

and download em.
i have some time so here's a pic from the manual of what you're lookin at

 

The problem some people run into, as airborne pointed out, is pressing the pistons in if they need more clearance. The fronts are no problem, but the rear needs a tool to screw it in. If you don't have that tool (or can't borrow one), then yep, it could be a pain.

 

i've heard that a substitute special service tool is a clamp and a block or organic composite...aka wood.

btw, the "rear brake tool" to screw the rear piston back in also works on the mitsubishi conquest/starion. sorry, just felt like sharin. due to the local weather i'm in fd withdrawal

 

I just used needle-nose pliers. Very easy. Took about 30 seconds.

 

Hey thanks Mahjik your inst. were excellent. Took me less than an hour to change all four rotors. Super easy job!

I have a question though. Are new rotors supposed to smoke?

After I installed the rotors I went for a drive and tested the braking. I started with soft brake then went up gradually to hard stops. Towards the end of my test I noticed that there was smoke coming off my wheels. I went home parked and looked at the wheels and saw that the rotors were smoking a lot. They are brand new Brembo drilled and slotted rotors with three month old brake pads.


Thanks

 

it's the plating or whatever they do to teh rotors to keep the parts you don't brake on from rusting... that has to burn off the rotor surface.. will take less than a week to burn off...

Edit: Cadmium plating / coating I think...

 

thanks

 

You should let them brake in for a while longer with conservative breaking, or the rotors can become warped and you could get brake pulse. Just a suggestion.

 

FYI, those instructions are from clayne.

 

I think I'm doing my own brake work from now on, thanks Mahjik and clayne.

 

I can't seem to get my front rotor off the hub.
> took off the screws with am impact driver
> took off caliper
> used 3 lb hammer to hit the rotor from the inside. the damn thing does not even budge.

any tricks out there I can try to get my rotors off? help:

 

If you have the screws out all there is to do is to break it loose. If you have used the 3lb hammer then all I can tell you is to hit it harder and just make sure once you have started you get it off so that you don't have to use it. I just did mine and the rear were the pain for me. I had to nail the crap out of them with a regular hammer. They do come off just that easy once they are loosened though.

Once you have done one wheel the others are a cakewalk.

 

just as a quick FYI to anyone now discovering this, the 2 bolts to remove the calipers are 17mm (not 14mm). the 14mm ones you do not want to touch.
regards
eric

 

All of the rotors have an extra threaded hole in the hat (the area where the wheel studs poke through). You thread a bolt into this unused hole and it pushes the rotor right off for you. No banging required!!!

To prevent sticking of the rotor to the spindle in the future just smear some anti-seize or a good high temp grease on the spindle before remounting the rotor.

 

ok, as in typical rx7 fashion, the bolt size of the fronts and rears is different!
my (1994) fronts were 17mm and rears were 14mm.
looks like you just need to be ready with a range of good sockets when doing this job.
regards
eric

 

This message is over a year old. I hope he got it fixed by now

 

Well, at least he did used the search feature... I guess some people are never satisfied

 

werd....and people never think; gee, this may be helpful to someone in the future trying to learn how to do something via a search!!

 

It really is pretty simple. If I can do it, ANYONE can. You may want to buy one or both of those disc brake compression tools at Kragen. It makes the job a piece of cake.