Installing front rotors, special tools required? Advice?

Starcrwzr · **Posted:** Tue Jun 23, 2009 7:04 pm

I've ordered some new rotors for my front brakes, that should be here Thursday. Are there any special tools required to install them? I assume it's pretty straight forward... pull the wheel, unbolt and lift off the caliper, remove retaing clips and take off rotor. Reverse to install. The only special tools that I could imagine would be something required to pull the calipers off. Your help is appreciated!

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Tue Jun 23, 2009 7:29 pm

a pry bar and or a c-clamp and one of the used brake pads flipped will help compress the caliper so that you can get the new brake pads on

other than that, nothin really special

Starcrwzr · **Posted:** Tue Jun 23, 2009 8:31 pm

I'm not replacing the pads, only the rotors, the pads are like new. I had the pads replaced and the rotors turned a couple of thousand miles ago. The rotors were warped then and they were just able to get them true and still have enough material to meet spec. But since they're so thin now, they easily warped again with my mountain driving, and can't be turned again, so I'm just replacing them.

Thanks for the info.

MojaveKJ · **Posted:** Tue Jun 23, 2009 8:34 pm

Piece of cake...just did mine on Saturday. Don't forget the brake cleaner. Also there is a great "how-to" write up I found on here in the Tech Section. I used it and it was very helpful, just search for "rotor install" or similar.

Did you order the PowerSlot rotors? I really like mine and am hoping for no more warping! What pads did you go with?

Starcrwzr · **Posted:** Tue Jun 23, 2009 8:57 pm

MojaveKJ wrote:

Piece of cake...just did mine on Saturday. Don't forget the brake cleaner. Also there is a great "how-to" write up I found on here in the Tech Section. I used it and it was very helpful, just search for "rotor install" or similar.

Did you order the PowerSlot rotors? I really like mine and am hoping for no more warping! What pads did you go with?

I found the post, excellent write up, answers all my questions, thanks MojaveKJ for the tip.

No, I'm short on cash, who isn't these days, but needed the brakes fixed now. I went with Raybestos Advanced Technology rotors, they were a little more than the factory replacements, but half the price of the PowerSlots, but came highly recommended.

LostRenegade · **Posted:** Tue Jun 23, 2009 10:08 pm

I just did mine today. Its pretty easy. Besides what has already mentioned, I would also have some wire or string available to support the caliper after it is unbolted to keep it out of the way and to keep it from pulling on the brake line.

LIV42DY · **Posted:** Tue Jun 23, 2009 10:51 pm

Starcrwzr wrote:

I'm not replacing the pads, only the rotors, the pads are like new. I had the pads replaced and the rotors turned a couple of thousand miles ago. The rotors were warped then and they were just able to get them true and still have enough material to meet spec. But since they're so thin now, they easily warped again with my mountain driving, and can't be turned again, so I'm just replacing them.

Thanks for the info.

it is recomended that you replace both, rotors and pads, replacing the rotors and not the pads may cause warping.

kj-dec · **Posted:** Wed Jun 24, 2009 12:20 am

You may get unlucky on removing the rotors. I finally had to take mine in to a mechanic who used a drum puller and a lot of profuse expletives to get the original rotors off the hubs; you'd have thought they were welded. The locking clips were long since removed; they were not the cause of the trouble.

I tried twice, both times with liberal quantities of Kroil sprayed in wherever I thought it could creep into the gap between rotor and hub, plenty of soak time, heating and cooling, fist maul with a wood block pounding on the inside, lowering the Jeep so the rotor dropped onto a steel chock (wedge) that forced the bottom of the rotor outwards (the other wheel was blocked so the Jeep wouldn't simply pivot). Nothing worked. I didn't have a drum/rotor puller though. Or a jackhammer.

Starcrwzr · **Posted:** Wed Jun 24, 2009 4:15 pm

kj-dec wrote:

You may get unlucky on removing the rotors. I finally had to take mine in to a mechanic who used a drum puller and a lot of profuse expletives to get the original rotors off the hubs; you'd have thought they were welded. The locking clips were long since removed; they were not the cause of the trouble.

I tried twice, both times with liberal quantities of Kroil sprayed in wherever I thought it could creep into the gap between rotor and hub, plenty of soak time, heating and cooling, fist maul with a wood block pounding on the inside, lowering the Jeep so the rotor dropped onto a steel chock (wedge) that forced the bottom of the rotor outwards (the other wheel was blocked so the Jeep wouldn't simply pivot). Nothing worked. I didn't have a drum/rotor puller though. Or a jackhammer.

The rotors were just off a couple of months ago, so I can't imagine that they'd be too hard to get off. Thanks for the advice, if I can't get them off, I'll do as you did and take it somewhere for the replacement.

Scott

Installing front rotors, special tools required? Advice?

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